Graduation Information

Graduation is NOT automatic upon completion of your degree requirements!

Degree Requirements

Do I need to apply for graduation?

Graduation is not automatic upon completion of your degree requirements. Master’s and doctoral students must declare their intention to graduate by filing an Application for Graduation with an Advanced Degree. This application is necessary for both issuing the degree and attending the commencement ceremony.

The application for graduation is a two step process. Students must apply through my.SDSU by selecting the application for graduation option under the Academic Records tile. As students proceed through the application process, they will be prompted to pay a one-time non-refundable application fee.  After the application fee has been paid, students must navigate back into their application to formally submit the application.

The application is due 3-6 months before the official diploma date and must be done through your my.SDSU account. Graduation application deadlines are posted in the Academic Calendar and the Graduate Studies web site. A registration hold may prevent you from applying to graduate. For more information on registration holds, check your “Tasks” tile in your my.SDSU account or the Registrar's Office website on how to resolve it: https://registrar.sdsu.edu/students/registration/registration_holds 

If you have missed the deadline for graduation applications, contact the Graduate Studies office to determine whether it is possible to petition for a late application.

You may select to have your primary, preferred, or former name on file appear on your diploma. You will be asked to make this selection when completing the graduation application. Otherwise, your current primary name on record will appear on your diploma. Be advised that in some situations your diploma may be considered an official document and the name appearing on your diploma may need to match other legal documents you possess. If you wish to change your primary name or select a preferred first name, visit the Office of the Registrar's Name & Gender Change Procedures web page.
 
If your name has special characters such as an accent mark, please email [email protected] so we can ensure the special characters are represented on your diploma.
 

Advanced Certificate students do not file the "Application for Graduation with an Advanced Degree” form, and Advanced Certificates are not automatically issued upon completion of the course requirements. Instead, Advanced Certificate graduation processing is initiated through a “Notification of Completion of Advanced Certificate Program” form. This form can be submitted by the advisor, or by the student (from within the Academic Records tile in my.SDSU). If the student initiates the form, it will be routed to the advisor for approval. Certificate award processing does not begin until the certificate’s Graduate Advisor approves this form. 

The "Notification of Completion of Advanced Certificate Program” form should be filed by the graduate advisor immediately after grades are reported in the final certificate course(s). The certificate award date is based on the following schedule:

Date "Notification of Completion ...” form is approved by the graduate advisor

Certificate award date

On or before last day of the semester in which the final certificate courses are graded

Semester in which coursework was completed

Within 15 business days after end of term

Semester in which coursework was completed

In the following semester, after 15 business days

End of semester in which the form is approved

Later submissions, if the student is still Active

End of semester in which the form is approved

If the student is no longer Active. (Student completed a different degree, was discontinued, or was disqualified.)

Certificate cannot be awarded

Credential students do not file the "Application for Graduation with an Advanced Degree” form. Credentials are issued by the state of California upon recommendation from SDSU’s credentialing staff and advisors. For more information, contact your credential advisor or the College of Education’s Office for Student Success.

1) Upon awarding (official posting) a student's degree (confirmed via the unofficial transcripts) students may email their Form A and B to Graduate Studies ([email protected]).  Do not email your Form A and B until your degree has been awarded. 
 
NOTE: Graduate Studies will forward completed forms directly to the Board of Behavioral Sciences and will not be sending copies to students. Processing of forms may take 4-6 weeks.
 
2) Order official transcripts with the Office of the Registrar:

  1. Log on to my.SDSU
  2. Select Academic Records, then Request Official Transcript
  3. Select certified electronic PDF version
  4. Complete required information.  Indicate electronic transcripts to be emailed to one of the following:  (The corresponding email address should be in relation to appropriate licensure the student is to receive).
    1. [email protected]
    2. [email protected]
    3. [email protected]
  5. Make payment
  6. Submit request

3) Students mail their completed package to BBS (excluding Form A, Form B, and official transcripts).

Finals are over. Now what?

Commencement ceremonies are held each year at the end of the spring semester for students completing degrees in the spring and summer terms, or the fall of the previous calendar year. Students who wish to participate in commencement must apply to graduate. Master’s, doctoral and EdS students from across campus will be celebrated in dedicated ceremonies that are separate from the undergraduate-oriented events. Some departments, schools, and individual degree programs hold additional events for graduates at the end of the semester.
 
Details regarding the campus-wide commencement events are mailed to students in March, and are available on the commencement websitePrinted commencement programs will be provided to all attendees. Please note that changes made to your my.SDSU account after applying for graduation (including the chosen first name) may not be reflected in the commencement program.

Degree information will appear on the unofficial transcript approximately 6-8 weeks from the diploma date (see the Graduation Deadlines flyer on the homepage for specific dates). Students can view their unofficial transcripts and order official transcripts through the Academic Tile in my.SDSU.

Diplomas are mailed out 10-12 weeks after the date of graduation. It is the student's responsibility to provide the correct address through their my.SDSU.

Effective Fall 2020, students that would like to have their chosen first name printed on their diploma must do so at the time they apply for graduation. If the chosen first name is updated by the Registrar's Office after submitting the application, the student must notify the Graduate Studies Office immediately. By selecting to have your chosen first name print on your diploma, you are acknowledging that your transcripts and diploma name will not match, but you can order a new diploma with your legal name using the Online Diploma Service.

**NOTE: You have multiple addresses on file with the University. Please log into my.SDSU under the Profile tile and verify that all of your addresses are current. Graduate Studies will use your diploma address to mail your diploma once your degree has been awarded.

The following Online Diploma Service is available through our official diploma vendor, the Michael Sutter Company.

  • Order a replacement diploma - Order your diploma easily online. You will be able to choose Standard Delivery or Express Overnight Delivery. There is a $20.00 charge for each Diploma Replacement. Your Diploma will be printed and mailed within 1-2 days of receiving your payment.
  • Order an Official SDSU eDiploma - Your SDSU eDiploma is a Signed and Certified PDF of your original paper diploma used for easy degree verification purposes. The SDSU eDiploma is a one-time charge of $20.00. You will receive your eDiploma within minutes of submitting your payment. You can then share your eDiploma as often as you need. (An e-diploma cannot be released until your original diploma has been issued by Graduate Studies).
  • Diploma Status - Search the status of your diploma order whether it is your new diploma or replacement diploma.

To place an order, visit https://www.michaelsutter.com/sdsug/ and click on "Submit a Diploma Request". You will be prompted to enter in as much information as possible and then click "Submit My Diploma Request". Further instructions will be sent to you via email within 3-5 business days.