The degree evaluation outlines the graduation requirements for your program. With the help of your advisor, you can review your progress and plan for the completion of your requirements. See Advising's Degree Evaluation Website for more information about how to review your degree evaluation.

A degree auditor reviews a student's transcript and degree evaluation to assess compliance with degree/certificate program requirements. The degree auditor awards degrees/certificates when all requirements are successfully completed. See a list of degree auditors by major.

You will need to contact your advisor. If approved, your advisor will request a substitution/waiver with the department. If approved by the department chairperson, you will receive a confirmation in your Southern email once your degree evaluation has been updated.

Graduation is the successful completion of all degree requirements and the awarding of your  degree/certificate. See Diplomas for more information about receiving your diploma.

Commencement is a ceremony to celebrate and recognize recent and upcoming graduates in the current academic year. Please note that participation in commencement is not a confirmation of graduation from your program and diplomas are not issued at the event. 

Undergraduate students earning a degree in the current academic year will be invited to participate in the commencement ceremony held annually each spring. This includes students who graduated in the most recently completed fall or winter term, and students with at least 100 credits (including in-progress) who will be completing all remaining requirements in the upcoming spring or summer term.

Graduate students earning a degree or certificate in the current academic year must complete the Commencement Participation Form online to participate in the commencement ceremony held annually each spring. Please visit the Commencement website for more information and details about these events.

Undergraduate and Graduate Commencement will be held on May 17, 2024 at the Total Mortgage Arena, Bridgeport, CT. 

Caps and gowns can be purchased at the University Bookstore. Undergraduate students will be issued 4 guest tickets. You can request additional tickets and if they are available after the first allocation, they will be distributed later. Graduate students may contact the School of Graduate and Professional Studies regarding ticket requests.

 No. An estimated graduation term will be listed on your degree evaluation when you are at least 75% complete (60% for graduate programs) with degree requirements. Your degree auditor will monitor your progress and award your degree/certificate once all requirements are successfully completed. See Diplomas for more information about receiving your diploma.

Your degree auditor closely tracks your program requirements as you get closer to 100% completion.  A series of graduation status emails will be sent leading up to graduation to ensure you are aware of your remaining requirements. 

1. Students will receive an “On Track” email when at least 75% (undergraduate) or 60% (graduate or post-baccalaureate) complete.

2. Students will receive an “Almost There” email when the percent complete increases but outstanding requirements still remain.

3. Students will receive a “Cleared” email once successfully registered for all remaining requirements.

 Students may log into Banner Student (see Records and Registration) to review their degree evaluation.  Students may select the 'Graduation Checklist' view to verify outstanding requirements as they prepare for their final semester(s).  All program requirements will be listed as either complete, in-progress, or not complete according to the legend below.  

For students who are graduating in the current or upcoming semester, before making any changes, please discuss your degree requirements with your advisor. If the change will impact the estimated graduation term listed on your degree evaluation, please email your degree auditor to update your record.

Students may not graduate with Incomplete (I) grades on their transcript.

A final grade has not been submitted for the course. Please contact your instructor.

Once you have successfully completed all requirements (i.e. final grades have posted) the degree evaluation will read 100% complete. If you have registered for all remaining requirements, please review your degree evaluation to ensure you do not have any Incomplete grades and you do not have any outstanding requirements marked: .

Step 1: Fill out a Leave of Absence Form to remain an active matriculated student at Southern. This form is needed for the Spring/Fall semesters only.

Step 2: Submit a Transfer Credit Request prior to registering for the course(s) at the other school to ensure it will be approved.

Step 3: Send an email from your Southern account to your degree auditor to inform them if you are completing your last course at another school.

 The Registrar’s Office begins awarding degrees once grades are posted at the end of each term or part-of-term. Once the degree has been awarded (estimated time: 2-4 weeks), students are notified in their Southern email with instructions on how to access their official transcript and e-diploma. See Diplomas for more information about receiving your diploma.

To be eligible for Latin honors, students must attain a 3.5 cumulative grade point average or higher in a degree program upon completion. Only grades earned at Southern are included in the cumulative grade point average.  Transfer and post-baccalaureate students who have taken at least 45 credit hours at SCSU and have attained a 3.5 GPA or higher in these courses will be eligible for Latin honors.

Latin honors will be confirmed upon completion of a degree program and awarded on both the official transcript and diploma as follows:

     3.5-3.69 (Cum Laude)
     3.7-3.89 (Magna Cum Laude)
     3.9-4.0 (Summa Cum Laude)

Just prior to the end of the spring semester, eligible students who are likely to graduate with Latin honors are accorded special recognition at the Senior Honors Convocation. Recognition of Latin honors at the Senior Honors Convocation and Undergraduate Commencement events is granted to seniors who have met the eligibility requirements above by April 1, including both earned and in-progress credits.

Once final grades are reported, if the student's GPA then falls below the required recognition level, this will be reflected in official documents produced after convocation or commencement. Likewise, if the student's final GPA, received after convocation or commencement, deems them eligible for Latin honors or a change in Latin honors, the appropriate recognition will be reflected on their diploma and transcripts.

You may request an official transcript via Parchment at any time, free of charge which will list your degree/certificate awarded and the date.  You can also check your unofficial transcript to verify that your degree/certificate has been awarded prior to requesting an official transcript: