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Return to: Grading
A student’s graduation date is also called the degree conferral date or the validation date. Semester-based students are eligible for validation or conferral of their degree at the end of the final academic term for which they were registered. Quarter-based students are eligible for validation or conferral of their degree at the end of the full 12-week quarter.
As students approach the completion of their programs, they must submit an application for graduation to confirm their eligibility to graduate and to help ensure that their diploma will be accurate. Students must do so within two terms of the anticipated graduation date. Students can find the application on their myWalden university portal under the “Student Services” tab.
To allow confirmation and determination of graduation eligibility, all students must complete a graduation application no sooner than two terms prior to their anticipated graduation date. Once an application has been received, the Office of the Registrar reviews each audit to confirm that all degree and GPA requirements have been met, including and not limited to the following:
- All grades posted
- All program requirements successfully met
- Required GPA met
- Thesis/dissertation/doctoral study submitted and approved by the chief academic officer
Degrees will not be validated until the Office of the Registrar has completed a final audit. If the student is eligible for validation, the graduation date will be the last date of the term in which they are eligible.
Submission of the graduation application also serves to verify that current information for the student is on record. If a graduation application is not submitted, there may be errors in the student record and the diploma. Students will be charged a fee to reissue a corrected diploma if there is no record of a graduation application on file.
Once a degree has been validated, students will receive an email at their Walden address confirming the degree validation. In that email will be instructions on requesting official transcripts, attending commencement, and receiving the program diploma. Students can expect to receive their diploma, unofficial transcript, and a letter of congratulations from the university president approximately 10–12 weeks after their degree validation has been processed.
Note: If a student has outstanding financial obligations to the university, their transcripts and diploma will not be released, either to the student or to a third party.
Commencement
The university honors its graduates twice a year, at summer and winter commencement ceremonies. Graduates are encouraged to invite guests to share in the celebration of their accomplishments.
Students are responsible for ensuring they meet the eligibility requirements to attend the commencement ceremony prior to making arrangements to attend. There are no exceptions to the eligibility requirements to attend the commencement ceremony. Students who have their degrees conferred between June 1 and November 30 are eligible to attend the winter ceremony; students who have their degrees conferred between December 1 and May 31 are eligible to attend the summer ceremony.
Students can find more information on Walden’s Commencement Web site.
The university arranges for the rental of traditional academic regalia with hoods, appropriate for each degree program as follows:
- Ph.D.: Royal blue velvet hood, lined with green (the university’s official color), white, and gold satin.
- Ed.D.: Light blue hood, lined with green (the university’s official color), white, and gold satin.
- Master’s: Appropriate hood color by discipline, lined with green (the university’s official color), white, and gold satin.
- Bachelor’s: Appropriate hood color by discipline, lined with green (the university’s official color), white, and gold satin.
Students must register to attend a commencement ceremony by filling out the online form found on the Commencement Web site. |
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