Deadlines
- Students should review the School of Graduate Studies Deadlines for questions about the graduation application deadline, thesis/dissertation submission, final defense and degree conferral deadlines.
- Graduate degrees are awarded within 45 days of the degree conferral date.
Diploma & Degree Awarding
In order to officially graduate and receive a diploma, graduate students must:
- Complete all graduate degree requirements (see above).
- Submit a graduation application.
Once all graduation requirements have been met, students can expect to have their degree awarded within 45 days of the degree conferral date.
Graduation Application Requirement
- All graduate students – regardless of plan type – must complete a graduation application for the correct semester in which they intend to graduate. Note: A $15 fee must be paid when the graduation application is submitted for each degree program.
- Reminder: Graduate students may submit only one graduation application per program.
Graduation Date Adjustments
- Graduation dates will be manually updated by the Graduate School Registrar when the student’s degree is finalized. If a student has the wrong semester listed, the Graduate Program Coordinator must provide a list to the Graduate School Registrar so corrections can be made.
Reasons Graduate Students Will Be Denied for Graduation
To ensure timely graduation, students must meet all academic and administrative requirements. Below is a list of common reasons a student may be denied graduation:
Missing Requirements:
- Unmet degree or credit requirements. To be awarded a graduate degree, students must fulfill all degree requirements.
- No verified degree from previous institution(s). Official transcripts must show degree earned and conferral date.
- NOTE:Official transcripts should be received by the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) no later than the student’s first semester to avoid a hold on their account (see SGS Catalog Section 1: Graduate Admissions Policies).
Missing Required Academic Forms
Master's Plan A
- Supervisory Committee (SCAF) Form
- Program of Study (POS)
- Appointment for Proposal Defense (AFP)
- Record of Proposal Defense (ROP)
- Thesis/Project Approval (TPA)
- Appointment for Final Defense (AFD)
- Record of Final Defense (ROD)
- Authorship & Copyright
- Format and Style
- Title Page
- Graduation Application
Master's Plan B
- Supervisory Committee (SCAF) Form
- Program of Study (POS)
- Appointment for Proposal Defense (AFP)
- Record of Proposal Defense (ROP)
- Thesis/Project Approval (TPA)
- Appointment for Final Defense (AFD)
- Record of Final Defense (ROD)
- Plan B Report/Creative Project Submission Form
- Graduation Application
Master's Plan C/Professional
- Program of Study (POS) NOTE: SGS has removed the requirement for the ServiceNow POS form submission. A Program of Study remains mandatory and must be completed in DegreeWorks.
- Graduation Application
Doctorate
- Supervisory Committee (SCAF) Form
- Program of Study (POS)
- Appointment for Proposal Defense (AFP)
- Record of Proposal Defense (ROP)
- Application for Candidacy (ACDD)
- Appointment for Final Defense (AFD)
- Record of Final Defense (ROD)
- Authorship & Copyright
- Format and Style
- Title Page
- Graduation Application
For more information about required academic forms by degree type, please visit the Academic Forms page.
NOTE: Students should not wait until their final semester to submit required forms, as doing so may delay graduation. Timely submission of all required forms is essential to ensure all degree requirements are met without complications.
Registration Issues
- The student is registered for classes in the following semester.
Thesis/Plan B Paper or Project/Dissertation Issues
- The thesis, Plan B paper/project, or dissertation has not been submitted or defended.
Grade Issues
- GPA below 3.0 on the Program of Study.
- Unresolved Temporary (T) grades – must be changed by Faculty.
- Unresolved Incomplete (I) grades – must be changed by Faculty.
Commencement and Post Graduation
Commencement
- Graduate students who graduate during the summer semester are eligible to participate in spring commencement of that academic year.
- For questions about commencement and convocation, please review the Utah State University Commencement page.
Graduate School Transcripts
- The School of Graduate Studies does not issue official or unofficial copies of transcripts.
- Students and alumni may request their transcript records through the Utah State University Registrar’s Office.
Letters of Completion
- Graduate students who have fulfilled all degree requirements before the end of the semester may request a letter from the School of Graduate Studies verifying degree completion for employment purposes.
- Students may request a letter of completion by emailing the Graduate Registrar.
- A request for a letter of completion may take up to 2-5 workdays to complete.
- NOTE: Letters of completion will not be issued until a student’s thesis/dissertation has been reviewed by the SGS Thesis/Dissertation Reviewer and is ready to be transferred to USU Libraries for final processing. Master’s Plan B Students must have submitted their paper/project to USU Libraries.