“Graduation” and “commencement” refer to two different activities. “Graduation” is the recording of your degree on your transcript and issuance of your diploma, and is administered by the Office of Records and Registration. “Commencement” is the ceremony marking the end of your program, and is administered by the Office of Student Affairs.
Applying for Graduation and Commencement To be considered a candidate for graduation, you must complete an application for graduation and pay the application fee. All degree candidates must apply and pay the fee whether or not they plan to participate in the commencement ceremony. (Executive MBA students are not required to pay this fee, as it is included in their tuition). You can apply for graduation online through GGU4YOU, or obtain an application from the Office of Records and Registration.
The deadline to submit your graduation application depends on your final term:
Fall 2009:
Spring 2010:
Summer 2010:
Nov. 27, 2009
March 12, 2010
July 9, 2010
If you miss these deadlines, your degree will be awarded in the subsequent term for which you apply.
If you plan to participate in the commencement ceremony, you must submit your application for graduation by Feb. 1, 2010. Demand for seats is high. If you miss this deadline your name will be placed on a waitlist, and it’s possible you will not be allowed to attend.
The application is valid for three consecutive terms, beginning with the one you list on the application. For example, if you apply to graduate in Spring 2009, the application will be valid for the Spring, Summer and Fall 2010 terms. If you have not completed your academic program requirements within those three terms, your application will expire and you will need to reapply for graduation and pay the applicable fee.
Students who have applied for graduation and are subsequently academically disqualified will be refunded the application fee provided they submit a written request to the Office of Student Accounting Services.
Doctoral degree candidates also must file the application for graduation and pay the applicable fees. They should consult further with the director of the doctoral program for other commencement eligibility requirements.
It is not necessary to apply for graduation from certificate programs. Instead, submit a Certificate Order Form to the Office of Records and Registration. Refer to the “Certificate Studies” section on p. 92 for more information.
The university has three degree and certificate award dates per year, each corresponds to the final day of a trimester term (i.e, fall, spring or summer).
Fall Award Date:
Spring Award Date:
Summer Award Date:
Dec. 19, 2009
April 27, 2010
Aug. 21, 2010
Your degree or certificate will be awarded when you have satisfied all of your program’s academic requirements, submitted the application for graduation and paid the application fee. The degree term will be the one in which all of these criteria have been met.
The degree date is not dependent upon you meeting your financial obligations with the university. However, the university will not release your diploma or transcript until this obligation is met.
The dates of the commencement ceremonies are different from the degree award dates. The university has one commencement ceremony which is held in the San Francisco/ Bay Area during the spring.
To be eligible to participate in commencement and to be listed in the 2010 commencement program, you must be either
1) A summer 2009, fall 2009, or spring 2010 degree candidate; or
2) A summer 2010 candidate with no more than 15 undergraduate units or 12 graduate units remaining in the summer 2010 term.
All tuition and fees must be paid prior to commencement unless other arrangements have been made. All candidates with an outstanding balance who expect to participate in commencement must be cleared by Student Accounting Services two weeks prior to commencement.
Honors are awarded to bachelor’s degree graduates who have maintained cumulative grade-point averages in their Golden Gate University courses as follows:
cum laude 3. 50-3.749 magna cum laude 3.750-3.899 summa cum laude 3.900-4.000
Honors are awarded based on a cumulative grade-point average at the academic level, awarded as of the date the degree is granted. These honors appear on both the diploma and official university transcript.
Honors are awarded to master’s degree graduates who maintained cumulative grade-point averages in their Golden Gate University courses as follows:
with honors 3.800-3.899 with high honors 3.900-3.999 with highest honors 4.000
Honors are awarded based on a cumulative grade-point average at the academic level, awarded as of the date the degree is granted. These honors appear on both the diploma and official university transcript.
Honors designations do not apply to certificate programs and doctoral degrees.
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