Degree Conferral and Commencement Ceremonies

Degrees are awarded at the end of the fall semester (December), spring semester (May) and summer session (August).

Formal commencement ceremonies are held every May and December; each School and College convenes their own commencement ceremony and reception for their graduates, as well as their families and guests. The official last day of the term, as published in the Academic Calendar, is the graduation and degree conferral date listed on all diplomas. Students should contact the Office of the Dean of their department for information concerning the commencement ceremonies.

Doctoral students must submit the Dissertation Defense Report showing the dissertation has been defended successfully to the Office of the Registrar no later than one week before the first scheduled university Commencement ceremony in order to participate in any college/school ceremony.  The Office of the Registrar will send a list of all doctoral students who have not defended their dissertations to each academic dean immediately after this deadline has passed. The Dean will inform these students that they will not be allowed to participate and the Dean will invite them to participate in a Commencement Ceremony taking place in a later semester after they have met all requirements for their degree. Doctoral students who do not participate in Commencement may still graduate and receive their degrees in that term if they complete their defenses and other requirements by deadlines set by the Office of the Registrar.

Application for Graduation

All graduating students must file an Application for Graduation through their Student Center in MyMav by the published deadlines for the semester of graduation. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic advisor to insure that they will meet degree plan requirements in a timely way to allow graduation.  Neither the graduation application nor graduation fees are transferable to a subsequent semester; therefore, if a student does not graduate in the semester indicated in the initial application, a new application must be filed for the semester of graduation and the appropriate fees paid again.  Additional information on graduation processes is available on the Office of the Registrar's Graduation website.

Students who fail to apply for graduation by the specified deadlines may apply late by completing the Application for Graduation and paying a late fee. Applications for graduation will be accepted with a late fee for 30 calendar days after the deadline for applying for graduation.  After that date, no applications will be accepted and students must apply for graduation for a subsequent semester. Applicants for graduation will be billed the Graduation Application fee and, as appropriate, the late graduation application fee. Again, graduation charges are non-transferable and non-refundable. See the section titled Tuition, Fees, and Charges in this catalog for information on specific fees.

The Office of the Registrar reserves the right to post degrees and/or certificates for current or former students who have met degree completion requirements but have not formally applied for graduation.

Diplomas

Diplomas will be issued approximately 6-8 weeks after commencement ceremonies, and will be sent to graduates via USPS mail. Graduates with account balances of any kind or any diploma holds must clear these before their diploma can be released.  Diplomas are only kept and available for mailing for one (1) year after graduation.  After one year, the graduate will need to order a replacement diploma.

Graduation With Latin Honors

Bachelor's degree candidates who have attempted and completed at least 45 semester hours in residence at The University of Texas at Arlington, including all hours completed in the first and final semesters that contain the last 45 hours, will receive:

Cum Laude Latin Honors,

• if their overall GPA is 3.500 - 3.699 OR
• (their overall GPA is 3.300 - 3.499 and the GPA in the semesters containing their last 45 semester hours in residence is 3.500 - 3.699)

Magna Cum Laude Latin Honors,

• if their overall GPA is 3.700 - 3.899 OR
• (their overall GPA is 3.500 - 3.699 and the GPA in the semesters containing their last 45 semester hours in residence is 3.700 - 3.899)

Summa Cum Laude Latin Honors,

• if their overall GPA is 3.900 - 4.000 OR
• (their overall GPA is 3.700 - 4.000 and the GPA in the semesters containing their last 45 semester hours in residence is 3.900 - 4.000)

Graduation Under a Particular Catalog

Students may obtain a degree or certification according to the course requirements for a degree or certification stated in the catalog under which they first entered the University, provided the courses are being offered. Or, students may choose to graduate under the course requirements in effect during any subsequent year in which they are registered, provided the courses are offered. A student entering for the first time in the summer session may obtain a degree or certification according to the course requirements of the catalog of the previous long session or the next long session. The above provisions, however, are subject to the restriction that all requirements for a degree or certification must be completed in eight years from the date of the catalog chosen and that the courses are still offered.  A student may graduate under the current catalog. The above provisions are also subject to the University’s authority to modify degree, certification or graduation requirements as necessary.

Policy on Posthumous Degrees

A posthumous degree will be awarded if the deceased was enrolled in his or her final semester in courses that would have completed all work required for the degree and meets the minimum GPA requirements for graduation. If an Application for Graduation is not already on file, one may be completed by the deceased’s academic advisor or family member. For further information, individuals may contact the Office of the Registrar or the appropriate dean’s office.

Graduation Rates

As of October 1, 2020, the six-year graduation rate was 52 percent for students who entered The University of Texas at Arlington in Fall 2014 on a full-time basis as first-time, degree-seeking undergraduates.