1490 Graduation Information - Bachelor’s Level

Return to: 1400 University Degree Requirements and Graduation 

Graduation Office, Office of the Registrar
75 Piedmont Avenue, Suite 1150
registrar.gsu.edu/graduation

1490.10 Application for Graduation

All candidates for a degree or certificate must file a formal application for graduation with the Office of Graduation Review and Diploma Services.  Degree candidates will be invited to apply for graduation once the Office of Graduation Review, in conjunction with the candidates’ college, school or institute have deemed them eligible. Eligibility is based on program completion percentage, earned hours within the program, and institutional grade point average. These eligibility requirements vary based on each program.

Students who are deemed eligible to apply will receive an email requesting they apply by predetermined deadlines.  These deadlines are also posted on the Graduation website at www.registrar.gsu.edu/graduation.

The Office of Academic Assistance will conduct an audit and inform the student of any remaining requirements. The Graduation Office conducts an independent audit during the expected semester of graduation to ensure that all degree requirements will be satisfied.

Once a student applies for graduation by the deadline, the student can change their graduation date to a future term by completing the Change of Graduation form, located on the graduation website at www.registrar.gsu.edu/graduation.  Official transcripts of prior term course grades from institutions other than Georgia State University must be submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions by the last day of registration of the semester of graduation. Any other documentation pertaining to non-Georgia State courses which are needed to determine if transfer credit can be granted (such as catalog descriptions or course outlines) must be received by the Office of Academic Assistance prior to the last day of registration of the semester of graduation.

Students who wish to be transient students or who wish to participate in cross-registration for their remaining course work will graduate one semester after the term in which the last course to be transferred to Georgia State University has been taken. Such students must obtain advance permission to complete their degree elsewhere from their college’s Office of Academic Assistance.

1490.20 Graduation with Honors

Scholastic recognition at graduation will be given to each baccalaureate student who maintained a high grade point average. The specific award is based on the cumulative grade point average that the student has during their last term at Georgia State University.

Honors noted on diplomas or transcripts are based on the cumulative grade point average at George State University after the last term grade point averages are calculated.

1490.25 Graduation Ceremonies

University Commencement Ceremonies are held at the end of the fall and spring academic terms. Individual academic areas may hold convocations at the end of both the fall and spring terms. You should consult with your academic college to confirm when ceremonies will be held.

To participate in the University Commencement ceremony, a student must have completed all degree requirements in accordance with rules and regulations found in this catalog. Students who have registered for all remaining degree requires in the summer and have applied for summer degree conferral may elect to participate in the spring ceremony. However, degree conferral will not occur until successful completion of the summer term. 

While the university holds only two commencement ceremonies, degrees are conferred at the end of each term; fall, spring and summer, and diplomas are mailed approximately six weeks following degree conferral. Diplomas are mailed to the student’s mailing address of record. Students should keep their mailing addresses updated through PAWS at paws.gsu.edu. Allow approximately six weeks following the official date of degree conferral for delivery of the diploma.

Students who plan to participate in the commencement ceremonies must purchase their regalia from the Georgia State University Bookstore. The bookstore can be reached at 404-413-9700, by email at gsu@bkstr.com or online at https://www.bkstr.com/georgiastatestore/store-hours.  Commencement photography is also available. Complete information will be sent to degree candidates by the midpoint of their scheduled semester of graduation. 

The Commencement Office/University Events manages the university ceremonies and requires registration for the events and ticketing.  The Commencement Office can be reached at 404-413-2743 and by email at commencement@gsu.edu

Additional information concerning commencement ceremonies can be obtained at www.commencement.gsu.edu.

1490.30 Exit Examinations

The university and the student’s college may require the completion of additional competency tests appropriate to a student’s program of study prior to graduation. Information relative to these tests is available in the student’s college.

Any student failing to demonstrate required proficiency on any competency test may be required to complete such additional courses as are necessary to correct the deficiency. Courses required and completed under this provision may be with or without academic credit and may be required without regard to prior course credits in these disciplines.

1490.40 Posthumous Undergraduate Degrees

A posthumous undergraduate degree shall be awarded at the request of, or with concurrence of the family or friends of the deceased if, at the time of death:

• the student was in good academic standing having a minimum GSU (institutional) GPA of 2.00
• the student earned at least 75% of the credit hours for the program (at least 90 hours for bachelors students)

A request for a posthumous degree should be made to the Dean of Students. The Dean of Students’ approval of posthumous degrees should be forwarded to the University Registrar. A decision not to grant a posthumous degree may be appealed through the normal process of petition for a waiver of the university’s graduation requirements.