Commencement is a ceremonial event and should not be equated with graduation. When applying for graduation and if you are cleared for commencement with in-progress final courses, you are expected to pass them. If you fail any course or requirement, you must work with your academic advisor to retake failed courses and/or meet all university requirements to graduate.
Unless you have a diploma or a final transcript from the University of La Verne that proves your degree completion date, you should not claim (verbally or in writing) that you “graduated” from the University of La Verne to current or prospective employers or graduate degree programs.
In many cases, these third parties will ask you to show proof of degree completion in making hiring, promotion, or admission decisions. You don’t want to give the impression that you were misleading or untruthful about your educational accomplishments.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Question How many semester hours do I need to graduate?
- Answer
A minimum of 128 semester hours; completion of all major requirements (vary by major), general education courses, and elective courses. There are residency minimums based on your catalog of record (usually reflected as the year/term of first matriculation). Review your catalog and your degree audit for specific requirements.
- Question "Apply to graduate?" What do you mean?
- Answer
Yes. You must apply to graduate by filling out an Application for Graduation form (the form is on the Registrar’s website), pay the graduation fee with Student Accounts, and turn the form in to the Registrar’s Office. This will begin the evaluation of all your coursework by the Office of the Registrar. You will receive a graduation evaluation showing exactly what course(s) you will have left or in progress to complete your degree and graduate.
- Question When must I apply to graduate?
- Answer
We recommend that you apply for graduation in the second semester of the junior year, at the earliest. This will give you advance notice and time to pick up requirements if you are short of units or courses.
If you are applying as a senior, you are risking the possibility of not being cleared for commencement if you have missing requirements or you are not registered in your final courses in what you deem as your “final” semester.
- Question What if I miss the deadline to apply for graduation?
- Answer
The Office of the Registrar may take late applications and will be processed on a first-come, first-serve basis. You may be added to the ceremony if time permits. If you are extremely late, your name might not be printed on the commencement announcement.
- Question I graduated at the end of fall semester, when will I get my diploma?
- Answer
The Registrar posts degrees three (3) times a year at the end of each academic term: fall, spring, and summer.
Your diploma is mailed to you approximately three (3) months after the end of the term you completed all requirements per university academic policy.
- Question I graduated but I need to show verification of my degree to my future employer or graduate school, what do I do?
- Answer
If you have urgency to show “proof” of graduation but you cannot wait until the diploma is delivered (see the questions above), then you should purchase an official transcript. The official transcript will have the information you need: the name of the degree and the date when the degree was posted.
- Question I received my diploma but it has errors, what do I do?
- Answer
In rare cases, despite efforts to ensure with you that information is accurate prior to graduation, you might receive a diploma with an error such as a misspelling. Contact the University Registrar to discuss the error and the options you have to receive a duplicate diploma.
- Question Can I graduate with honors?
- Answer
In order to graduate with honors, departmental or university, refer to Academic Information in the La Verne catalog and reference the section “Graduation and Honors.”
- Question What are Departmental Honors?
- Answer
Most departments require students to apply for departmental honors thereby showing their high achievement in their majors. Inquire with your department for the necessary requirements to receive departmental honors.
- Question Will my college major concentration be printed on the diploma?
- Answer
Academic policy states that for undergraduate students, the following will appear on the diploma (and the transcript):
- student’s name,
- degree type (BA or BS),
- major name,
- undergraduate honors, and
- concentration (if any).
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Note that a college minor doe NOT appeal on a diploma but does appear on a transcript.
- Question I "graduated" last semester but I failed one of my last classes at La Verne. Now what?
- Answer
First of all, technically, you have not “graduated.” If you meant to say that you participated in Commencement but did not pass a course or failed to complete a requirement, then you have not graduated.
Commencement participation is an important ceremony but it should not be mistaken with “graduation” which is defined as the completion of all degree requirements (upon acceptance of passing grades in your final semester) and the posting of the date of degree completion by the University Registrar. If you were cleared to participate in Commencement, with proof of enrollment in your final courses, but failed to complete units or subject areas at the end of the semester when grades posted, you can complete requirements at ULV or in transfer (in consultation with your advisor) before the University Registrar can post the degree as officially “graduated” and before a diploma can be mailed to you.
Consult with your academic advisor about making up missed or failed requirements.
Your degree will be posted effective the date you finish your last requirements, not the date you walked in the Commencement ceremony. We answer a similar question about degree posting above.
