✤Graduation vs. Commencement✤

 Graduation (Office of the Registrar)      

• • Students Must Submit a Graduation Application:
    • Graduation is the fulfillment of academic requirements and the award of a degree/certificate placed on the official record (Transcript).    
    • All applications must be submitted during the application period. Specific dates are noted below and in the Academic Calendar. Students who miss the deadline should contact their academic department to determine eligibility and to request a late submission. Students submitting a late application risk not being included in the published commencement program.  
    • Apply to Graduate through the Student Academic Records Menu in MyUWF.  Select the term you will complete your degree requirements.  Apply to Graduate direct link. 
    • Applying for graduation is completely separate from registering to attend the commencement ceremony. 

Commencement (Commencement Office) 

• • Students must RSVP for commencement to participate.
    • Fall Graduates must RSVP to the Fall Commencement ceremony. 
    • Spring Graduates must RSVP to the Spring Commencement ceremony
    • Summer graduates have the option to participate in either the preceding spring or following fall ceremony
    • Commencement ceremonies at UWF are held twice a year.  Commencement is held for students graduating with baccalaureate, master, specialist, and doctoral degrees only, at the end of the fall semester for fall graduates and at the end of spring for spring graduates. 
      
      

** Fall Graduates: If you will complete your degree requirements in the Fall, submit a Fall graduation application. Fall Graduates must RSVP to the Fall Commencement ceremony.
** Spring Graduates: If you will complete your degree requirements in the Spring, submit a Spring graduation application. Spring Graduates must RSVP to the Spring Commencement ceremony.
** Summer Graduates: If you will complete your degree requirements in the summer, submit a Summer graduation application regardless of the commencement ceremony in which you will participate.

✤Graduation Checklist✤

• Students Must Submit a Graduation Application: Graduation eligibility is based on a fully complete Degree Works audit showing all requirements completed. Prior to completing a Graduation Application, students should consult with their academic advisors, check their Degree Audits, and reference the appropriate Academic Catalog to make sure all graduation requirements will be met prior to the graduation date. Applications for Graduation must be submitted for the term in which the student is completing their degree requirements for their program.   All applications must be submitted during the application period. Specific dates are noted in the Academic Calendar. Students who miss the deadline to apply must contact their academic department to determine eligibility and to request a late submission. Students submitting a late application risk not being included in the commencement program. View Graduation Application: For Instructions visit: Viewing a Graduation Application
  

• • Degree Programs: Students must submit a Graduation Application for the term they will complete all degree requirements. 

  • Double Major or Dual Degree: Students pursuing more than one degree-seeking program must submit the online graduation application for EACH program.
    
    

• RSVP to attend the Commencement Ceremony
  
  • Fall Graduates must RSVP to the Fall Commencement ceremony. 
  • Spring Graduates must RSVP to the Spring Commencement ceremony
  • Summer graduates have the option to participate in either the preceding spring or following fall ceremony.
  
  
• Review Your Graduation Application For Accuracy:
  Diploma Name, Major and minor if applicable). If middle name is on file we can add it. 
  
  
• Review Your Record For Potential Holds:
  Please review your record for possible Privacy or Financial Holds that may be on file. You may access this information by logging into your MYUWF.  
  
  
• Awarding of Degree:
  Awarding of your degree is contingent upon your degree audit indicating 100% complete, in addition to your record going through a final review to confirm completion of all requirements. Once your degree is awarded you will receive an email confirming the award within 24 hours. Your awarded degree will immediately be reflected on any transcript you order. 
  
  
• Transcripts:
  Please note that if you need to show immediate proof of education to employers or institutions, your official transcript is recommended. This is typically the preferred method when needing to verify degree completion.  Expedited shipping options are available for transcript orders at an additional cost. Please visit Ordering a Transcript for instructions. Note: If this is your first semester at UWF, please be sure to choose the "hold for grades" option when placing your transcript order or place your order after grades have been posted at the end of the term. Otherwise, your transcript will be mailed as requested when your order is placed without any grades posted.
  
