Please note that this process is under review and will be updated shortly.

The dates for commencement are published in the online academic calendar.  Deadlines for the commencement program are firm. Students will be degree candidates until they have been cleared by the Graduate School.

Participation in the commencement ceremony or the listing of a student’s name in the commencement book in no way implies or ensures graduation. A student’s graduation is contingent upon successful completion of the degree requirements and approval by the academic school or college.

Commencement ceremonies are held in May and December only. Those students completing degree requirements during the fall, spring, or summer sessions may, if they wish, participate in the graduation ceremonies of the previous or following May or December. Students receiving a Ph.D., D.M.A., D.N.P., D.P.T., or Ed.D. degree and plan to participate in the hooding ceremony and all master’s students marching in the graduation ceremony must have the approval of the graduate advisor, director, or appropriate person in the department/school to participate in the ceremonies.

Participation in commencement for students in all graduate programs is contingent upon the following:

  1. The student must have met the requirements for the program.
  2. The student must have a minimum of 3.00 cumulative grade point average;
  3. The student may not have any outstanding debt including, but not limited to, tuition, fines, and fees. Tuition for the last term of study must be paid in full by the beginning of the final term.

Clearance for Degree Conferral

For the Graduate School to clear a student for graduation:

  1. All original documents (transcripts from previous degrees entered on their online application, GRE scores, etc.) must be on record in the Graduate School (except for MBA students).
  2. The Admission to Candidacy form must have been completed by the program at least one term before graduation. The Graduate School does not require application to candidacy for master’s, D.P.T., nor D.N.P. degrees.
  3. The student must defend his/her thesis or dissertation (if applicable) no later than two weeks before the last day of class in the term he/she wishes to graduate.
  4. The student must submit his/her final, Dissertation Editor-approved thesis or dissertation with all corrections completed and final paperwork turned in to the Graduate School by the last day of exams in the term he/she wishes to graduate for their clearance to be processed in time.