Preparing for Graduation

Graduation and Commencement

In order to graduate, students must:

The graduate school website has details on graduation, commencement, deadlines, and the application process.

The University holds commencement ceremonies each December and May. Students who graduate in August ("summer semester") may choose to participate in either May or December; however, their names will be printed in the December commencement program.

In addition, the Math Sciences Department holds a hooding ceremony at which each graduate student is presented and hooded by the mentor or advisor. This ceremony usually immediately precedes the University commencement ceremony.

To participate in these ceremonies, students will need to contact the bookstore to purchase caps, gowns, and hoods. Be sure to specify that you are graduating from the master's program in mathematics so that you get the correct hood color, which is golden yellow for "science."

Diplomas and Transcripts

All students who clear the graduation audit at the end of the semester can order final transcripts from the Registrar's Office and will be sent a diploma by the graduate school. A few notes:

  • Diplomas are ordered after you clear the graduation audit that takes place after grades are submitted, so your diploma may take up to 45 days to be mailed to you.
  • Diplomas are mailed and transcripts are released PROVIDED your student account is paid in full.

Application for M-level Secondary Teacher Licensure

Students who complete the secondary teaching concentration are eligible to apply for advanced teacher licensure in North Carolina. Directions can be obtained by contacting the licensure office in the Reich College of Education.

Special Rules and Regulations

There are a number of things that can arise in your last semester. Please read carefully if either of the following applies to you.

You have less than 9 hours of coursework remaining:

Students with less than 9 hours remaining to complete in their final semester may elect to enroll part-time. Note, however, that there are consequences to part-time enrollment, and you should "do the math" to determine if it would be more cost-effective to remain full time by taking an extra class.

  • TAs in their final semester may request to hold an assistantship provided they enroll in at least 6 hours. Students hired as lecturer/instructor of record may continue with 1 hour of enrollment. See one of the program directors asap if this is your situation!
  • Scholarships and Fellowships require full-time enrollment (at least 9 hours), and there are usually no exceptions made to this policy.
  • Financial aid through unsubsidized Stafford loans is available in a lesser amount, but only if enrolled in at least 5 hours (i.e., half-time enrollment).
  • Part-time students are not automatically charged for access to health services on campus; if you want access to health services, you will need to go to student accounts and request to have the fee added to your account.
  • Part-time students are not eligible for the student health insurance available through the university.

You need time beyond the end of the semester to complete some requirements:

The deadline to complete all work is the last day of final exams for the semester of graduation; for summer graduates that is the end of the second summer session. It is possible to request an extension, but several limits apply and there are no exceptions. See the program directors asap if you need an extension.

  • Students with extensions who do NOT finish ALL work prior to 5 PM on the day BEFORE the start of the next term must move their semester of graduation to a later term. For example, students who planned to graduate at the end of Spring can still do so provided they complete all work prior to the first day of Summer Session 1.
  • Students whose work extends into the next term must register for at least one hour in that term in order to graduate. There is a special course for this purpose; you will be automatically enrolled in this course if not registered in the term of graduation.

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