Office Of The Registrar And Records

APPLICATION FOR GRADUATION AND DIPLOMA

All Undergraduate students who have a minimum of 90 credits and graduate students who have a minimum of 24 credits are required to file an application for graduation to receive degree verification and award.

*Please note: Completing the application for graduation by October 7, 2022 is the only way to ensure that your name will appear in the December 2022 commencement program booklet.

All students who are eligible to receive a Graduation PIN can apply for graduation through the Graduation Clearance System (GCS). This is a paperless process that will allow you to verify how your name will be presented on the diploma, your graduation date, program of study, diploma mailing address and other information specific to your program of study. It is important for you to apply for graduation in a timely manner during your graduation term. Your advisor/mentor, chair and dean will review and either approve or disapprove your GCS application.

GRADUATION APPLICATION FILING DATES

• Spring 2023: March 3, 2023; PLEASE FILE IMMEDIATELY
• Summer 2023: July 7, 2023
• Fall 2023: December 8, 2023
• Spring 2024: March 2. 2024

 READINESS FOR GRADUATION

The Office of Registrar and Records conducts the final audit for all students who have applied for graduation. The Graduation Specialist will check every course record and all details in the permanent student academic record to make sure all degree requirements are met, minimum grade point averages have been achieved, and that the total credits are completed to award a degree.

All course substitutions and student requests should be submitted well before a student applies for graduation.

REASONS THAT WILL DELAY DEGREE VERIFICATION

• Missing course substitutions/student request forms
• Missing declaration of major or minor
• Unresolved Incomplete or In-Progress courses (missing grades)
• Missing final official transcripts) with grades) for courses taken off-campus

(i.e. study abroad, permission to register at another institution)

Please note: A degree verification is a confirmation that all program requirements have been completed. To determine what classes are needed in order to graduate, students are encouraged to view their Degree Works report and make an appointment to meet with their faculty advisor within their college/area.

GRADUATION VERSUS COMMENCMENT

The precise dates are announced each year through the academic calendar. “Conferral” means that the University Registrar has notated the award of a degree in the academic record keeping system. For most purposes, the term “graduation” and “conferral of a degree” are synonymous. “Commencement,” however, is another matter.

COMMENCEMENT

Commencement is the event which celebrates the completion of degree programs. The University has commencement ceremonies in December and May of every year. Those planning to attend commencement should refer to their JSU emails and the commencement website.

Information on caps, gowns, award ceremonies and receptions, and the commencement checklist will always be available on the Commencement site.

Please note: Participation in commencement ceremonies does not mean all degree requirements have been met. Those who participate in commencement do so as they are eligible to apply for graduation.

GRADUATION

Degrees are conferred upon members of the graduating class one at a time, after the final grades are posted for the final degree requirements of each student’s academic program.

JSU confers degrees three times per year, unless requirements are completed in an Intersession term. The date of conferral that appears on the transcript is relevant to the term in which all final grades for the degree applied for have posted.

• May degree date: Last date of the Spring semester
• August degree date: Last date of the Summer II semester
• December degree date: Last date of the Fall semester

Please note: Degrees are conferred in batches in the order the applications were received.