For more detailed information regarding commencement, please visit the Commencement Office webpage.
Q. What is the difference between “commencement” and “graduation”?
A. It is important to know the difference between commencement and graduation. Commencement is the formal ceremony held in May and December. These ceremonies are a celebration of your accomplishments and students who walk during commencement will receive a diploma cover. Graduation is the term used when a student is awarded their degree. Students are awarded their degrees when they have met all the necessary graduation requirements. Participation in the commencement ceremony does not necessarily constitute graduation.
Q. How are Latin honors determined for graduation?
A. An undergraduate student is eligible for Latin honors by earning a minimum of 45 credits at SRU and an overall GPA as follows:
Cum Laude 3.500–3.599
Magna Cum Laude 3.600–3.799
Summa Cum Laude 3.800–4.000
Recognition of Latin honors at commencement will be based on the student’s cumulative GPA at the end of the semester preceding graduation. For December graduates, the cumulative GPA at the end of the summer term will be used to determine Latin honors for the December commencement ceremony, because final grades for the fall term are not due until after the December commencement ceremony. For Spring/Summer graduates, the cumulative GPA at the end of the winter term will be used to determine Latin honors for the May ceremony, because final grades for spring term are not due until after the May commencement ceremony.
Latin honors will be designated on the student’s official diploma and final transcript based on the final cumulative GPA. The final honors designation may change from that noted at commencement based on the grades earned in the last term.
Q. When should I apply to graduate?
A. All SRU students (undergraduate, graduate and degree seeking post-baccalaureate) must apply to graduate. Graduating is not automatic. Students should apply to graduate at least one term prior to their anticipated graduation date.
Please note, students are solely responsible for ensuring they will meet SRU’s graduation requirements as well as those for their respective programs. Be sure to continually monitor your My Rock Audit and meet with your advisor.
Students must apply to graduate by the established deadline for a given term in order to have their name appear in the commencement program.
Q. Will I receive confirmation that my application was submitted?
A. Yes, you will receive an automated confirmation as soon as you have submitted the application. This confirmation email is only to let you know that your graduation application has been submitted. This email is not confirmation that you will graduate.
Q. Is there a way to check my graduation application?
A. Yes, you may view your application for graduation any time at MySRU > Academics tab > Graduation channel > Confirm Application to Graduate.
Q. What if I miss the online deadline to apply to graduate?
A. If you missed the established deadline for the online graduation application for a given term, students must complete a paper Graduation Application, available on the Academic Records Forms page. Please note, there is a separate form for undergraduate and graduate students. The graduation application needs to be completed and can be scanned and emailed to academic.records@sru.edu. If you missed the online graduation application deadline, we are unable to guarantee your name will appear in the Commencement program or guest tickets will be available. You will still be eligible to walk in the commencement ceremony.
Q. How do I change my graduation date if I have already applied to graduate?
A. Contact the Academic Records and Registration office at 724.738.2010 or academic.records@sru.edu.
Q. How can I check to be sure that I will be graduating?
A. Review your My Rock Audit to ensure that all requirements have been met or are being met with courses currently in-progress. Students should also consult with their advisor to be sure their degree audit indicates all requirements have been/will be met and resolve any missing requirements or potential problems as soon as possible.
Undergraduate students: Any unmet requirements showing on the degree audit will need to be resolved before your degree can be awarded.
Graduate students: Any unmet requirements showing on the degree audit will need to be resolved before your degree can be awarded. If your degree audit shows that the unmet requirement(s) is some type of Non-Course requirement (ex. Comprehensive Exam), please see your graduate program coordinator. Some departments choose to make the final approval of the completion of the graduate program and these non-course requirements can only be checked off after successful completion of the item at the end of the term.
Q. I have submitted my application for graduation but I need to submit substitutions from my advisor for missing requirements. What should I do?
A. If a substitution/waiver form is to be submitted on your behalf, your advisor and department will submit the appropriate paperwork which will then go through your dean’s office. Once the dean’s office has approved the substitution/waiver form, the paperwork will be forwarded to the Office of Academic Records & Registration for processing.
