Missouri State University

Information for Academic Advisors

Graduation Process for Undergraduate Students

  • Undergraduate students must file an Intent to Graduate in order to be considered for graduation eligibility. All seniors are sent an email to their Bearmail account twice a year (during the first month of the spring and fall semesters) reminding the student of the importance of filing the Intent to Graduate. It can be filed by one of the following methods. Students are encouraged to use the online option as it will allow the student to receive an automated response e-mail.
    • Online through My Missouri State (My Missouri State>Academics tab>Commencement channel>Intent to Graduate link)
    • In-person at the Office of the Registrar (Carrington 320)
    • A printable .pdf version that can be mailed or faxed to the Office of the Registrar.
  • Within 3-5 business days of receiving the student's Intent to Graduate, the Office of the Registrar will enter the Intent to Graduate information into Banner's graduation application system. Students can verify that the Intent to Graduate was received by going to the Advising Notes page and verifying that the "Declared Graduation Term" in the Student Information box shows the student's intended semester of graduation.
  • The Intent to Graduate system will be available each semester as a choice once that semester's registration sequence has begun. Students are encourage to file the Intent to Graduate as soon as they have registered for their final semester of coursework so that they may check their degree audit for any remaining graduation deficiencies.
  • Students are notified multiple times (e.g. general email to all seniors, confirmation email upon online Intent to Graduate submission, Graduation Checklist on the "Information for Graduates" portion of the Commencement website) to check their degree audit for any graduation deficiencies, and are encouraged to see their academic advisor or the Office of the Registrar if they do not understand how to resolve a deficiency on their degree audit.
  • There is a deadline for submitting the Intent to Graduate for inclusion in the printed Commencement program. The specific date is identified on the "Information for Graduates" portion of the Commencement website. The approximate timeline is typically the last Friday in March for Spring Commencement, the last Friday in June for Summer Commencement, and the last Friday in October for Fall Commencement. However, it can vary slightly depending on the academic calendar.
  • Once final grades are posted, student should complete the following steps:
    • Check final grades to ensure all courses were passed.
    • Run a new degree audit to ensure the audit shows the message "All Requirements Identified Below Have Been Met." Students may generate a degree once final grades for their graduation semester have been posted.
    • Ensured all holds have been cleared. A hold does not prevent graduation, but would prevent the mailing of the diploma or the release of a transcript.
    • Ensured his/her primary/permanent address is updates as this is where diplomas are mailed. Diplomas are mailed approximately 8 weeks after Commencement.
  • The primary graduation clearance review takes place once grades are posted.
    • Students who are ineligible for graduation receive letters at their primary/permanent address notifying them that they have been removed from the graduation list.
    • Students who have pending issues (e.g. transfer work, incomplete grades) receive letters at their primary/permanent address notifying them that they have until the mid-point of the next semester to resolve the issue and still be cleared for their intended semester of graduation.
    • Students who have a hold preventing the release of their diploma/transcript are also notified via letter at their primary/permanent address.

Graduation Process for Graduate Students

  • Graduate students must file the Graduate College's Application for Graduation.
  • Graduate students with questions about their graduation eligibility should contact the Graduate College at (417) 836-5335.
  • There is an Application for Graduation submission deadline for inclusion in the printed Commencement program. The specific date is identified on the "Information for Graduates" portion of the Commencement website. The approximate timeline is typically the last Friday in March for Spring Commencement, the last Friday in June for Summer Commencement, and the last Friday in October for Fall Commencement. However, it can vary slightly depending on the academic calendar.
  • Graduate students should refer to the Graduate College website to ensure they meet all deadlines, such as comprehensive exams and research deadlines.
  • Once grades are posted, student should complete the following steps:
    • Check final grades to ensure all courses were passed.
    • Ensured all holds have been cleared. A hold does not prevent graduation, but will prevent the mailing of the diploma/transcript.
    • Ensured his/her primary/permanent address is updates as this is where diplomas are mailed. Diplomas are mailed approximately 8 weeks after Commencement.
  • Communication regarding graduation clearance issues for graduate students will come from the Graduate College. Students who have a hold preventing the release of their diploma will be notified by the Office of the Registrar.

Commencement Ceremony Participation and Eligibility

  • There is no Commencement practice. Students are not required to RSVP for commencement participation, and no tickets are required for guests.

  • Students must have ALL graduation requirements in-progress during their intended semester of graduation (includes transfer work from other institutions) in order to be eligible to participate in Commencement.

