C&EH Department Graduation Procedures

Submitting your graduation application.

• Go to http://www.odu.edu/ao/registrar/pdf/forms/gradappl.pdf and complete the application. Once done fax or mail it directly to the department (not the Registrar's office). I will make sure it gets processed and that we have a copy in your folder.
• After I have completed my portion of the process the application is sent to and entered online by the Registrar's office. This can take up to four weeks but normally it is done within ten working days of receipt from us.
• Please check your graduation status in LEO Online ( Student Records-->Graduation Status Information) and contact me if you do not see your status changed to "Pending" within ten working days. The pending status is applied only to students who are expected to graduate. If you have not applied for graduation you may see a code SO for sought.

Graduation Pending Hold.

• Approximately three weeks before your anticipated graduation date a graduation pending hold will be placed on your records in order to prevent you from registering for any future terms. In order to remove this hold one of two things must happen. One - defer your graduation date to another term or be admitted in a new category, e.g., non-degree or another degree seeking program.

Commencement Ceremony.

• The commencement ceremony is strictly that. A ceremony to celebrate your hard work. Participating in a commencement ceremony does not mean you have graduated.
• Information regarding commencement procedures can be found at: http://www.odu.edu/ao/commencement/

Graduate Certification Form.

• This form is completed by the department and signed by the department chair. It certifies that all degree requirements have been met. (A copy is placed in your folder). The form is then sent to the Dean/Assistant Dean's office for signature and forwarded to the Registrar's office.

Graduate Form 7 (otherwise known as Written/Oral Comps Results).

• This form is completed and signed by the faculty members participating in the written and oral comps for each term. The next step is for the Department Chair to sign and forward the form to the Registrar's office. (A copy is placed in your folder). Usually the certification and comps forms are sent together.

Degree Certification/Posting of Degree.

• Degree certification starts the Monday after the official graduation date. (Without exception degrees are never certified prior to the official graduation date). Graduation processors have 15 working days to clear and award degrees provided they are in receipt of all necessary paperwork. Once your degree is certified it is posted to LEONLINE and the degree status is changed to "Awarded", usually within 4 weeks of the commencement date.

Diplomas.

• Diplomas are mailed to your permanent address on LEONLINE unless other arrangements are made by sending an email to: graduate@odu.edu
• Diplomas are not released if there are holds on your account such as graduate assessment, (see below) parking fines, library fines, financial aid exit interviews, etc. The degree pending or advising hold would not apply in this case.

**December Graduates.

Please be mindful of the Christmas office closure which will extend your time line by two weeks.

Graduate Assessment.

• Failure to complete the Graduate Assessment survey which can be accessed by going to: www.odu.edu/grad will prevent your diploma from being mailed.

Common Omissions.

• Incomplete/missing grades or missing transfer work will prevent degree certification. It is the student's responsibility to contact the instructor about incomplete/missing grades; resolve the grade and request a grade change be submitted. If further assistance is needed please contact the department directly. Transfer work approval initiates with graduate admissions and ends with the department chair approval. Once the form is complete it is returned to graduate admissions for processing. Students are responsible for initiating the transfer work process.
• In order for a class to be graded all materials must be turned in by the last day of classes. Failure to do so will result in a grade of incomplete that will then roll to the next term which would delay graduation. Please go to the Academic Calendar to see what the date is for each term. http://www.odu.edu/ao/registrar/calendars/academic/index.shtml

Failure to maintain enrollment while a degree-seeking graduate student.

• Masters', EDS, or pre-candidacy doctoral student's failure to register during semesters in which they are completing outstanding degree requirements. [see p. 68 of 2002-2004 ODU Catalog]
• Doctoral students' failure to maintain continuous enrollment after successfully passing the candidacy exam. [see p. 68 of 2002-2004 ODU Catalog]
• Failure of any Graduate Student to be registered in at least one credit hour in the semester in which they graduate. [see p. 68 of 2002-2004 ODU Catalog]

Thesis/Dissertations.

• Theseare not processed until degrees are certified and posted. The cover sheet date and degree awarded date MUST be the same. Manuscripts usually start going out for binding a month after the degree is awarded and it can take up to six months to complete the process. If you are aware that you will not complete your thesis/dissertation prior to graduation please let the department know so that your graduation date can be deferred. FYI - the graduation point of contact at this time is graduate@odu.edu, however; please contact the department first.
• Further detailed information on this process is being developed and will be added at a later date.

If you become aware that your graduation date will have to be
deferred to another term please let me know as soon as you can.