Graduation
Information
BS in
Communication with Emphasis in Professional Communication
Congratulations
on your upcoming graduation! All the years of hard work and effort are about to
pay off. We have created this document in order to ensure a smooth graduation
process. On the front is some general information about
graduation. On the reverse side, you’ll find a helpful timeline
that will guide you from a few semesters prior to graduation to walking across
the stage and beyond. Also on the reverse side you’ll find the top seven
reasons why students do not graduate. If you have any questions, please
contact your site director.
Application for Graduation
There is no paper application for graduation – you must apply via email. Upon earning 102 credit hours, you should automatically receive an email detailing what you need to do to apply for graduation. It is imperative that you apply for the term of graduation (May, August, or December) by which you anticipate having completed 100% of degree requirements. When you apply for graduation, a hold is placed on your account that prevents you from registering for classes after the anticipated graduation date. Therefore, if you are unable to complete the requirements by the anticipated time, you must apply for the next term of graduation, as described below. Once you have applied, you can check your application status on LEO Online. Once you have logged in with your UIN and PIN, click on the link that says “Admissions, Registration, Student Records, Graduation Information, Credit Card Payments, and Financial Aid.” Then, click on “Student Records.” Finally, click on “Graduation Status Information.” More info on this process, including what to do if you do not receive an automatic email application for graduation, is located on the timeline on the reverse side.
Departmental Certification
Be sure to alert your site director of your anticipated
semester of graduation; the director should submit your name to Deborah
Meltsner at the
Be sure to check the timeline on the reverse side for other important forms
that you will need to complete.
Commencement Dates & Tickets
Students who will complete all requirements in the summer
should apply for August graduation only. August candidates may
participate in May commencement exercises or in December commencement
exercises. Tickets will be available at the Information Desk in
Registration
Upon applying for graduation, a hold is placed on your account that will not allow you to register for classes after your intended graduation date. If you must take classes after your anticipated graduation date, you must email graduate@odu.edu to inform them that you need the hold removed.
Diplomas & Transcripts
Diplomas are not given at the commencement exercises. They are available after your degree evaluation has been completed approximately 8-9 weeks after graduation. They are then mailed to your permanent address unless you had requested to pick them up at ODU when you applied for graduation. Additionally, official transcripts are not provided automatically upon graduation. If you require an official transcript, you must make a request in writing. For more information, visit the Registrar’s website at http://www.odu.edu/registrar and click on “Transcripts.”
Contact Information
If you need more information, try
the following contacts:
Graduation
Processing: Commencement
Information:
Office of
the University Registrar Office
of Student Services
116
Rollins Hall Webb
Center Room 2008
Phone:
683-4425 Phone:
683-3442
Email:
graduate@odu.edu Email:
smims@odu.edu
Web:
http://www.odu.edu/ao/registrar/graduation/index.shtml Web:
http://studentservices.odu.edu/commencement
TIMELINE
Junior
Year
-
Take the exit writing exam upon completion of at
least 58 credit hours. For more info on the exam and how to sign up, visit the
-
Inquire about Lambda Pi Eta, the National
Communication Honor Society
One Semester Before Graduation
-
Meet with your site director to ensure that all
requirements will be satisfactorily completed by the end of your final
semester. During this meeting, ask your site director to contact Deborah
Meltsner at the
-
Likewise, if you are completing a Minor, contact the
department of your minor for certification in that department.
-
You should receive an email with graduation
application information upon earning at least 102 credits. This email will
arrive in March for August and December graduates and it will arrive in
September for May graduates. If you do not receive this email, send an email to
appgrad@odu.edu with your name, UIN, degree (BA or BS), major(s), minor(s),
intended graduation date, name as it should appear on the diploma, and an
indication of if you would like to pick up your degree at ODU or have it mailed
to you at your permanent address
Semester of Graduation
-
Ideally, you will receive an email from the
graduation office before the end of the add/drop period of your final semester.
This email will outline the requirements that you have completed and that are
outstanding. Please read this email very carefully to ensure that you are
taking the courses needed to graduate on time.
-
Complete the ODU Senior Assessment Survey by visiting
http://www.odu.edu/senior. This survey must be completed during the semester of
graduation for you to graduate.
-
Read the “Student Announcements” emails for a message
about when commencement tickets will become available. Tickets can be picked up
at the Information Desk inside
After Graduation
-
Check your graduation status on LEO Online
-
If you did not graduate, you will receive an email
from the graduation office within the first few weeks of the next semester
detailing the requirements still left to be met.
-
Diplomas are available 8-9 weeks after graduation.
Unless you requested otherwise on your graduation application, the diplomas
will be mailed to your permanent address.
-
Congratulations! Good luck and keep in touch!
Top Seven Reasons Why Students Do Not
Graduate
1.
Exit Writing Exam not completed
2.
Senior Assessment Survey not completed
3.
Inaccurate total number of credit hours calculated by
student – you must have at least 120 credits
4.
Less than a ‘C’ grade in major courses or ENGL 110C
& 111C
5.
Incomplete lower or upper-level general education
requirements
6.
‘I’ (incomplete) or ‘Z’ (missing) grades still on
transcript – they must be cleared before graduation
7.
Less than a 2.0 GPA overall AND/OR in the major or
minor area
Your advisor/site director will do his or her best to guide you toward graduation. However, it is ultimately your responsibility to ensure that you have completed all requirements. Read the University Catalog and all correspondence from the University very carefully to ensure that your graduation plans fall into place.