How to Petition to Graduate
Petitioning to graduate is now an easy online process that can be done from anywhere that you have internet access. Just log in to your MySSU account and select your student tab at the top. Once you are on your student page, click on the SSU Graduation Application link on the left side of that page to start your graduation process.
Log in to MySSU to get started
Use the form on MySSU to petition to graduate for the term in which you will be completing your degree requirements. A separate petition must be submitted for each degree or certificate.
The application fee will require payment in order to finalize the graduation petition submission. There is no charge if you petition for a certificate. If you do not complete your degree requirements in the term you originally petitioned, you will need to repetition for the next term you plan to complete your degree. The $50 charge will be added to your student account each time you need to repetition.
Need help?
If you have any problems, questions, or do not have access to your MySSU account, please call (740) 351-4734, Option 3 for help.
Petition Deadlines
Petitions should be submitted by:
- Fall Graduates: May 1
- Spring Graduates: November 1
- Summer Graduates: November 1
There are several problems that can arise if you petition to graduate after the deadline:
- You may be missing a class and have to attend an additional semester to complete it
- Your name may not be included in the commencement program
- You may not be able to obtain the proper regalia (cap and gown) preventing you from participating in the graduation ceremony
Pre-Graduation Checklist
Please review the following checklist of pre-graduation questions that may prevent you from receiving your degree or delay the processing of your diploma upon completion of your degree.
- Have you or will you be completing your final degree requirements/courses?
If you're not sure you should meet with your academic advisor or department chairperson to review and determine where you are with regards to completing your degree.
- Do you need to have course substitutions/waivers submitted to complete degree requirements?
If so, you should meet with your academic advisor or department chairperson to get those completed.
- Do you have any holds on your account (Bursar, Library, Financial Aid, Dean of Students, etc...) that will delay the processing of your diploma upon completion of your degree?
If so, please work with those offices to satisfy your obligations so your hold(s) will be removed.
What Happens After You Petition
- Once we have processed and accepted your graduation petition, you will receive an email to your SSU email address.
- Your degree audit will be reviewed by the Office of the Registrar and your academic department. After these reviews, you will receive a letter detailing the results of the review and of any outstanding requirements/courses, if any, that may not be completed.
- You will receive important notifications via emails to your SSU email account regarding activities, such as Count Down to Commencement day, cap and gown ordering, and graduation rehearsal and ceremony.
Holds
You will need to check MySSU account to see if there have been any holds placed on your record. These holds may be for any number of reasons, some of which are parking tickets, library fines, monies owed the university,etc. These holds need to be cleared by graduation time.
Course Substitutions/Waivers
You will need to make sure you have any necessary course substitution or waivers submitted by your advisor/department chairperson. These course substitutions/waivers, if required, should be submitted as soon as possible to avoid delays in the awarding of your degree.
Taking a Class at Another University During Your Final Semester or Studying Abroad
If you are taking a class at another university during your final semester or studying abroad, you need to have your official final transcript(s) sent to Shawnee State as soon as possible. If we do not have your final transcript from the other university, we cannot award your degree.
Final Grades and Final Degree Certification
Final grades are due to the Registrar's Office by noon on the Tuesday following the last day of finals. Following the final grade submission deadline, the Office of the Registrar begins reviewing and approving degrees by adding degree statements to your transcript and printing/mailing diplomas. This process can take 4-6 weeks. Calling the Registrar's office during this time can cause delays in processing.
Why is my major/concentration/minor not on my diploma?
The reason that Shawnee State University does not list your major and/or concentration on your diploma is because Universities are accredited to award Bachelor’s degrees (B.A. or B.S.) only. That is as far as the regional accreditation body's concern goes. In traditional liberal arts disciplines like history, biology, psychology, etc., the content of the area of study within that degree is entirely up to the individual college. There is usually no separate accreditation for specific subjects unless they are professional subjects that are regulated by the government and are bound by law to meet additional requirements above and beyond what the regional accrediting agency requires (for example, nursing programs answer to ACEN and teacher education to NCATE). In that case, the degree will be a named degree signifying that it meets the standards imposed by the special professional accreditation body in addition to the ones imposed by the regional accreditation body.
When you major in Biology at SSU, you do not have a Bachelor of Science in Biology. You have a Bachelor of Science with a major in Biology. Your diploma will say Bachelor of Science from The College of Arts and Sciences, because that is the degree that we have the authority to confer. Your major is not part of your degree title and is not included. There is no such thing as a Bachelor of Science in Biology degree at SSU.
Contrast this with a B.S.N. When a nurse earns his/her B.S.N. from SSU, the diploma will say "Bachelor of Science in Nursing." This signifies the extra level of accreditation. This is not the equivalent of putting a major on a diploma. The nurse does not have a Bachelor of Science with a major in Nursing in the same way that a biologist has a Bachelor of Science with a major in Biology. Rather, the nurse actually has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. That is the formal name of the degree.
Your major, concentration, and minor are denoted on your official SSU transcript.
Honors
Honors for the graduation program are based on your cumulative GPA the semester before you graduate and entitle you to wear an Honor Cord at graduation.
Official Honors denoted on your transcript and/or your diploma are based on your final cumulative GPA at the time of graduation.
Honors are determined as follows:
Cum Laude: 3.50-3.74 Cumulative GPA
Magna Cum Laude: 3.75-3.89 GPA
Summa Cum Laude: 3.90-4.0 Cumulative GPA
Graduation Ceremony
Details about the graduation ceremony can be found at Countdown to Commencement.