Completing a Graduate Program

Graduate students can graduate with a degree or complete a graduate certificate each semester — fall, spring, and summer. Graduation refers to the conferral (award) of the degree. If you are seeking information on Commencement (the ceremony) please review the Commencement tab. Review the deadlines for your intended graduation term and plan accordingly to meet each applicable deadline. These deadlines are strictly enforced. Not meeting these deadlines will delay your graduation to the next term and may require continued registration.

2025-26 Completion Deadlines

Graduation Dates and Deadlines  

Summer Graduation Dates and Deadlines for Accelerated Online Programs ONLY

The School of Graduate Studies must certify that all requirements for graduation have been satisfied before your degree can be officially awarded.

It is your responsibility to determine that all requirements for the degree have been met. Please review this list to determine that the requirements pertaining to your program have been fulfilled.

All graduates

• Complete the Intent to Graduate form prior to the listed graduation deadlines for the term in which you wish to graduate. 
• If you wish to participate in the commencement ceremony, indicate in the graduation form which term, Spring or Fall you wish to walk across the stage (degree seeking only). Summer term graduates can select to participate in the Spring or Fall commencement. 
• Confirm that you have been fully admitted to your graduate program and have met any conditions set at the time of your admission.
• Confirm that you are enrolled in at least one graduate credit in the term in which you intend to graduate. An I, IP or RC grade in a prior term does not fulfill this requirement.
• Confirm that your DARS is accurately reflecting your approved program of study, including major/concentration, culminating project type, and any other approved customizations. If not, complete the "Customize my Program of Study" form. 
• Be sure that all the courses on your approved Program of Study were completed within the seven-year time limit. Your DARS report can assist with this process.
• Print your transcript. Check it to determine that all completed course work is included.
  • If transfer credits approved as part of your program do not appear on your transcript, contact the School of Graduate Studies at once.
• Complete all courses listed on your Degree audit as part of your program of study.
  • Course changes must be submitted on a "Customize my Program of Study" form.
  • Verbal approval by your adviser is not sufficient.
• All incompletes must be completed and all grades submitted by the instructor.
  • Remind your professor to submit a grade change for all incompletes or IP grades.
  • This includes dissertations, field studies, theses, creative works, and starred papers.
  • Check your transcript to determine if the necessary changes have been made.
• A 3.0 grade point average in the major/core plus research, the total program and overall graduate courses attempted at St. Cloud State must be recorded on your transcript. A 3.25 grade point average is required for the specialist degree in Educational Administration and Leadership.
  • Students who have not achieved the required grade point average are not eligible to take either the oral or written final examinations.
• All master’s degree programs must have at least one-half of the credits counted for the degree (excluding culminating project credits) earned in graduate-only courses (600 – 699 level).
• A grade of C- or lower or a grade of “U” cannot be used toward a graduate program.
• Fulfill the residency requirement. Candidates for the specialist degree and master’s degree must earn a minimum of 15 semester hours through St. Cloud State. Resident credit includes:
  
  • Courses offered at graduate study centers or through cohort groups established by the university .
  • Established distance and online programs.
  • Individual departments may establish residence policies requiring a period of full-time study. Students should consult with their adviser.
• Some departments require a final written comprehensive examination in addition to a thesis, starred paper or project/portfolio. Check with your advisor.
• Ensure you have paid any outstanding financial balances in full. 
• Once all requirements are completed, the degree will be awarded and placed on the transcript.
  
  • Student is responsible for updating their mailing address with St. Cloud State University prior to graduation.
  • Diplomas are mailed about eight weeks after graduation by the Office of Records and Registration.

Written Culminating Projects Uploaded to the Repository

• Dissertation
• Field Study (Specialist Degree)
• Thesis
• Creative Work. 
• Starred Paper

Written Culminating Projects Requiring a Final Defense or Submitted Results but no Upload to the Repository

• Written Comprehensive Exam
• Portfolio with Project
• Portfolio with Internship
• Portfolio with Practicum

Grade Only Culminating Project

• Capstone 

For more information on culminating project options see Culminating Projects Policy/Processes

Deadlines are key. You and your advisor should develop and implement a completion timeline.

• The dissertation must be completed with the 7-year time frame to earn the doctoral degree. Extensions may be requested by petition annually up to a maximum 10-year limit. Documentation of annual progress must be included with a request for an extension.
• Use the Dissertation Manual for your program in D2L to guide you through the steps to complete the dissertation.
• If you wish to participate in the commencement ceremony, complete the intent to graduate form prior to the listed deadline for the term in which you wish to graduate. 
• Review the All Graduates Checklist and complete all needed steps. 

Complete the Graduate Degree Completion form online.

The form must be completed by the deadline listed for the semester in which you plan to graduate and submitted to Records and Registration (Administrative Services 118) with the $30 application fee for master-level students and $35 for doctoral students.

Applicants not meeting the deadline, will need to select the next available graduation date. 

If you do not graduate during the intended term, Records and Registration will move your application to the next available term.  No additional fee will be required. The request can be moved twice before you must resubmit the intent to graduate form. 

Students must be registered for at least one credit in the term in which they graduate.

Graduation Dates and Deadlines  

Summer Graduation Dates and Deadlines for Accelerated Online Programs ONLY

**Graduation refers to the conferral (award) of the degree. If you are seeking information on Commencement (the ceremony) please review the Commencement tab. 

You can find information online for Commencement.

• Fall 2025 Graduate Commencement will be Friday, Dec. 12 and scheduled in the afternoon and evening.

