Graduation Information for Students

Intent to Graduate Deadlines for Undergraduates

August 17, 2013 Graduation: November 21, 2012
     If you apply late and your intent to graduate and upper-division forms are not received by your graduation coordinator by Monday, July 22, 2013, your name may not appear in the Commencement program, and you might not be checked in time for an August 2013 degree date.

December 14, 2013 Graduation: April 12, 2013
   If you apply late and your intent to graduate and upper-division forms are not received by your graduation coordinator by Friday, October 25, 2013, your name may not appear in the Commencement program, and you might not be checked in time for an December 2013 degree date.

May 10, 2014 Graduation: June 3, 2013
  If you apply late and your intent to graduate and upper-division forms are not received by your graduation coordinator by Friday, March 14, 2014, your name may not appear in the Commencement program, you might not be able to participate in the ceremony due to space limitations, and you might not be checked in time for a May 2014 degree date.

August 9, 2014 Graduation: November 19, 2013 
     If you apply late and your intent to graduate and upper-division forms are not received by your graduation coordinator by Friday, June 20, 2014, your name may not appear in the Commencement program, you might not be able to participate in the ceremony due to space limitations, and you might not be checked in time for aAugust 2014 degree date. 

 

If you have missed the deadline, please complete your paperwork immediately and submit it to your Graduation Coordinator for consideration and review. Click here for a list of Graduation Coordinators and their locations.

November 21, 2012 Deadline to file Undergraduate Intent to Graduate for  August 2013

August 2013 GRADUATION IMPORTANT NOTICE There will be one ceremony for the August 17th graduation. The ceremony begins at 10:00 a.m. for all Colleges: Graduate Studies (includes all Masters, EDS, and Doctoral candidates), Basic and Applied Sciences, Behavioral and Health Sciences, Business, Education,  Liberal Arts, Mass Communication and University College (includes Regents Online Degree Program and Bachelor of University Studies). If you are not sure of your college, please click here. Guest tickets are not required for graduation.   Click here for Graduation Instructions   Click here for Graduation/Commencement Program (available August 5, 2013) Click here for Line of March (available August 15, 2013) Click here for Diagram Murphy Center Seating   Click here for Diploma Availability Status

• Attendance at Graduation Ceremony
• Caps and Gowns
• Catalog Requirements (Undergraduates)
• Commencement DVD
• Computation of GPA for Degree Requirements
• Degree Evaluation
• Diplomas
• Graduation - Honors
• Graduation Schedule of Events
• Intent to Graduate Form
• Licensures
• Parking
• Substitutions
• Upper-Division Form
• Waiver of Courses (Undergraduate)

Graduate-level students should access the Graduate Office web site for specific details regarding graduation requirements and can review this page for details related to the ceremony and diplomas.

ATTENDANCE AT GRADUATION CEREMONY

The graduation ceremony lasts approximately 21/2 to 3 hours. Students who participate in the graduation ceremony should plan to stay for the entire time as it is disrespectful of others if people leave early. If you are planning celebration activities, please be aware of this time commitment. Also, the use of cell phones during the ceremony is discouraged. Use of air horns or other such devices by students or guests is prohibited and will be confiscated if brought into Murphy Center. People under the influence of alcohol are subject to being removed from the line of march.

Any degree candidate requiring special facilities at convocation due to a physical disability should contact the Registrar's Office by August 2, 2013; e-mail Cindy Johnson or call (615) 898-5170.. Questions concerning parking or other special facilities for family members or guests should be directed to Murphy Center, 898-2752, or on the web.

If you do not plan on attending graduation, please notify the Registrar's Office by August 2, 2013, that your degree is to be conferred in absentia.  You may complete and submit the absentia form online or e-mail Cindy Johnson. If you do not attend graduation, your name will not be read.

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CAPS AND GOWNS

The cost of the cap and gown is included in the campus access fee paid at the time of registration. There is no additional charge. Graduation regalia will be available at the Phillips Bookstore in the Student Union August 10th from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., August 12th-15th from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and August 16th from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Graduates should make arrangements to pick up their regalia during these dates and times as regalia will not be mailed or shipped. Regalia will not be available at the Phillips Bookstore on graduation day, but replacement regalia will be available at Murphy Center. If you participate in the graduation ceremony, you must wear regalia. Graduating seniors who are members of the armed services or who are receiving commissions may wear military uniform at the graduation in lieu of the academic cap and gown. Graduates inappropriately dressed will not be allowed to march.

If you have questions about caps and gowns, please call the Phillips Bookstore at 898-2700.

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CATALOG REQUIREMENTS (UNDERGRADUATES)

All students must complete the general requirements as prescribed by the University and the specific requirements set forth for the degree sought. A minimum of 120 hours  is required with 25 percent (30 hours if a 120-hour degree program) of the required courses earned at MTSU and a minimum of 30 semester hours earned in residence at the junior and senior (3000-4000) level. (Some programs may require more than the minimum 120 hours.) The last semester must be in residence unless permission is granted by the dean of the college in which the student is pursuing a major. A student must have a 2.00 GPA overall and 2.00 average in the major and in 42 hours of upper-division credit to graduate. Some departments require a 2.0 GPA in the minor. No more than 25% of credits for non-business degrees may be in courses commonly found in a school or college of business.

All coursework for undergraduate degrees must be completed by 9:00 a.m. on August 17, 2013. This includes incomplete grades and transfer credit from other colleges.

Any or all undergraduate students may be required, as a prerequisite to graduation, to take one or more tests designed to measure general education achievement and achievement in the major areas for the purpose of evaluating academic programs. Access the Testing Services web sites for additional information, dates, and times for the  Major Field Test.  Call the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Planning and Research at (615) 898-8803 for additional information, dates, and times for the General Education Test.

