Graduation
Graduation Application
Diplomas
Transcripts
Lavender Graduation
Graduation Application and Clearance Process
SCS officially graduates students in the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, Doctor of Liberal Studies, and Master of Professional Studies programs three times per year (in May for spring graduates; in August for summer graduates; and in December for fall graduates). Please note: Noncredit students do not participate in Commencement. A single graduation ceremony is held for all graduates every May, and students who have earned their degrees in summer and fall are encouraged to attend the celebration.
Graduation is not an automatic process, and all students must be cleared and certified by the Office of Academic Affairs & Compliance in order to graduate. To facilitate this process, we ask all students to complete the following steps:
1. Print a copy of your transcript and degree from MyAccess to review on your own and with your advising program. While your program can provide you with academic guidance, it is ultimately your responsibility to ensure that you have met all requirements (including specific course, GPA, credit, and major requirements, which can differ by program).
2. Doctor of Liberal Studies students should contact their advising programs to fill out their graduation application. Those programs will forward your application to the Office of Academic Affairs & Compliance for final review and processing.
3. Master of Professional Studies, Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, and Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies degree candidates should fill out the graduation application found in MyAccess under "Student Records" and "Apply to Graduate. Students can only apply to graduate when they have all attempted credit hours (your earned hours plus your currently enrolled hours). This application process is described in more detail below.
4. Applications are required from all graduating students for diploma orders, degree conferral, and preparation of the annual Commencement Book. Please note that students without all final recorded grades (for example, "I" or "NR" grades) may be excluded from the Commencement Book. Failure to submit your completed application in a timely manner could result in delays receiving academic clearance to graduate, degree conferral, and ordering your diploma.
5. All students should contact the Office of Billing and Payment at (202) 687-7369 to ensure that they have settled their financial obligations. The University cannot provide diplomas or official transcripts to students who owe in excess of $100.00.
6. International students should contact the Office of Global Services at (202) 687-5867 to update their status.
MPS, EMPS, MALS, and BALS Graduation Application Process
(View Screen Shots of Online Graduation Application Process here)
1. Log in to MyAccess using your NetID and password.
2. On the top menu bar, click on the "Student" tab.
3. Under "Student Services," click on the "Student Records" link.
4. Under "Student Records," click on the "Apply to Graduate" link.
5. Verify and select your curriculum/program and click "Continue."
6. By "Graduation Date," use the pull-down menu and select the date/month in which you will complete your final coursework. Click "Continue."
7. Indicate whether or not you plan on attending the May graduation ceremony. Click "Continue."
8. Select your Diploma Name. Click "Continue." Verify the accuracy of your diploma name and make any needed changes here. Your name will appear exactly as you enter it here, so please make sure it is accurate and as you want it written on your official diploma. Click "Continue."
9. Select your Diploma Mailing Address. Click "Continue." Verify your diploma mailing address and make any needed changes. Click "Continue."
10. Review your Application Summary and click "Submit Request."
**Please verify the status and receipt of your application using MyAccess. Submission of an application does not guarantee degree conferral. Degrees are awarded and posted on transcripts only after all requirements have been successfully completed.
Georgetown Diploma
All Georgetown University graduates earn the official Georgetown diploma, written in Latin, and reflecting the history, tradition, and values of the University. A full translation of the diploma is provided upon graduation along with a traditional blue-and-gray ribbon (the Georgetown colors) and suggestions for matting and framing. The degrees offered through the School of Continuing Studies include: The Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies (Artium Baccalaureatum in Studiis Liberalibus); the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (Magistratum Artium in Studiis Liberalibus); the Doctor of Liberal Studies (Doctorem Studiorum Liberalium); and the Master of Professional Studies (Magistratum Professionalium Studiorum). View a sample Georgetown Diploma.
In case of damage to or loss of your original diploma, please visit the University Registrar's site and complete the diploma replacement form.
Note to Summer and Fall Graduates:
Before diplomas can be ordered for summer and fall graduates, the Office of Academic Affairs & Compliance must certify that the applicants have completed the minimum requirements for their degree. This is a manual process that takes about two to three weeks from the posting of final grades. You can help ensure an efficient process by checking your transcript and making sure that you have no outstanding grades. If you find that you are missing a course grade, please contact the instructor of that course to encourage the timely recording of that final grade. Master or Arts in Liberal Studies and Doctor of Liberal Studies students are required to secure official thesis approval from their advisor, the Graduate Liberal Studies department, and the School.
Diplomas are distributed through the Office of Academic Affairs & Compliance. Summer and fall graduating students are contacted when their diploma is available with information on picking these up in person; spring graduates are able to pick up their diplomas following the May Commencement ceremony. If you do not pick up your diploma in-person, your diploma will be mailed to the address you provided on the electronic Application to Graduate. If no address was provided on the electronic Application to Graduate, your diploma will be mailed to the address stored in MyAccess. Diplomas for summer graduates usually are delivered by mid-November; diplomas for fall graduates usually are delivered by mid-March.
Transcript
The transcript is the official University record of the work you completed here at Georgetown. After the Office of Academic Affairs & Compliance certifies the applicants' graduation, they notify the Registrar's Office and the awarding of the degree is posted officially. Transcripts for summer graduates are usually complete by mid-September; transcripts for fall graduates are usually complete by late January into early February (depending upon the recording of final grades). Students should request official transcripts through the Registrar's Office to confirm the posting of their degree.
Optional Lavender Graduation
Lavender Graduation celebrates LGBTQ graduates of all Georgetown University degree programs in a voluntary ceremony on Main Campus. Please note that this ceremony is a separate event from Commencement and participation is optional.
