Graduation Information

 

All students are required to complete a graduation application well in advance of their projected graduation date. Students should consult their academic advisor before submitting their application.

Application deadlines are as follows:

Expected Graduating Semester	Deadline for Graduates/Undergraduates	Deadline for Law Students
Fall Semester	May 1	July 1
Spring Semester	November 15	November 1
Summer Semester	April 1	April 1

The Graduation Application fee for Undergraduate and Graduate students is $40.  The Graduation Application fee for Law students is $50.

The deadlines are set within the semester preceding graduation to allow students the opportunity to enroll in courses to fulfill graduation requirements in consultation with their academic advisor.

Undergraduate Applicants

Undergraduate students with more than 87 hours and have a declared major have the 'Apply to Graduate' button available to them on the 'Graduation' tab in CampusNet. Once a student applies online, the graduation application fee is charged to the student account and the review process begins. It takes six to eight weeks to complete the initial review of the application. Students are encouraged to track the progress of their graduation application on the 'Application Tracking' page on the 'Graduation' tab.

In order to graduate, students are responsible for enrolling in the courses required to complete the program of study. It is important to ensure that students complete each set of Degree Audit requirements with 'Completed' or 'In Progress' courses. Students will be responsible for checking their Degree Audit regularly to verify that the status of degree requirements remain complete with 'In Progress' courses.

Incomplete Grades: If an Incomplete grade (I) is received in your final semester, your date of graduation will be the end of the semester in which the instructor submits the grade change to the Office of University Registrar. You must notify the Office of the University Registrar of any change of grade made to a pending Incomplete (I) if that grade change completes your degree requirements.

Graduate Applicants

Graduate students with more than 15 hours and degree-seeking state will have the 'Apply to Graduate' button available to them on the 'Graduation' tab in CampusNet. Once a student applies online, the graduation fee is charged to the student account and the review process begins. It takes six to eight weeks to complete the initial review of the application. Students are encouraged to track the progress of their graduation application on the 'Application Tracking' page on the 'Graduation' tab.

If you submitted a paper application, you do not need to submit another application online (doing so will result in a duplicate graduation application fee charged to your account). It takes ten to twelve weeks to complete initial processing of the paper application. When completed, you will receive a copy of the application with comments and adjustments noted. Please check it carefully for approval and/or adjustments. If you do not receive anything back after the ten to twelve week period, contact the Office of the University Registrar.

In order to graduate, students are responsible for enrolling in the courses required to complete the program of study. It is important to ensure that students compelte Degree Audit requirements with 'Completed' or 'In Progress' courses. Students will be responsible for checking their Degree Audit regularly to verify that the status of degree requirements remain complete with 'In Progress' courses.

Incomplete Grades: If an Incomplete grade (I) is received in your final semester, your date of graduation will be the end of the semester in which the instructor submits the grade change to the Office of University Registrar. You must notify the Office of the University Registrar of any change of grade made to a pending Incomplete (I) if that grade change completes your degree requirements.

Law Applicants

Law students with more than 50 hours and degree-seeking status will have the 'Apply to Graduate' button available to them in the 'Graduation' tab in CampusNet. Once a student applies online, the graduation application fee is charged to the student account and the review process begins. It takes four to six weeks to complete the initial review of the application. Students are encouraged to track the progress of their graduation application on the 'Application Tracking' page on the 'Graduation' tab.

In order to graduate, students are responsible for enrolling in the courses required to complete the program of study. It is important to ensure that students complete Degree Audit requirements with 'Complete' or 'In Progress' courses. Students will be responsible for checking their Degree Audit regularly to verify that the status of degree requirements remain complete with 'In Progress' courses.

If you have questions regarding your application for graduation, please call the Cleveland-Marshall Student Records Office.

Degree Conferral

After the completion of each semester, the conferring of degrees begins after the Final Grades Submission Deadline date provided on our Academic Calendar for the semester.  Law students will be conferred at a later date after degree requirement confirmation from the College of Law.  PLEASE NOTE: Students graduating in summer, Cleveland State University has one summer semester degree conferral date at the end of the summer semester, regardless of which session you may have finished requirements.