    The only possible exceptions to this policy are those students who will complete all their graduation requirements during the subsequent intersession. Undergraduate students may request permission to participate in an early commencement ceremony by petitioning Dr. Rachelle Darabi in the Office of the Provost after they have actually registered for their intersession class(es). The contact person for submitting such an appeal to Dr. Darabi is Lori Roessler (Academic Assistance Program Coordinator for Student Development and Public Affairs). Appeals may be submitted via e-mail to Ms. Roessler at LoriRoessler@missouristate.edu. Graduate students would request permission to participate in an early commencement ceremony by petitioning Dr. Tom Tomasi, Associate Dean of the Graduate College.

    Those given permission to walk early should understand that although their name will be read during the ceremony, it will not appear in the printed commencement program nor will they officially graduate until the conclusion of the semester in which all graduation requirements have been completed. Per University intersession policy, fall intersession is part of the following fall semester, winter intersession is part of the following spring semester, and summer intersession is part of the following summer session. Students who receive permission to walk early are not eligible to be recognized for scholastic honors during the Commencement ceremony.

Division of Commencement Ceremonies

Friday, August 2, 2013
1:00 p.m. (all colleges, all students)
JQH Arena

There is one ceremony and undergraduate division is by college of major (program of study). Refer to the Information for Graduates for more details on the ceremony.

Obtaining a List of Your Advisees Who Have Applied to Graduate

There are a number of reports available through Bear Intelligence (the resource center for University data and reports) that can assist you in identifying your advisees who may be graduating this semester. These reports can be filtered by college, department, or advisor and contain a variety of data generated in .CSV format which can be resaved as Excel files.

It is highly recommended that you periodically run a list of your advisees who may be graduating and review their degree audits for any unresolved issues. You must have ARGOS access to use Bear Intelligence. If you do not have ARGOS access, you will need to request access by emailing your request to QDUG@missouristate.edu. To access graduation reports, you follow the following chain after login: Bear Intelligence homepage>Academic Departmental Lists link>Graduation Lists link>selecting the individual report you wish to run. A brief summary of available for the two reports you would most commonly use:

  • Final Graduation List: Lists those students who have officially graduated in a past semester (Note: This final list will not include the current semester as official graduation has not taken place yet. It would show past semesters from Fall 2009 to present.). Summer 2009 and prior graduation lists are found at My Missouri State>Teaching and Advising Tab>Faculty Services channel>Archived Data block>Departmental Lists link and is drawn from the pre-Banner graduation tables.
  • Graduation Candidates by College or Department or individual advisor: Lists those students who have applied for graduation for a given semester. These students may or may not have all requirements in progress.

Top Ten Most Commonly Overlooked Undergraduate Graduation Deficiencies

  1. Failure to file course substitution/waiver/approval form .
  2. Failure to file an Intent to Graduate.
  3. Failure to complete the University Assessment Examination (GEN 499).
  4. Failure to meet major or minor residency requirements. In cases of appeal, an Expedited Appeal of Major/Minor Residency form is available through the Office of the Provost.
  5. Failure to meet the 40 hours of upper division (300 level or higher) undergraduate coursework or 125 minimum undergraduate credit hours requirements. Particularly, it is important to note that a course substitutions do not "make" a course count as upper division as a substitution does not change the identity of the course that the student has completed.
  6. Failure to fulfill the Missouri Constitution Study Requirement (particularly if the student has Advanced Placement credit or transfer credit from a private institution which is not subject to this state requirement).
  7. Failure to take into account the effect of repeated courses as repeat codes are not added to the academic record until the end of the semester. Make sure to deduct any repeated courses from minimum credit hours counts of major requirements as the audit will not deduct them until repeat codes are applied during end of semester processing.
  8. Failure to meet BA degree requirements. The three most common errors are 1) forgetting about them all together, 2) belief that an Associate of Arts degree waives these requirements (they do not); and 3) failing to take into account restrictions as far as double counting courses between majors, minors, BA fine arts requirements, and general education).
  9. Failure to add/drop a second major and/or minor or inform the Office of the Registrar.
  10. Failure to remember that mixed credit courses are not added to the academic record until the end of the semester, and that course substitutions are usually required to use the mixed credit course in the appropriate place.

Top Most Commonly Overlooked Masters/Specialists/Doctorate Graduation Deficiencies

  1. Failure to file an Application for Graduation
  2. Failure to submit an Advisor Approved Program of Study
  3. Failure to have a Comprehensive Examination Application/Results Form submitted to the Graduate College (by department) after successful completion of comprehensive exams
  4. Failure to submit final thesis to the Graduate College before the semester deadline. The deadline is set by the Graduate College and included on the thesis memo from Dr. Tomasi.
  5. Failure to have a Seminar Report Form submitted to the Graduate College (by department) after successful completion on non-thesis research requirement.
  6. Failure to meet the minimum required 3.00 GPA for all graduate-level Missouri State and transfer coursework.
  7. Failure to have an official transcript sent from another university showing approved transfer courses. Official copies must be sent directly from the other university to the Graduate College.
  8. Failure to have all "I" and "Z" grades changed.

