Students who expect to graduate with a vocational diploma, certificate, associate degree or baccalaureate degree must apply for graduation. Students apply by registering for the graduation course using the appropriate coding at the same time they register for their final semester of course work, but never later than the fourth calendar day of that semester. Students expecting to graduate at the end of the summer semester, but wish to be publicly recognized in the preceding winter commencement, must register for graduation at the time they register for that winter semester course work. Graduation and commencement codes can be found in the Schedule of Classes document on the Registrar’s Office website, www.nmu.edu/registrar, by following the Course Registration link.
Note: A graduation fee is payable at the time of application.
Students who do not register for graduation on time will only be considered for a subsequent graduation period providing they register and still qualify. Students may only receive one certificate or degree at any one graduation.
Note that once a student is awarded their bachelor’s degree, that portion of the student’s academic record is frozen and cannot be updated or altered.
Diplomas
The name printed on the diploma will be the same as the legal name on the student’s academic record. Any change to that name, such as the inclusion of a middle name or maiden name, must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office prior to registering for graduation. Diplomas will be mailed to the permanent address on file with the university approximately six to eight weeks after the date of graduation.
Commencement
Commencement is a public ceremony held twice each year to bestow degrees upon students. A student who completes the requirements for a certificate, associate degree or baccalaureate degree may participate in commencement. Students who plan to participate in commencement must select the appropriate coding from the course scheduling options when registering for graduation. Students graduating in December (fall semester) are eligible to participate in December commencement. Students graduating in April/May (winter semester) are eligible to participate in April/May commencement.
Students who qualify for April/May graduation, but are enrolled in a study abroad program or are enrolled in an internship not located in Michigan or the surrounding states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana or Ohio during the winter semester, may participate in the December commencement preceding that enrollment. At the time of registration for the fall semester but no later than the fourth calendar day of the fall semester, these students must provide the Registrar’s Office written verification from their adviser of the location of their winter semester enrollment. These students must then be enrolled in all courses by the end of the first week of advance registration for the winter semester.
Students who qualify for August graduation and are enrolled in their correct courses by the end of the first week of advance registration for that session may participate in the April/May commencement preceding that enrollment. These students must register for their degrees during the registration period for the winter semester but never later than the fourth calendar day of the winter semester, choosing the coding for “August graduation, participating in the April/May commencement” from the Schedule of Classes document on the registrar’s website. Students who graduate in August may participate in the next December’s commencement ceremony. Arrangements must be made in the Registrar’s Office.
Commencement is an optional activity. Students who do not participate in commencement at the time they qualified may not participate in a later commencement unless they qualify for the awarding of an additional vocational diploma, certificate or degree. Commencement apparel is ordered through the NMU Bookstore.