Graduation & Commencement
Graduation
Commencement
What is it?
Graduation
Graduation is the process whereby your degree is conferred so that you can officially use your new title/credentials. Upon your graduation, (if you have no outstanding financial obligations to the University), your diploma is mailed to you approximately three weeks later.
Commencement
Commencement is the symbolic ceremony held in Utah to celebrate the completion of your degree. Degrees are not officially conferred in the ceremony, nor do you actually receive your diploma here.
Is it Required?
Graduation
Commencement
When does it occur?
Graduation
The degree conferral process begins once grades for the final semester are posted (one week after the last day of the semester), and approvals then take 1-2 weeks to finalize. Upon completion of the process, the effective date of graduation is posted as the last day of each semester. Semester dates can be found on the Academic Calendar.
Commencement
The Commencement ceremony is typically held in mid-August each year. Please refer to the Academic Calendar for ceremony dates.
Live-streaming: All Commencement ceremonies at RMU are available to watch via live-stream. We offer this as a way to ensure that family and friends of the graduates can participate in the celebration, even when they are unable to attend in person.
What form/fee is required?
Graduation
Graduation Application
No Fee required
Commencement
What is the deadline to apply?
Graduation
Please see Academic Calendar for each semesters deadline to apply for degree conferral
Commencement
What are the eligibility requirements (these don’t have to be met upon application - just by the deadline stated)?
Graduation
All Programs:
- All coursework completed with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00
DSc/PhD programs:
- Qualifying Exam Pass
– Practicum Completed and Approved (if applicable-reference your curriculum) - IRB Closure Report approved
- Manuscript incorporating all committee revisions must be submitted to the Director of Research no later than ONE MONTH prior to degree completion deadline
- Receipt of approved, bound dissertation by the University
- Receipt of electronic copy of your final dissertation by the University
DNP and SLPD programs:
- Receipt of approved, bound capstone project by the University
- Receipt of electronic copy of your final capstone by the University
- IRB Closure Report approved
Additional SLPD/OTD Requirements:
- Bound capstone approved and received by the University (or confirmation that the bindery has received it)
- Electronic copy of the capstone (PDF including signature pages) received by the University
Additional PhD Requirements:
- Qualifying exam passed
- Practicum completed and approved (if applicable)
- All dissertation requirements completed (committee formation, proposal development and defense, IRB approval, final defense, and IRB closure)
- Bound dissertation approved and received by the University (or confirmation that the bindery has received it)
- Electronic copy of the dissertation (PDF including signature pages) received by the University
Commencement
Those eligible to participate in a Commencement ceremony include the following:
Graduates:
- Degree Conferral within 18 months prior to the ceremony date.
- Have not already attended a previous ceremony.
Current students:
- Degree conferred in the Winter semester (April);
-OR-
Enrolled in their final courses in the Summer Semester;
-OR-
Be scheduled to complete their degree requirements in the Fall semester of that year. - Be in good standing, as of the eligibility deadline (May 31).
- Have received approval from their Program Director(s) to attend commencement.
Further Details on Graduation
A degree is conferred when the student has completed all academic, financial, and graduation requirements for the course of study as outlined in the University Handbook and with approval of the College Dean or Provost (under authority of the University President and the Chair of the Board of Trustees). All students must complete program coursework with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Students must apply for degree conferral by completing the graduation application. After the application is submitted, the Registrar’s Office conducts an audit of academic records and the University Finance Office audits the financial records. Students who clear the academic audit and desire their diplomas/transcripts released upon degree conferral must be cleared by the financial audit.
Recommendations for degree conferral require sequential approval of the Program Director or Co-Directors and the College Dean or the Provost. Following these approvals, the degree is officially conferred by the Registrar’s Office. The following will occur once the Registrar’s Office is notified of the Dean/Provost approval: 1) the Registrar’s Office will notify the student of approval via email or other written format, 2) the official transcript requests are processed, and 3) the diploma will be mailed to the student. Those students who have completed all academic requirements and have had their degree conferred, but who also have outstanding financial obligations to the University, will not receive official transcripts and diplomas until cleared by the University Finance Office.