APPLICATION FOR GRADUATION

Congratulations on your upcoming graduation from The Ohio State University!

ALL STUDENTS: PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION BELOW BEFORE COMPLETING YOUR APPLICATION

Important Dates and Deadlines*

*Note: Submitting your Graduation Application according to the deadlines above improves your priority for your assigned window time. It does not impact your ability to secure a seat once classes are closed.

Preparing for Commencement

Pre-Graduation To-Do List

Curriculum Requirements

The Ohio State University requires its students to follow the curriculum within the degree that the student is earning. The curriculum consists of General Education, college, and major requirements. Please pay particular attention to the bulleted items under the college requirements. You are responsible for understanding these requirements. To view the curriculum requirements for your degree within the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences click here.

Degree Audit

Performing a degree audit is a tool to check your progress towards your degree. The audit will help you determine what requirement areas you need to fulfill, what areas you have already fulfilled, and how many hours you have accumulated. The audit will calculate your cumulative as well as your major and minor grade point averages. By running a degree audit, you will be better able to plan your course load for the subsequent semesters that you are enrolled. The degree audit should be reviewed in conjunction with your curriculum sheet for the Bachelor of Science Degree in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

To view the CFAES Curriculum Sheets, click here.

To view your Degree Audit, follow these steps:

1. Go to your Student Center in Buckeye Link
2. Click on "DARS Web" under Academic History
3. Enter your OSU username and password
4. Click on "View Audits" in the Run DARS screen
5. In the View DARS screen, select your degree then click on the "View Report" button
6. View your report and print it off for your reference

Meet with your Academic Advisor

Late in your junior year, you should schedule an appointment with your faculty advisor for a final evaluation of your requirements and to formulate a plan for graduation. By doing so, you will be able to put together a list of classes that you need to take during your last two semesters of enrollment. Having your degree audit with you at this time will be helpful for both you and your advisor to better understand what requirements you still need to fulfill in order to graduate. If you are not sure who your faculty advisor is, check your Student Center in Buckeye Link. If the advisor is not listed or is wrong, contact the Coordinating Advisor for your major within the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. Click here to see a list of the college's Coordinating Advisors.

Name on Your Diploma

The name on your diploma will match the name that you have listed on the University Registrar's website exactly. Please review your name on your advising report or degree audit. Should you want to change your name, you must complete a "Request for Change of Record" form and provide appropriate documentation.

Documentation required for name changes:

• Marriage: Copy of driver's license with new name, social security card with new name, or marriage certificate/license.
• Divorce: Copy of Divorce Decree, court entry, or order of legal name change.
• Legal Name Change: Court order of legal name change.

No documentation is required if going from middle initial to middle name or vice versa.

The form may be submitted to 100 Agricultural Administration or the 1st Floor of the Student Academic Services Building. Please submit the name change documents prior to completing the Application for Degree.

Application for Degree

The deadline for Application for Degree is two academic semesters preceding your intended semester of graduation. For example, if you intend to graduate at the end of spring semester, you must complete your Application for Degree at the beginning of the previous spring semester. The application will be reviewed within approximately one week of submission and an e-mail will be sent to you indicating approval or concerns that need to be addressed. It is your responsibility to check your e-mail in order to address these concerns immediately. Any changes in the course plan after application submission should be e-mailed to Lynn Mande and the changes will be added to the application. It is also your responsibility to understand the graduation requirements and the implications of changing the plan.
No paper Applications for Degree will be accepted.

Senior Recognition Luncheons

In the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, seniors are recognized the semester they graduate for their accomplishments. Graduating seniors will be invited via e-mail to the celebration that is usually held just prior to graduation rehearsal. Students graduating with Distinction and Latin Honors are also recognized at this luncheon.

Graduation Rehearsal

Graduating seniors will receive an informational e-mail approximately the tenth week of the semester in which you intend to graduate with instructions including the date, time, and place of practice. This information will also be posted here. Graduation rehearsal will typically be held the Friday before commencement every semester. You will be expected to stand with other students of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. You will not need to wear your cap and gown to the rehearsal, which lasts about an hour and a half.