  
• UWF Email:
  

  After graduating your ArgoNet account will be deleted or automatically downgraded to a limited-access MyUWF account after three (3) consecutive semesters of non-enrollment. For more information please visit Leaving UWF FAQs

    
• Diplomas: 
  Students earning their bachelor's degree or higher are issued a courtesy electronic diploma within 2-4 weeks following their degree award pending there are no holds preventing the diploma release. Recent graduates, please visit: UWF Diplomas (Recent Graduates).
  

• Degree Programs: Students must submit a Graduation Application for the term they will complete all degree requirements. 

• Double Major or Dual Degree: Students pursuing more than one degree-seeking program must submit the online graduation application for EACH program.

• Certificate Programs: Students must submit a Graduation Application for the term they will complete all certificate requirements.

Follow the instructions below for each program/certificate for which you are applying to graduate.

1: Log into MYUWF

2: Search and select "Student Academic Records".

3. Click the "Apply to Graduate" link.

4: Curriculum Selection:

• The term shown may/or may not be your graduation term.
• Select your "Current Program"
• Click "Continue" 

5: Graduation Date Selection

• Term of program completion. 
• Select the Graduation Date (applications are only open for one term at a time). 
• Click "Continue" 

6: Diploma Name Selection

• Confirm your diploma name matches your Legal Name: Legal name will be displayed on your diploma. If your name has changed, a Student Data Change form will need to be submitted. Click Continue
•  Click "Continue" 

7: Address Selection

• Graduation Application Mailing Address.
• Please select State (Province) and Zip (Postal Code) or select Nation to proceed. Click Continue
• Click "Continue" 

8: Summary Page

• Review application term, major, minor (if applicable) and diploma name for accuracy.
• Click "SUBMIT REQUEST"

8: Acknowledgement Page

Students pursuing more than one degree seeking program must submit the online graduation application for EACH program.

Follow the instructions below for each program for which you are applying to graduate. Please note:

• Students must declare any/all programs before they can apply to graduate in any/all of them; see Declaring or changing a major or certificate program for more information.
• To graduate with more than one degree-seeking program, the requirements for both programs must be completed by the graduation date (this does not apply to Certificates and/or AA degrees).
• If requirements for all undergraduate programs will not be met by the graduation date, graduation should either be delayed until all requirements are met, or the program that will not be completed should be dropped. 
  • See Declaring or changing a major or certificate program for more information on removing a program. 
  • After graduation, if a student decides to continue pursuing a program that was previously dropped, they must reapply through the Office of Admissions as a second degree seeking student. 
    • Please see the Academic Catalog for more information regarding second-degree seeking requirements.

Students in a certificate program must submit a graduation application for the term in which the student is completing their certificate requirements.

Follow the instructions below for each certificate program for which you are applying to graduate. Please note:

• Please note that certificates, when conferred are only listed on the official transcript. If a printed certificate is offered, it will be provided to you at the discretion of the Department offering the certificate program. Please check with the academic department that offers the certificate program to see if they issue any type of hard copy credential. 

• Students must contact the Certificate Program Advisor to initiate a declaration of certificate (at any level). The Advisor will initiate the electronic form and then it is passed to the student for acknowledgment. You can confirm that you have declared the certificate and see it listed in your curriculum by going to the Student Records menu and clicking "View Student Information." 

• To apply for graduation (completion) in a certificate program, students should submit the online graduation application following the steps outlined above. You will choose your certificate program from the list of curricula outlined in Step #4.
• If you are unable to apply for completion of your certificate via the online application, please first confirm that you have declared the certificate and it is listed as part of your curriculum. You can view this information through your Student Records menu by clicking "View Student Information." If you have confirmed that the certificate has been declared and you still cannot submit the online application, please contact graduation@uwf.edu for assistance.

• Ed.S: Candidates for a Specialist in Education, will have the graduation application request submitted via the department.
• Please be sure to confirm with your department that a request to create the EdS graduation application on your behalf has been submitted to the Office of the Registrar.
• Applying for graduation is completely separate from registering to attend the ceremony. Students must RSVP to participate in the ceremony. 

