Graduation Requirements
The following are requirements for graduation:
All students, regardless of college or program in which they are enrolled, must complete the following university requirements for graduation:
- Formal admission into the university;
- Formal admission into the college and department of their choice;
- Completion of all curriculum requirements as specified in the required program;
- Minimum overall cumulative Chicago State University grade point average of 3.0 (B) at the time of graduation;
- For education majors, successful completion of certification requirements for the State of Illinois;
Graduation Application Procedure
Applying to Graduate
Students applying for graduation must complete an online application HERE. Complete this form in consultation with your graduate/professional program advisor in the term in which you are on track to complete all degree/certificate requirements, including coursework, additional requirements such as clinical hours, comprehensive exams, portfolios, theses, dissertations, etc. The Adviser must certify the application and attach the student’s degree plan/evaluation (CAPP or Degree Works) within 5 working days after receiving the application.
If CAPP or Degree Works is not meeting all the requirements, please submit a course adjustment form. Students enrolled in programs leading to Teacher Certification must indicate on the application and notify the Educational Licensure Office upon submission.
IF FOR ANY REASON THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE ARE NOT COMPLETED IN THE TERM APPLIED, THE STUDENT MUST SUBMIT A NEW APPLICATION AGAIN WHEN ALL THE REQUIREMENTS ARE MET.
Please make sure your name, including your middle name, and permanent address are correct in Cougar Connect as of April 30 [spring], June 30 [Summer] and October 30 [ Fall].
Update through Cougar Connect Self-Serve or through the Registrar’s Office for an official name change. Only changes made by the deadlines will be reflected on your diplomas. Diplomas will only be mailed to the permanent address listed in your CSU account. Only the official name, including your middle name or initial, on your account will be used on your diplomas. To make official name changes, including middle name, visit https://www.csu.edu/registrar/documents/Change_of_Name_Form.pdf. The graduation deadline is below:
What happens next? After you apply, the Graduate School Associate Registrar will review your degree audit to confirm you’re on track to graduate. The degree audit will then be emailed to you, noting any outstanding academic requirements. Be sure to watch your CSU Email for this important information!
Following the close of the semester, the Graduate School Associate Registrar will verify all requirements have been met, and your degree will be awarded (also known as conferred), and your diploma will be mailed to you within 12-14 weeks of the end of the term.
Questions? Please contact the Graduate School Associate Registrar at 773-995-3583.
Note: The responsibility for meeting the deadline for submitting the application for graduation rests with the student. Students who participated in the commencement ceremony but did not meet the requirements for degree completion must reapply for graduation.
CSU hosts one commencement ceremony at the end of the spring semester (2nd Thursday in May). Commencement takes place once a year, at the end of the Spring semester. Students who graduate in the Fall and Summer terms are eligible to participate in the subsequent spring Commencement ceremony. Students who are eligible to participate must complete a graduation application as well as the Request to Participate Form.
Important Note:
While commencement is a celebration of earning a degree, it does not mean the student has officially graduated. Official graduation is confirmed once all academic requirements are met.
Commencement Participation for International Students
Commencement is a celebration of your dedication and achievement in earning a degree from Chicago State University. We warmly invite international students to participate in the ceremony and encourage friends and family to join in celebrating your success.
Travel & Visa Information:
International students should carefully review all current travel requirements [review all travel requirements here]. While a letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not required to apply for a visitor visa, you may request an invitation letter if desired. To request a letter, please contact Danielle Dewalt, Graduate School Associate Registrar, at 773-995-3583.
Please note: Bringing an invitation letter or Affidavit of Support to a visa interview is optional and does not influence the decision to approve or deny a visa.
Deferring Commencement Participation:
If your parents or immediate family are unable to obtain a visa and attend the ceremony, you may defer your commencement participation for up to one academic year.
All diplomas will be sent to your permanent address on file, excluding PO boxes and international addresses. Diplomas will be mailed to your home within 12-14 weeks after the official close of the term in which your program was completed. If your diploma is lost during transit, it is not the university’s responsibility to replace your diploma. Therefore, students must request a diploma replacement from the Graduate School. If your diploma is delivered back to our office, it will be held for only two years. After two years, all diplomas are discarded, and you must request a diploma replacement. For diploma replacements, complete the diploma replacement form and make the payment to the cashier’s office. In addition, it is important to know that if your middle initial is part of your CSU student record and you want your middle name on your diploma, please update it with the Registrar’s Office as soon as possible.
Undergraduate Students Taking Graduate Courses
Undergraduate students in their senior year [after completion of 90 credit hours] may be allowed to register for a maximum of two 5000-level courses related to their major as electives to fulfill their graduation requirements. Undergraduate students cannot register for 5000-level courses without the permission of the academic adviser and/or the Chair of the Department. Courses that have a 4000-level counterpart [ 4000/5000 designated courses], individual topics, and selected topics courses are not eligible for this purpose. Also, these courses cannot be used for transfer to a graduate program if the student wishes to pursue one.
Graduate students must be enrolled at least half-time in graduate-level coursework (typically 6 credit hours) to remain eligible for financial aid. A student may take 2 graduate-level courses and 1 undergraduate course, but they must be enrolled in at least 6 graduate-level credit hours to qualify for aid.