Commencement Ceremonies

Commencement ceremonies are typically held on a Sunday afternoon. No tickets are required and there is no limit on the number of guests attending. During the ceremony, which will last about two and a half hours, the president, the provost, and your cadet marshals will provide directions. Please listen carefully to their signals. Ohio State is one of the few institutions that distributes actual diplomas at commencement; therefore, we ask that students participate in the ceremony or notify us of your plan to not participate. Should you decide not to participate, you must notify the College Office, 100 Agricultural Administration, of your plan not to attend by the deadline set in your instructional e-mail. Participation in the ceremony is reserved for graduates only. The Ohio Stadium is the location for Commencement during Spring Semester only. At this time, Autumn and Summer Commencements are held at the Jerome Schottenstein Center. Click here for more information about commencement.

Career Services 

You should begin your search for employment after graduation at least three semesters prior to your intended semester of graduation. Several companies visit campus to interview, plus you can make your resume available to prospective employers on the web through the college's Career Services Center and HireaBuckeye.

Career Services Placement Survey

Career Services would like graduating seniors to provide employment information so that the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences may have accurate statistics on the extent to which its students are placed at graduation and an estimate of starting salaries. You will receive this survey in the letter you are e-mailed during your semester of graduation. Its return is requested prior to rehearsal and if it is not received by then, you will be asked to complete it at rehearsal.

Graduating with Latin Honors

Graduating students are granted degrees cum laude if the cumulative point-hour ratio (CPHR) is 3.50-3.69, magna cum laude if the cumulative point-hour ratio is 3.70-3.89, or summa cum laude if the cumulative point-hour ratio is 3.90 or above. Only students presenting at least 60 semester hours of work completed while at this university are eligible for Latin Honors. Latin Honors is determined at the end of the semester preceding the semester of graduation. Latin Honors can be added or raised higher should your CPHR meet the minimum as of the last semester.

• Cum laude
• Magna cum laude
• Summa cum laude

Graduating with Honors Research Distinction (Honors Program Members)

Honors Research Distinction is granted to only those students participating in the Honors Program. Upon recommendation of the Honors Examining Committee and attainment of at least a 3.40 point-hour ratio and a 3.5 GPA in the major, a graduating honors program student may be awarded the degree sought with distinction in the major field of study with the diploma so inscribed.

Graduating with Research Distinction

Students who have a 3.00 GPA or higher, complete a research project, present at the CFAES and Denman Research Forums may be awarded the degree with distinction in the major field of study with the diploma so inscribed.

Frequently Asked Questions Related to Graduation

Questions on Transcripts:

1. Where/how do I get my university transcripts? Visit the registrar's ordering site.
2. Can I enroll in classes at another institution during my last semester at Ohio State? Contact Dr. Pfister for details.

Questions on Commencement and Rehearsal:

1. Where is the French Field House? click here to view map
2. Where is the Jerome Schottenstein Center? click here to view map
3. How do I get my graduation cap, gown, and tassel? Caps and gowns may be purchased from the Ohio State Bookstore, Student Book Exchange, and Buckeye Books.
4. Where do I get invitations for my graduation? Graduation announcements are available for purchase from the Ohio State Bookstore.
5. Can I attend graduation without going to the rehearsal the Friday before? Please contact Dr. Pfister if you will be unable to attend rehearsal.
6. How many of my friends and family members are allowed to attend commencement? As many as you'd like.
7. Do my friends and family need tickets to commencement? No tickets are required; however, if any of your guests have a permanent or temporary disability that restricts their mobility, disability tickets can be requested.
8. What is the tassel color for the college? Maize (gold).

Questions on Honors:

1. How do I graduate with honors research distinction from the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences? View the requirements listed above.
2. What are the requirements for Latin Honors? View the requirements listed above.
3. How do I graduate with research distinction from the College of  Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences? View the requirements listed above.

Questions on Graduation Applications:

1. When do I need to have my application for graduation submitted? Dates are listed at the top of the page.
2. Where can I get an application for graduation? Click here for the application.
3. What if I change my mind about the semester I want to graduate? E-mail Dr. Pfister.
4. What if I change my plan for courses after I submit my application? E-mail Lynn Mande.