• EdD: Candidates for a Doctoral Degree, EdD, should complete and submit the Doctoral Application for Graduation (paper or electronic form ONLY) to the Doctor Support Center in the College of Education and Professional Studies by the appropriate deadline.
• PhD: Candidates for Ph.D. degrees may apply online via MYUWF. 
• Applying for graduation is completely separate from registering to attend the ceremony. Students must RSVP to participate in the ceremony.

• There is no application for graduation for a minor(s).  
• Minors are only awarded concurrently with a Bachelor's degree.
• Students who have declared a minor and who have met all requirements for the minor by the graduation date, will automatically have the minor awarded at the point of degree conferral. 
• If you have declared a minor(s), but will not meet the requirements by the graduation date, you must either postpone your graduation or remove your minor.
  • To remove your minor (you no longer wish to receive the minor), use the Change of Major form (linked above in the AA section, or see Declaring or changing a major or certificate program ) to remove/delete the minor(s).
  • To postpone/cancel your graduation application (to continue requirements for your minor/program), please notify graduation@uwf.edu or contact the Office of the Registrar for assistance.
• Minors will not be awarded separately from the bachelor's degree. If the requirements for a declared minor have been met at the time the undergraduate degree is awarded, the minor will be awarded as well. Minors do not appear on the diploma, but are recorded on the academic transcript.

• When discussing the GPAs used to determine Baccalaureate Honors, the Cumulative Institutional GPA refers to all courses taken at UWF. The Overall Cumulative GPA refers to all transfer coursework and institutional coursework combined.  You may also refer to the Academic Catalog regarding Baccalaureate Honors.  Honors designation is calculated based on the lower of the two GPAs: either the Cumulative Institutional GPA or the Overall Cumulative GPA.  Your GPAs are listed on your unofficial transcript viewable through your MyUWF account.
  The Graduate School does not recognize honors designations for Masters, Educational Specialist, and Doctoral students.

• • The University will confer baccalaureate honors recognition on those students who have earned:

    -at least 25% of total degree hours of graded work at UWF (e.g. 30 hrs for a 120-hour degree plan)

    -at least a 3.5 institutional (UWF) GPA

    -at least a 3.5 overall (transfer and UWF) GPA

    -Baccalaureate Honors will be based on the lower of the two GPAs; either the cumulative institutional or overall cumulative GPA. The GPA calculation can be found on the unofficial transcript.
    
    

• Second-degree candidates are eligible for baccalaureate honors recognition with the same requirements as first degree candidates.
  
  
• Honors indicated in the Commencement program will reflect a student's status at the beginning of their final semester as grades for the final semester will not have been earned yet. Should a student's honor status change after final grades post, the diploma will reflect the final honors status. 
• Previous recognition on the President’s or Dean’s Honor Rolls does not ensure baccalaureate honors at graduation.

• Honor cords may be purchased from the University Bookstore.

• The Graduate School does not recognize honors designations for Masters, Educational Specialist, and Doctoral students. 

• To qualify, a UWF student must meet the requirements outlined in the University Catalog.
  
• The A.A. degree will not be awarded in the same semester that the baccalaureate degree is awarded or in any semester following the completion of the baccalaureate degree.
• If you feel you may be eligible for an A.A. degree yet have not been awarded you may email us at Graduation@uwf.edu. 
• If you have met General Education course requirements through an accelerated mechanism or through transfer credit, you must request a review of your transcript to determine eligibility for an AA?
• Students may choose to opt out of being automatically awarded their Associate of Arts Degree.  Click here for the opt out form.
• Graduation Guide: Associate of Arts Degree
• Academic Catalog: Associate in Arts (A.A.): General Degree Requirements

Graduation eligibility is based on a fully complete Degree Works audit showing all requirements completed. We recommend Viewing Your Degree Works Audit and/or touching base with your academic advisor if you have any questions.  

For step-by-step instructions on how to apply for graduation, and view important graduation dates, please see Applying for Graduation.