Diplomas

Following a final audit of your academic record and verification of the successful completion of all degree requirements, the Office of the University Registrar will mail your diploma to the address on file with the University approximately five weeks following Commencement.  Your name will appear on your diploma and on your official transcript as it is recorded as the legal name in the university's database. Preferred names will be used for the commencement program. You are strongly encouraged to verify the accuracy of your legal name and current mailing address through CampusNet. Please make any necessary address changes online.  Diplomas are not mailed to students who have a financial hold on their student account. Such holds must be resolved with the Bursar's Office before the diploma will be released.

Diplomas are mailed by the Wednesday after your degree was conferred.  If, after 21 business days from the date of the issuing of your diploma, your diploma has not arrived at its intended destination, notify the Graduation Office at (216) 687-3700 or at graduation@csuohio.edu. Notifications of non-receipt are accepted up to 60 days after your diploma has been issued. After 60 days, you must order a duplicate diploma. All notifications of non-receipt will be investigated. The Graduation Office reserves the right to refuse the complimentary re-issuing of a diploma.

Diploma Name Policy

Your name and degree will appear on your diploma and on your official transcript as it is recorded as the legal name in the university's database. Preferred names will be used for the commencement program.  Please verify the accuracy of your name and degree/major/minor information on CampusNet. If there is an error, legal name changes can be made by completing the Change of Student Information form. Preferred name changes can be made online in CampusNet.  Major/minor changes can be made by contacting your advisor. Your advisor will communicate the request for change to the Office of the University Registrar.

Continued Enrollment after Graduation

If you wish to continue taking classes at Cleveland State University after you have completed your degree requirements, you MUST be admitted to a new program. Should you register for courses in a term that follows your graduation date without being admitted to a new program, you risk having those classes dropped or the posting of your degree delayed. You will be notified in the event your classes are dropped.

Graduation Honors

Undergraduate students who have earned at least 30 credit hours (excluding alternative credit) in residence at Cleveland State University and who have earned a cumulative grade point average between 3.30 and 4.00 (calculated to two decimal places unrounded) are eligible to graduate with the following honors:

• 3.30-3.59 Cum Laude
• 3.60-3.79 Magna Cum Laude
• 3.80-4.00 Summa Cum Laude

For assistance in calculating grade point average, please visit the GPA Calculator.

University Valedictorian

For each commencement, a Valedictorian will be selected from the undergraduate graduating class by a committee comprised of representatives from each college. The Valedictorian will be a student demonstrating outstanding academic qualifications and achievements in or contributions to the university or wider community. The successful candidate will deliver the valedictory speech at the commencement ceremony.

Candidates must have a graduation application on file by the graduation application deadline, have completed a minimum of 60 credits in-residence at Cleveland State University, and attained a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.8 to be considered for Valedictorian selection.

Candidates seeking Valedictorian candidacy may petition their major department, presenting a summary of their qualifications and achievements. All nominations must be finalized by the middle of the spring (for spring graduates) and fall (for summer and fall graduates) semesters. The successful candidate is typically notified no later than 2 weeks prior to commencement.

Commencement

The commencement ceremonies will be held in May and December. In order to participate in the commencement ceremony, a student must have completed or be currently attending all courses necessary to satisfy degree requirements. If you finish your requirements during Summer semester or Fall semester, you are eligible to participate in the December commencement ceremony. Students finishing in the Spring semester are eligible to participate in the May commencement ceremony only. Any exception must be approved by the Dean of the College in which the student intends to graduate.

Cleveland State University 's policy statement pertaining to international students wishing to attend the commencement ceremonies is as follows:

"Cleveland State University is unable to send letters to foreign embassies asking that citizens of their country be provided with visas so that they may attend commencement ceremonies at CSU. We encourage such citizens to use the mechanisms already available to them in their countries to request a visa to visit the United States."