Leave of Absence Policy
Periodically, students must interrupt their enrollment due to extenuating circumstances. Allowing students to take a leave of absence (LOA) provides students with the opportunity to return to the university under the rules and policies in effect when they left. It also allows the university the opportunity to counsel students about the required actions to return upon the end of the leave. A leave of absence (LOA) is a temporary interruption in a student’s program of study and refers to the specific time period during a program when a student is not in attendance. A LOA, together with any additional leave of absence, must not exceed a total of 180 days in a 12-month period. The 12-month period begins on the first day of the student’s initial LOA. All student requests for a LOA must be submitted in writing, signed, and dated. Please refer to the university website forthe process and procedures in requesting a leave of absence.
Most Master’s programs are of Two-Year duration. A few programs have special requirements [ internships etc.] and may be of extended duration. However, all work to satisfy master’s degree requirements (including transfer credits, theses, etc.) must be completed within a six-year period from the time of initial registration. Students enrolled in the EdD doctoral program must complete the degree within seven years and students in the PharmD doctoral program must complete the degree within six years of their first enrollment at Chicago State University.
Graduate students who have not completed their program within the required time limit (starting from the date of the original registration to graduate study) but are in good academic standing may apply to their department/college for an extension of time. Students must file a petition for an extension explaining the circumstances and a plan for completion. The petition must be approved by the program and the College to which the student belongs before submitting to the Graduate School. The Graduate School must receive the petition by the Second Friday in October if the Fall is the last semester, and the Second Friday in March if the Spring semester is the last semester for the student before extension. The Graduate Council will vote on it and recommend it to the Associate Provost of Graduate School. If granted, extension is given for a period of a maximum of one academic or calendar year. Extension of time may also involve a request for an exception to aged courses. Students need to check with their advisers. No retroactive extensions will be granted.
To obtain an extension for the time to complete your degree program, both the department supervising your program and the Graduate Council must review/approve your application. If your request is denied, your status will be administratively changed to non-degree (graduate-at-large). Students requesting an extension must also complete a Petition for Exception.
Note: Aged Courses-Courses which are older than 6 years for master’s and professional students, and 7 years for Ed.D. program are considered to be aged and cannot be used for counting towards the degree. Requests for an exception to the policy may be considered if a petition is submitted along with a request for an extension of time for graduation. Similar to the extension, an exception may be granted for courses taken within the extended time period. Retroactive petitions are not accepted.
The Graduate Council meets on the second Tuesday of each month (except summer session), unless otherwise notified. In order to make the agenda, approved petitions must be on file in the School of Graduate & Professional Studies no later than the Friday prior to the scheduled meeting. Students are strongly encouraged to follow up with their departments to ensure timely submission. Students seeking to file a petition for exception can submit an online petition by clicking here.
Policy on Student Identification Card
COUGAR ONE UNIVERSITY ID CARD
Location: Library First Floor Telephone: (773) 995-2013
Main Office Hours: Monday- Friday 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. or by appointment.
The Cougar One Card is the official university identification. Many departments use the Cougar One Card to grant access to their information and services. The Cougar One ID allows students and staff to check out books, check account balances, and receive discounts when applicable. It is a necessity of everyday campus life. There is no charge for the university ID card.
Simply bring a photo ID (driver’s license, state-issued ID card, or passport) and a cashier’s receipt to the Cougar One ID Card Office. A cashier’s receipt will be given once classes are validated. Lost or replacement Cougar One IDs can be issued for $20 (paid to the Cashier’s Office). For a replacement, please bring a photo ID along with a cashier’s receipt for $20 to the Cougar One ID Card Office in the Library. The lost card will be deactivated. Students should carry their Cougar One ID cards at all times on campus. We encourage students to email helpdesk@csu.edu to set up an appointment to get their Courage One ID.
Policy on Student Conduct
The Office of Judicial Affairs is responsible for providing oversight of the process for protecting students’ rights to live and learn in a safe and crime-free environment. The office administers CSU’s student judicial process and follows the guidelines established by the University in accordance with State law and due process rights. A judicial hearing committee representing members of CSU’s faculty, staff and students is responsible for hearing students’ responses to charges filed with the Office of Judicial Affairs, if the responding student requests a board hearing. The Committee is also responsible for recommending sanctions in cases when students are found responsible for violating the Student Code of Conduct. The complete Student Code of Conduct can be found online at www.csu.edu/judicialaffairs or by calling 773/821-2156. The Office of Judicial Affairs is located in the Cordell Reed Student Union Building, Room 247.
Students as University Employees
If students are employees of the university, the same policies and obligations apply.
Volunteer Emergency Worker Policy
The University has a policy to cover students called to active duty as a result of serving as a volunteer emergency worker. Refer to the Institutional Policy Manual for the full text, available online at www.csu.edu/ipm/. Students are excused to serve as volunteer workers and may return to classes when the emergency has ended. The policy covers short leaves of absence (less than three weeks) or complete withdrawal as well as handling loans. Upon receipt of an official request calling him/her to active volunteer service, the student should contact his/her advisor, the Office of Records and Registration, and the Office of Financial Aid. Reasonable accommodation will be made for any student who is a volunteer emergency worker in regard to absence from class caused by the performance of his or her duties as a volunteer emergency worker. If a student believes that he or she has been unreasonably denied this accommodation, he or she may seek redress through the standard grievance procedure as outlined in the Institutional Policy Manual (Article X, Section 2.1: Grievance Procedures). Refer to the full text of the policy online at www.csu.edu/ipm/.
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