If you missed the deadline to apply online contact your academic advisor to verify your eligibility to graduate. Your advisor must submit a request to our office via JIRA requesting an application to be created on your behalf. When you contact your department, you must provide them with the following information to forward to our office so that your graduation application can be created manually:

• Student ID number: (970......)

• Name:

• Term you will complete your degree requirements:

• Major(s)/Minor(s) you are applying to graduate in:
  
  *Double Major/ Dual Degree: Students pursuing more than one degree-seeking program must submit a graduation application for EACH program. 
  *Certificates: Students in a certificate program must submit a graduation application for the term in which the student is completing their certificate requirements.
  

Please note that diplomas reflect the name, degree earned, major, honors (if applicable), and degree date. Minors and certificates are not listed on the diploma but are reflected on the transcript. 

Digital Diploma: 
Students earning a bachelor's degree or higher will receive an electronic diploma at no cost. Electronic diplomas are issued 2-4 weeks following the degree award. All financial holds must be cleared before the diploma will be released. At this time we ask that you take a moment to review your graduation application in MyUWF to ensure that your Diploma Name is accurate and up to date.

1. You may review your graduation application through the Student Academic Records Menu in MyUWF.

2. If your diploma is issued with your name incorrectly displayed due to an error by UWF we will issue a free corrected replacement.  If your diploma name is incorrect at no fault of UWF please be aware that it will be necessary for you to submit a Diploma request through MyUWF to order and pay for a new diploma.

3. View graduation application diploma name to ensure accuracy. See Viewing a Graduation Application. 

Printed Diploma:
A printed diploma is available for order by completing a Diploma Request in MyUWF. Please allow 4-6 weeks for any printed diploma requests. Visit Diploma Request for instructions.

Please submit the request to cancel a graduation application to graduation@uwf.edu. If you apply for graduation but do not graduate, you must reapply for a future term. 

• See Viewing my Degree(s)

Applying for graduation is completely separate from registering to attend the ceremony. Students must RSVP to participate. The RSVP includes information for the reader card and photographers. For more information regarding the ceremony please visit the Commencement website.  To receive information regarding commencement regalia please contact the UWF Bookstore at www.bkstr.com. This is where you will find information pertaining to the details regarding cap and gowns and additional regalia.

For Commencement information, please refer to the Commencement Office website.   

Graduation is the completion of all degree requirements in order to be awarded your degree. Commencement is the symbolic ceremony at which your graduation is publically acknowledged and celebrated. Participation in the commencement ceremony does not equate to graduating.

Be Ready! Access the Graduate Checklist for Commencement HERE.

For Commencement information, please refer to the Commencement Office website.

Be sure to review your Contact and Privacy Information in your MYUWF and make any necessary changes. *Your name CANNOT be printed in the Commencement program if you have a Privacy Restriction enabled on your account. Additionally, the university will NOT be permitted to verify your degree information to employers through the National Student Clearinghouse. 

To review your Contact and Privacy Information in MyUWF and to turn off the Withhold Directory Information option:

1. Go to MyUWF.

2. Search for and select Contact and Privacy Information.

3. Under Directory Information, uncheck Withhold Directory Information.

4. Select Save.

5. Return to Contact and Privacy Information to confirm the Withhold Directory

        Information enabled box is NOT checked.

6. Done! If you meet the deadline mentioned below your name will be published in the commencement program.

Questions? Please email Graduation at graduation@uwf.edu

• Fall Graduates must RSVP to the Fall Commencement ceremony. 
• Spring Graduates must RSVP to the Spring Commencement ceremony
• Summer graduates have the option to participate in either the preceding spring or following fall ceremony.

• Students must have a graduation application on file for the current semester in which all program requirements will be met.
• Students must RSVP to the Commencement Ceremony for the semester they are graduating.
  
  

Congratulations on your upcoming (or recent) graduation from the University of West Florida! Please take a few minutes to share your post-graduation plans with us by taking the Graduating Student Survey.

Participation is voluntary; you will not be penalized if you choose not to participate. 

If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Lauren Loeffler, Executive Director of Career Development and Community Engagement at career@uwf.edu.