Graduation Requirements
The Institute holds one commencement ceremony each year typically in the month of May to honor the following groups:
- All Students completing all requirements in the Fall semester prior to the May ceremony (January Graduates).
- All Students expected to complete all requirements in the Spring semester (May Graduates)
- All Students expected to complete all requirements in the Summer semester following the ceremony (September Graduates)
- PA Students expected to complete all requirements by October following the ceremony (October Graduates)
For detailed information about the Institute's upcoming Commencement Ceremony, visit our Commencement Pages on the website.
Application for graduation
Students must file an application for graduation form with the Registrar's by the beginning of December prior to the year that they will officially graduate.
- When filing an application for graduation, students are placed onto an "unofficial" graduation list. A completed degree audit must be on file before any student is moved to an "official" graduation list for any cycle.
- If a student is unable to graduate as planned, he/she must inform the registrar in writing and the the student will be moved to the next available graduation cycle as long as it falls within that calendar year.
- If requirements will not be completed until the following calendar year, the student will be required to re-apply for graduation following the guidelines established above.
- The student's full/diploma name, as provided on the application for graduation, will appear on the diploma, in the Commencement Program, and will be the name read on the stage at the Commencement Ceremony.
- Graduation fees are charged at the point of initial matriculation and are included with the “matriculation fee”.
Registration in Semester of Graduation
Even though there is only one commencement exercise each year, there are four official graduation dates: January, May, September, and October (PA program only). Every candidate for a degree must be registered at the Institute during the semester of graduation. This includes students who are working to complete terminal projects. Registration for project continuation will be required for any student who has no other coursework to complete and will only work on completion of a terminal project.
Failure to graduate at the expected time will require additional registrations as necessary.
Deadlines for Awarding of Degrees
The deadlines for completion of all thesis requirements including submission of the final signed thesis are as posted in the official academic calendar.
- For degrees awarded in January, degrees are conferred and diplomas will typically bear the date of the first Friday of January.
- For degrees awarded in May, diplomas will bear the date of the actual commencement ceremony.
- For degrees awarded in September, degrees are conferred and diplomas will typically bear the date of the first Friday of September.
- For PA degrees awarded in October, diplomas will typically bear the date of the second Friday in October.
Revocation of Diploma/Degree
The Institute reserves the right to revoke a student's diploma or degree if it is determined after notice and a hearing that the degree was received through fraud or deceit, including but not limited to: fraudulent representation during the admissions process; or academic dishonesty during the degree process. The student's records will be changed to reflect an Academic Dismissal from her or his program instead of graduation.