Q. How many credits do I need to graduate?
A. All undergraduate students need at least 120 overall credits to be eligible to graduate. In addition, students should be reviewing their My Rock Audit to ensure all other degree requirements have been or are being met with in-progress classes.
Q. I received notification that I have not completed all my requirements for graduation. What should I do?
A. You will need to review your My Rock Audit which identifies the specific remaining requirements to be met and contact your advisor with any questions regarding how to complete them. If you need to change your graduation date in order to complete coursework, call the Office of Academic Records & Registration at 724.738.2010 or email academic.records@sru.edu to request your graduation date be moved to the term in which all of your degree requirements will be met.
Q. I have courses to complete this summer, can I still attend commencement in May?
A. If you are completing coursework during the summer, please apply for graduation for the summer term. Your degree will be awarded upon successful completion of all graduation requirements at the conclusion of the summer term. However, you may still attend the May commencement ceremony. There is not a separate ceremony for summer graduates.
Q. Where do I get my cap, gown and announcements?
A. Approved academic regalia, accessories, graduation announcement, and diploma frames may be purchased from the SGA Bookstore.
Q. When will my degree be awarded?
A. Your degree will appear on your official transcript, which is proof of degree completion, once a final review is completed following the posting and processing of final grades at the end of the semester. With the volume of final reviews required to approve degrees, this may take a few weeks.
If you need a transcript or graduation verification confirming your degree, please complete the appropriate form. If requesting a transcript, you may submit your transcript request prior to the end of the term and check the box to have your transcript mailed after degree is confirmed. A hold on your account with the University will prevent your transcript being mailed until the issue has been resolved.
Q. What will be printed on my diploma?
A. Your diploma will state the degree awarded (e.g. Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Education, etc.), as well as any Latin Honors received. Your diploma will not state your major, concentration, or minor. Only your academic transcript will state your major, concentration, and minor.
Q. When will I receive my diploma?
A. Diplomas will begin to be packaged and mailed six to eight weeks following the end of the term. A hold on your account with the University will prevent your diploma being mailed until the issue has been resolved.
Q. What if I have a hold with the University?
A. A hold (past due tuition balance, unpaid parking tickets, unpaid library fines, etc.) with the University will not keep you from graduating; however, the hold will keep you from receiving any official documentation from SRU. This would include your official transcripts and diploma. To resolve any outstanding issues, please contact the respective office to discuss.
Q. How long will I have access to my SRU email account after I graduate?
A. A graduating student’s MySRU account and SRU email account will expire 6 months after graduation. This grace period is extended as a courtesy to assist with post-academic activities such as job searches, etc. We strongly recommend that students make every effort, as soon as it is convenient, to migrate email or data files associated with their SRU email account to a non-SRU personal email account and storage space.
Students might consider setting up an automatic reply on your email address upon graduation to let people know you have graduated and provide updated contact information.
Q. How do I update my contact information in my portal?
A. Current students are able to update their personal information in their MySRU portal. Once logged in to your MySRU portal, click the My Profile tab. Under the My Profile tab, click the Personal Information Page link. In the Personal Information Page, you are able to update your address, email, telephone number, and emergency contact information.
If you are a former student, you can submit a Change of Address form to update your address, telephone number, or email address.
Q. How may I obtain a replacement diploma?
A. You may request a duplicate diploma by completing the Duplicate Diploma Application and returning the form to the Office of Academic Records & Registration by scanning and emailing the form to academic.records@sru.edu, fax to 724.738.2936 or by regular mail to the address listed at the top of the form. If you are requesting more than one new diploma (i.e. you have a bachelor and master degree), please use a different form for each diploma ordered.
There is a $20 fee associated with each duplicate diploma requested. This fee may be paid here. Before submitting your payment, please contact the Office of Academic Records & Registration at 724.738.2010 to verify your application has been received and there are no issues preventing the request from being processed.
Please allow two weeks for processing.