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COMMENCEMENT DVD

To purchase a commencement ceremony DVD go to the MTSU Alumni website.  Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.  If you have any questions, please contact the MTSU Alumni Office at 1-800-533-6878 (toll free) or locally at (615) 898-2922. 

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COMPUTATION OF GPA FOR DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

The "Overall" Transcript Totals line on the transcript is used for the graduation GPA and Honors.

The "Overall Combined" Transcript Totals line on the transcript (including developmental credits) is NOT used for graduation requirements.

Major Average—If a student has more courses in a major area than are actually required, only those courses specifically required for the major will be used to determine the required 2.00.

Minor Average—For those minors which require a 2.00 grade point average (GPA), only those courses specifically required for the minor will be used to determine the required 2.00.

Upper-Division—The 2.00 GPA is calculated for the "best" 42 upper-division hours (48 for programs prior to the 2004 Fall Catalog).

Teacher Education—Guidelines for computation of grade point averages for admission to the teacher education program, for eligibility to student teaching, and for subject area endorsement may be obtained in the administrative offices of the College of Education, College of Education Building, Room 214, 615-904-8001 or 615-898-5188. Additional information can be found on the web.

Excessive Repeats—All attempts in excess of one are figured in the cumulative GPA.

Developmental Courses—These courses are calculated into the cumulative GPA to determine retention; however, the developmental courses do not count toward degree requirements and the grades are not used to determine the 2.00 GPA required for a degree.

Cumulative Average—The cumulative average includes all quality hours from all institutions excluding developmental credits. The first attempt of a repeated course is excluded. Even if a course does not count toward graduation requirements, it will be counted in the cumulative average.

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DEGREE EVALUATION (UNDERGRADUATES)

Degree evaluations are available on PipelineMT for undergraduate students. Courses and/or other graduation requirements not yet completed are listed to assist you in planning your class schedule for the upcoming registration. Completed courses and GPAs also display so you can confirm all required GPA standards are met. Advisors have access to the degree evaluation information as well to assist you.

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DIPLOMAS

Since diplomas will not be mailed until September 9, 2013, you may pick up your diploma September 3rd - 6th from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Registrar's Office, Window #16 (next to 106 Cope Administration Building). If you do not pick up your diploma, it will be mailed to the address you listed on your Intent to Graduate form. If you have changed your address since you completed this form, you must e-mail Cindy Johnson in the Registrar's Office or call (615) 898-5170 and provide your new information by August 12, 2013. If your name has changed, you must submit a name change form and documentation to the Registrar's Office no later than June 21, 2013.  There is a $10 charge to change your name on your diploma once the diplomas have been printed.

All financial obligations to the university (parking tickets, telephone charges, etc.) must be paid before a diploma will be mailed.

A replacement diploma may be obtained by filing a Request for Replacement Diploma form along with the appropriate fee.

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GRADUATION - HONORS (UNDERGRADUATES)

For listing in the graduation program, honors for undergraduates is determined by the cumulative (overall) grade point average on degree-credit courses at the beginning of the final semester of enrollment. The honors notation on the diploma and on the transcript is determined by the cumulative (overall) average on all degree-credit courses at the end of the final semester.

Cum Laude: 3.500 - 3.749
Magna Cum Laude: 3.750 - 3.899
Summa Cum Laude: 3.900 - 4.000

Note: Honors are not applicable to graduate students.

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GRADUATION SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

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INTENT TO GRADUATE FORM (UNDERGRADUATES)

All undergraduate students must file the Intent to Graduate two semesters before the term you intend on graduating along with their Upper-Division form. To obtain a form, you may:

• print the form by clicking here using Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). If you don't have the Acrobat reader, you may download it from Adobe's web site
• come to the Registrar's Office, Cope Administration Building, Room 102

The form must be submitted with the upper-division form to your College Graduation Coordinator at one of the following locations:

• Jennings A. Jones College of Business (BAS N233 or N219)
• College of Basic and Applied Science (JH 115)
• College of Behavioral & Health Sciences (COE 311)
• University College--B.Unv.S., RODP (855 West College Street, Maple Leaf Village, Suite K)
• College of Education (COE 311)
• College of Liberal Arts (TODD 231)
• College of Mass Communication (Ezell 113A)

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LICENSURES

Students desiring initial teaching certificates or adding endorsements need to contact the Teacher Licensure Office, COE Room 214 (904-8001).

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PARKING

To view a campus parking map go to Parking Services.  Questions concerning parking or other special facilities for family members or guests should be directed to Murphy Center, (615) 898-2752, or go to Parking Services to view a campus map showing disabled parking areas.  For visitors that park in the Greenland parking lot, there is a station that will transport people with mobility issues to Murphy Center in golf carts.  When pulling into the Greenland lot, ask the police officer for directions to the station.

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SUBSTITUTIONS (UNDERGRADUATES)

Course substitutions are obtained from the major advisor (minor advisor if relates to minor). They must be approved by the department head and the dean of the college. Substitutions apply to the student's academic program--they cannot be entered on the computer until all approval is received.

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UPPER-DIVISION FORM (UNDERGRADUATES)

Two semesters before the term you intent to graduate, students should complete an upper-division form and file it with their Graduation Coordinator along with the Intent to Graduate form. This form may be obtained from the office of the head of the department in which the student expects to major.

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WAIVER OF COURSES (UNDERGRADUATES)

Course waivers are recommended by the major advisor (minor advisor if relates to minor) and approved by the department head and the dean of the college. Waivers apply to the student's academic program; they cannot be entered on the computer until all approval is received.