Graduation Requirements
All students must apply for graduation in the spring term prior to their expected participation in Commencement (usually three terms in advance). Submission of the graduation application is required for the student’s degree to be conferred. Students will also indicate on the application any certificates they are pursuing. The due date for graduation applications is published in the Academic Calendar. Applications for graduation notify the Records Office to review the student’s transcript to determine that all degree requirements have been met. Students must meet all graduation requirements in order to graduate, which includes academic and clinical requirements (clinical requirements only apply to the School of Counseling), and all students must be in good standing with the faculty. School of Counseling students attending the Online campus are required to attend and successfully complete all required residencies in person in order to meet graduation requirements. The application also alerts the Records Office to include the student in all communication regarding graduation and to order diplomas and regalia for each student. The graduation application process and timeline are the same for students only pursuing a certificate, although these students will not participate in Commencement.
Students may complete degree requirements and graduate from Richmont at the end of three different completion semesters: fall, spring, or summer. The graduation date on the diploma and transcript will reflect the end of the term by which all requirements have been met. Students with requirements outstanding who are approved to participate in the May Commencement ceremony will not receive a diploma until the end of the summer session. Students who graduate at the end of the fall semester may choose to participate in the annual Commencement ceremony that follows the date of graduation.
To participate in Commencement in May, students will need to be approved to graduate and will need to complete course requirements and/or clinical requirements by the end of the last day of the summer semester. Students who will not be completing requirements by the last day of the summer semester will have the opportunity to participate in the following year’s Commencement, assuming course requirements, clinical requirements, standards of performance, and any other graduation requirements have been satisfactorily met. Students can participate in the Commencement that is offered during the academic year of their degree conferral. Students are not able to self-select which Commencement they participate in, nor can they participate in multiple Commencements unless a new degree has been earned. Certificate seekers (those not pursuing a degree concurrently with a certificate) do not participate in Commencement.
All students need to have a clear understanding of the distinction between graduation and Commencement. Approved students who have any outstanding requirements, including internship hours, incompletes, and thesis work, may participate in the Commencement ceremony that is offered during the academic year they attended. However, they will not receive a diploma at the Commencement ceremony and will not officially become a graduate of Richmont until the end of the term (typically summer) in which those requirements are met. Students who have received a failing grade in a course before Commencement occurs will not be allowed to participate in Commencement.