Graduation
Once you’ve completed 95 credits, you’ll be invited via email to join a “Graduation Readiness” course in D2L.
This optional course is asynchronous and has all the information you’ll need about graduation, commencement, moving on to a graduate program, or exiting the university.
Meet Your Degree Requirements
Your Degree Audit is used to determine graduation eligibility. It should read: “All requirements are completed – in progress courses used.”
Also review the general graduation requirements for undergraduate students, especially if you trying to earn dual degrees. You can also learn about graduating with honors.
Students completing their degree requirements in the summer term are eligible for summer graduation. Summer degrees are posted at the end of the final session in August.
If you believe that you should be graduating but the Degree Audit does not indicate all requirements are met, review your academic record with your advisor.
Your Degree Audit is used to determine graduation eligibility. It should read: “All requirements are completed – in progress courses used.”
Review your degree audit to ensure that you have completed all or are currently in progress of completing all requirements for your degree.
If you believe that you should be graduating but the Degree Audit does not indicate all requirements are met, review your academic record with your advisor.
Your capstone or thesis needs to be completed by the time of graduation.
Please keep your advisor updated on your progress with this project.
Submit a Graduation Application
Before you can apply for graduation, you must:
- have earned at least 95 credits
- be admitted to your major (pre-majors cannot apply)
Submit your application one academic year before when you plan to complete all your coursework. For example, if you want to graduate Spring 2023, fill out your application Summer/Fall 2022.
Submit your graduation application. You can also make changes and check the status online. Log in using your StarID as your username in the format of ab1234cd or ab1234cd@winona.edu.
You can submit a graduation application beginning Aug. 1 to graduate in spring or summer. To graduate in fall, you can apply starting Jan 1. You can indicate whether you’ll participate in commencement in the application.
The deadline to submit is midterm of the semester you plan to graduate. But you risk not being able to graduate or participate in any commencement ceremony if you wait until your last semester to apply.
If you miss the midterm deadline, you can still apply for graduation. However, your name won’t be listed in the commencement publications and you won’t receive provisional honors.
To participate in the commencement ceremony, your application must be approved by the Friday before finals week.
Once your graduation application is processed, you will receive an email via your WSU email account with degree completion and commencement information.
Complete the Graduate Student Graduation Application.
You can submit a graduation application beginning Aug. 1 to graduate in spring or summer. To graduate in fall, you can apply starting Jan 1.
Complete the Graduate Student Graduation Application.
You can submit a graduation application beginning Aug. 1 to graduate in spring or summer. To graduate in fall, you can apply starting Jan 1.
Students who are earning a certificate only are not eligible to participate in commencement.
Complete the Graduate Student Graduation Application.
You should apply for graduation when you register for your final term classes. This will allow time to make any corrections to your classes that are required for graduation.
To have your name listed in the commencement publications, you must submit a graduation application by Nov. 1 for fall semester and April 1 for spring semester.
Approved late applicants may still participate in commencement but will not be included in the publications.
Prepare to Leave Campus
Make sure your affairs are in order and that you have satisfied any financial obligations, including your Exit Counseling for federal student loans.
You may want to check with:
- Tech Support to return or purchase your laptop
- Career Services
- Alumni Relations
- Bookstore
Get Ready for the Commencement Ceremony
Invite your friends and family to cheer you on at the Commencement Ceremony.
While there is no summer commencement ceremony, summer graduates are welcome to participate in either the Spring ceremony prior or the following Fall ceremony.
You can indicate which (if any) ceremony you will participate in through the graduation application.
To take part in the Commencement Ceremony, make sure to register by midterm of the semester you plan to participate. Doctor of Education (EdD) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) graduates must declare their participation at least 12 weeks in advance to ensure appropriate regalia is available for the ceremony.
If your plans change, you can edit your graduation application.
There will not be a physical rehearsal prior to the commencement ceremonies. Review the rehearsal instructions (PDF) for details.
Undergraduate students will be seated by academic College. Before the ceremony, you must check in at your appropriate College table and pick up your name card.
Graduate students will be seated by academic College and degree type. Before the ceremony, you must check in at the Graduate Studies table and pick up your name card.
If you need a sign language interpreter, please notify the Warrior Hub at graduation@winona.edu at least 6 weeks prior.
A portion of seating is reserved to accommodate people with limited accessibility. Let the ushers know of your accessibility needs, and they’ll direct you to the venue area that best suits your needs.
You are required to wear commencement regalia, including a cap and gown.
Purchase regalia items online through our official partner Herff Jones.
If your graduation application has been approved, you can pick up earned provisional honor cords any time after midterm at the Warrior Hub.
Graduate students have an additional hood as part of their regalia. You’ll purchase the hood and gown to wear to the commencement ceremony.
Degree Conferral
Check your Degree Audit one last time. It should read: “All Requirements are Complete”.
Degrees are posted after final grades are submitted. You will be emailed when your transcript is updated with your degree.
Receive Your Diploma
Diplomas will be mailed to the address you provided in your graduation application. Please allow 10-12 weeks for your diploma to arrive.
Verify your diploma address on your Graduation Application and update prior to the end-of-term of degree completion.
FAQs about Graduation
Graduation is the posting of a degree on the official transcript once all degree requirements are met.
Commencement is the ceremony that celebrates the completion of a degree.
Yes! The graduation application is used to determine which students are completing their degrees.
All graduates need to complete the graduation application. You can indicate whether you plan to participate in commencement through this application as well.
Graduation with Honors is an academic achievement awarded to undergraduate students based on GPA. Learn more about the criteria required to meet Graduation with Honors.
Dual Degrees
Dual degree recipients are students earning two different degree types (for example, both a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science).
To earn dual degrees students must complete at least 30 semester hours beyond the required 120-128 credits. Students must complete all major requirements under both degrees, including separate minors if one is required.
Multiple Majors
Students completing two or more majors will be awarded a single degree based upon their primary major. By default, your primary major is the major with the greatest number of credits.
Any additional majors are listed on the student’s transcript under the degree to be awarded. If a degree requires a minor, an additional major can be completed in place of a minor.
If any of the majors fall under different degrees (for example, one major leads to a Bachelor of Arts and another to a Bachelor of Science), the student may choose either degree.
WSU’s Communications Department typically notifies hometown newspapers with graduate names within eight weeks of the end of the semester.
The list of graduates will also be posted online.
Contact University Communications for any further questions about media notification by calling 507.457.5024 or emailing wsuupdate@winona.edu.
Graduation applications can be viewed, updated and withdrawn by logging back into your application.
Your diploma will be mailed to the diploma address indicated on your graduation application 10-12 weeks after graduation.
Your transcript is the official certifying document of your degree. You can order a transcript as soon as your degree is posted.
Diploma sizes are 8.5 x 11 inches and will fit most standard frames.
The Degree Audit is used to guide students through their degree requirements. After graduation, the Degree Audit is not available.
Your transcript will list all WSU coursework and grades. Use your transcript as your official document proving your degree.
Original diplomas are mailed to the diploma address indicated on your graduation application 10 weeks after graduation.
If you have misplaced your diploma or just need another one, you can request to order a duplicate diploma.
Diploma orders are placed weekly and generally take 4-6 weeks for delivery.
For a non-expedited duplicate diploma shipped within the contiguous US, a $10 fee is required.
We will process your international or expedited diploma order as well and will work with you to determine the increased fees based on your location and delivery time expectations.
The fee will be placed on your WSU student account regardless of enrollment status, so please review the payment options.