Graduation Instructions

There is a distinct difference between graduation - which is the conferral of your academic degree -  and commencement - which is the ceremony celebrating graduating students.

The University holds one commencement ceremony in May. In general, master's degree candidates and certificate students expecting to graduate in August may apply to participate in the May ceremony.

Doctoral students cannot participate in a commencement ceremony unless all graduation requirements, including the dissertation defense, have been completed by the graduation deadlines specified in the Graduate Bulletin.

It is each student's responsibility to apply for graduation in CheckMarq, and to do so by the deadlines listed on the Academic Calendar.  

You should apply early. Even if you're not absolutely sure you'll complete your program requirements in that term, it is better to have a graduation application on file before the deadline than not have one. We can always withdraw your application and you can reapply to a future term, but we cannot guarantee that late applications will be accepted.

Once graduate students have applied to graduate, the Graduate School Records Team will complete a degree audit.

The results of the audit will be one of three determinations:

1. the student is fully eligible to graduate,
2. the student is definitely not eligible to graduate, or
3. the student may be eligible pending completion of remaining requirements. These pending requirements are typically course work and/or defense and submission of the thesis or dissertation.

You will be contacted by gradrecords@marquette.edu with requests for any missing forms or to complete your degree requirements prior to academic calendar deadlines. We will continue to contact you until the requirements are met, or your graduation application will be withdrawn and you can reapply for a future term.

No students will be denied graduation without first being contacted by gradrecords@marquette.edu.

Submission to the Graduate School must include:

1. an electronic submission of the thesis through ProQuest ETD Administrator. More information on the submission process.
2. the signed Thesis Approval Form, and
3. submission to Marquette University's ePublication repository

Submission to the Graduate School must include:

1. an electronic submission of the dissertation through ProQuest ETD 
   Administrator. More information on the submission process.
2. a completed Survey of Earned Doctorates,
3. the signed Dissertation Approval Form, and
4. submission to Marquette University's ePublication repository

Yes, of course!

When students' records are approved for graduation, they will be sent a confirmation email from gradrecords@marquette.edu.

No students will be denied graduation without first being contacted by gradrecords@marquette.edu.

Any candidates who are not approved for official graduation can reapply for a future graduation cycle.

Complete instructions are available on the Marquette Central website. Contact Marquette Central directly with any questions regarding diploma pick-up.

Complete information can be found on the Commencement webpage.

Email gradrecords@marquette.edu. Our Records Team, consisting of Nadia Fountain, Freddie Gonzales, and Lizzie Kerrick, will respond as soon as we can with complete and accurate information. You can also call the Graduate School at 414.288.7137 and ask for one of us.