Academic Regalia

We encourage students to honor the centuries-old history of academic regalia by wearing the regalia appropriate to their degree and academic discipline.

Wikipedia has more information on the history and symbolism of academic regalia. 

Master's Caps, Gowns and Hoods

Caps, master's gowns and hoods can can be requested for purchase through the St. Cloud State Store at Josten's. Contact the B&N Husky Bookstore at (320) 308-1489 or in Atwood Memorial Center.

The approximate cost for the Masters regalia (Gown, Cap, Tassel, Hood) is $128.10 +tax.

We know this is a significant expense. Many thrift stores will also have lightly used black caps and gowns for sale at a significant savings. A baccaluareate or master's gown in black and any black mortarboard style cap will work and then you can purchase only the tassel and hood. 

Hood Trim

• Master of Arts (White)
• Master of Business Administration (Drab)
• Doctor of Education/Specialist (Light Blue)
• Master of Engineering Management (Orange)
• Master of Public Administration (Peacock Blue)
• Master of Science (Golden Yellow)
• Master of Social Work (Citron)

Doctoral Gowns, Hoods, and Tams

Doctoral gowns, hoods and tams can can be requested for purchase through the St. Cloud State Store at Josten's. Questions can be directed to the Husky Bookstore in Centennial Hall or at 320-308-1489.

When ordering online from Josten's please select the "doctoral gown, hood and tam" and list the Major Curriculum as "Education." This will ensure that your hood has the correct Light Blue trim. It can take 5 or more weeks for the regalia to be delivered. 

The approximate cost for the Doctoral Regalia (Gown, Cap, Tassel, Hood) is $217.38 +tax. Doctoral students may select the doctorate cap and tassel or the regalia with Tam (total cost for Gown, Tam and Hood is approximately $231.95 +tax).

If you wish to purchase a higher quality gown, tam and hood select Fine Regalia. You will also want to indicate you are receiving a Doctor of Education to ensure the correct light blue trim for the hood. The trim on the gown can be light blue or black velvet in accordance with the discipline. It can take up to 10 weeks for a custom order.

Graduating students will receive their diploma in the mail about eight weeks after the end of the semester.

All diplomas are mailed to the diploma address you provide through the Online Service center.

If you experience difficulty in entering your diploma address, contact 320-308-2111.

Students admitted to and completing a graduate certificate program can receive a certificate and have the certificate completion listed on their transcript. 

Submit the "Customize My Program of Study" to School of Graduate Studies.

• If requesting transfer credits, substitutions or other customizations. 
• All courses (including transfer credits) must be completed within seven-year time limit.
• Any course changes must be approved by the advisor, program director and Graduate Studies.

Complete All Course Work on the Program.

• All incompletes must be completed and grades submitted by instructor.
• A grade of C- or lower, or a grade of “U” cannot be used.
• A 3.0 grade point average is required in the major (core plus research), the total program of study, and cumulative (all graduate courses taken at St. Cloud State University).

Submit Certificate Completion Application.

• Your Certificate Completion form must be submitted prior to the listed graduation deadlines for the term in which you wish to be awarded the certificate. 
• If you do not complete the certificate in the term requested, certificate completion request will be moved to the next term.  The certificate completion form can be moved twice before you must resubmit the certificate completion form. 

Receive Certificate

• A graduate certificate will not be released until all fees owed to the university are paid.
• Student is responsible for updating their diploma mailing address with St. Cloud State University.

Certificate students are not eligible to participate in Commencement.

I missed the deadline to apply for graduation. Application for graduation deadlines are firm. Please apply for the next available term. Completion letters can be provided by emailing graduatestudies@stcloudstate.edu 

I am earning both a degree and a certificate. Do I need to submit separate intent to complete forms? Yes, you will need to submit both the Graduate Degree Completion form and a Graduate Certificate Completion form prior to the deadline for the term. 

I will not be able to hold my final defense/final oral by the deadline listed. You and your chair/advisor can set a date for your final defense/final oral. This does not change the final deadline to submit any written project to the Repository for format review or the deadline to submit a final passing grade and missing those deadlines will delay your graduation to the next term. 

When should I complete the final defense/final oral? The date listed in policy requires that the final defense/final oral be completed at least 6 weeks prior to the graduation date. This timeline provides you with sufficient time to make any changes to your culminating project required by your committee, format and submit a written project to the Repository for format review, and graduate in the desired semester. The defense for a written culminating project (dissertation, thesis, creative work, starred paper or field study) must be completed prior to the deadline for Repository submission. 

I will be submitting my paper for format review on the last date to submit. Papers are reviewed in the order in which they are submitted and initial format review can take 2-3 weeks.  If your formatting is not completed and approved by the listed deadline, your graduation will be moved to the next available graduation date. 

As a doctoral student, if I miss the deadline to submit my dissertation for format review or I am unable to meet the formatting approval deadline, can I still participate in Commencement? Yes, if you have completed your final defense and the committee has approved the final version of your dissertation, you may participate in Commencement. Your degree will not be awarded until the final format approval is received.

If my graduation is moved to the next term, will I need to register for 1 graduate credit? Maybe. If you will be using University resources (faculty time for final defense or review of changes, Graduate Studies time for format review, Library resources, etc) you will need to register for the graduation term. If your work is 100% complete in the term in which your registered and your graduation is delayed due to missed deadline(s) and you will not require any University resources beyond those for awarding the degree, you may not need to register. Some programs require registration in the final semester regardless of completion status, please review your program handbook/D2L site.