Advisor Resources Related to Graduation Eligibility and/or Commencement

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What information appears on the student's diploma?

A: The student's name, degree earned, major(s) and scholastic honors appear on the diploma. Minors and major options do not appear on the diploma, but are on the transcript. Students earning two majors of the same degree type receive one diploma. See the complete policy related to what is and is not included on the diploma. There are no exceptions to this policy.

Q: If a student cannot attend a Commencement ceremony, do they need to notify anyone?

A: No. Students are not required to RSVP for commencement. The student's name will only be read during the ceremony if they are present. Students who do not attend commencement can pick up a diploma cover and/or commencement program from the Office of the Registrar after the day of Commencement. Students who did not attend commencement but were eligible for scholastic honors can pick up an honors cordon after Commencement from the Dean of Students office.

Q: If a student's final requirement is met by taking an Intersession course, what semester will they graduate?

A: Even with permission to walk in an early ceremony as described above, a student still officially graduates in the semester of the intersession course. See the intersession policy.

Q: Will a student be notified about purchasing their cap and gown?

A: Not from the University. There is a cap and gown section (and also an announcement section) on the Information for Graduates portion of the Commencement website. Undergraduate students are sent this link automatically when they complete the online Intent to Graduation. Additionally, the student will receive various additional information from Herff Jones, which is the company that has the contract to provide cap and gown for our students. There are several methods for ordering the cap and gown. Students are permitted to borrow one from a previous graduate provided that the color (black) and style match those available for purchase. Graduate students will get a mailing approximately one month before commencement with information on caps and gowns.

Q: Will the student get a letter, email, or advising notes from the Office of the Registrar in regards to the individual student's specific graduation deficiencies?

A: The student receives general communication about the importance of checking their degree audit. It is the responsibility of the student to seek assistance from their academic advisor and/or the Office of the Registrar if they are unsure of their graduation eligibility. However, Office of the Registrar staff processing the Intent to Graduate do send advising notes to students (and advisors as warranted) when deficiencies are found on the degree audit to inquire how the student plans to resolve the deficiencies.

Q: When are official graduation numbers available?

A: The official graduation numbers for a graduation class are not figured until the class is officially closed, which occurs at the mid-point of the following semester. Once the class is closed, no additional graduates are added, even if the reason for ineligibility (e.g. incomplete grade, transfer work) now resolved originated in a earlier semester.

Q: If final grades change the scholastic honors eligibility of a student, what will happen?

A: Scholastic honors are recalculated after final grades are posted. Changes in scholastic honors (both positive and negative) are recorded on the academic transcript and diploma. The student may exchange scholastic honors cordons if they wish to the updated scholastic honors level through the Dean of Students office. As noted in the scholastic honors policy, graduate students are not eligible for scholastic honors.

Q: If a student plans on earning a certificate instead of a degree, what do they do?

A: For undergraduate certificate earners, provided that the student has declared that they are earning the certificate (just like they would declare a major or minor), it will be an available choice on the Intent to Graduate system. As long as the certificate is officially declared, eligibility can be checked through the degree audit system just like the degree. The certificate would be posted to the transcript and a certificate issued to the student at the same time diploma processing occurs for the semester. For graduate certificate earners, the Graduate College will check certificate eligibility.

Q: Do graduate students need to purchase a hood?

A: Yes, all graduate students participating in the ceremony are required to wear a hood in addition to their cap and gown.

Q: Are students sent a copy of their transcript with their diploma?

A: Yes, all students are sent one complimentary copy of their transcript with their diploma.

Q: Do graduates have a class rank?

A: No. Missouri State does not calculate or maintain a class rank.

Q: Where can a student find their major GPA after graduation?

A: Unfortunately, major GPA's are not stored in Banner but are available in the degree audit. The major GPA can be calculated post-graduation by running a "what-if" degree audit for the student's graduation major and major catalog year.

Q: If a student is enrolling in a course from another institution as part of their final semester, what should they do?

A: There is an "Additional Comments" section on the Intent to Graduate. If a student is transferring in a course, the form suggests that this information is shared in this section. Students should list the institution where the work is being completed and what course they are completing. In response, our office places a code on their electronic application record in Banner that we use to create a list of graduation applicants for whom we are expecting transfer work. At the end of the intended semester of graduation, we complete our first final graduation eligibility review. For those who told us to expect pending transfer work, they will recieve a letter informing them they have until the middle of the next semester to get their transfer work to MSU and still be cleared for their originally intended semester of graduation.