Section VIII
Graduation & Commencement

Students who plan to complete their program of study must apply for their diploma via UCDAccess in the term in which they plan to graduate. All important notices and reminders regarding graduation and related deadlines are sent to students via CU email. Students must check their official student email accounts regularly and respond by the deadlines provided. Failure to respond may cause a delay in graduation or inability to participate in commencement or convocation.

Students registered for graduation will receive information by email about Commencement (the CU-wide ceremony) and Convocation (the CU Nursing-focused ceremony).

Graduating students with certain financial aid packets are required to complete exit documentation (by email and regular mail). Documentation requests may come from several sources. Approximately three (3) weeks prior to graduation, a “hold” will be placed on the student’s account until all parts of the exit documentation are complete.

CU Anschutz Medical Campus holds annual Commencement ceremonies in May and December for all schools and programs. In May, Commencement is followed by the CU Nursing Convocation. Students completing their programs in August are invited to a College of Nursing-specific event that month.

Students who apply and meet all degree requirements by the end of their graduation term will be approved to participate in their assigned ceremony. Those who do not meet all requirements will not be approved to participate.

Official regalia is required for participation in these ceremonies. Additional details regarding regalia and the graduation application process will be posted on the Commencement website and emailed to students prior to the event.

In rare cases, students may request to participate in an off-cycle ceremony due to extenuating circumstances such as military duty or program interruption. These requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and the student must be in good academic and student standing. In addition, students who graduate in August and wish to participate in an official CU ceremony may request to participate in December as well. Approved students can RSVP, order regalia, and walk in the ceremony, but the graduation program will not list those who are not confirmed graduates for the term. Appeals to participate in an off-cycle ceremony can be submitted to Admissions and Student Affairs.

Diplomas are typically mailed to the address listed in the student portal approximately 2-3 months after commencement. Students are encouraged to update their contact information prior to commencement to ensure timely delivery of their diploma.

Undergraduate students must fall within the GPA ranges listed below to qualify for honors distinction:

• 3.50--3.74 Cum Laude
• 3.75--3.89 Magna Cum Laude
• 3.90--4.00 Summa Cum Laude

The Honors GPA posted to a student’s final transcript will include grades from all CU Nursing program courses completed.

Convocation ceremonies take place prior to the final semester of grades being posted. Due to this, only grades completed through the penultimate semester (i.e., the second-to-last one) will be included in Honors designations reflected in the graduation program.

Honors designations do not apply to graduate students.

Students may print unofficial transcripts from UCDAccess at any time during their education. To order official transcripts, students need to follow the directions listed on the Office of the Registrar webpage. A student having any financial obligations to CU will not be issued a transcript. Copies of transcripts from other institutions cannot be furnished by CU.

BS Students who have completed program requirements must apply for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) and, upon successful NCLEX completion, for a Registered Nursing (RN) license in the state where they plan to work. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing outlines the policies and procedures for NCLEX registration. The student will find specific instructions and requirements at the websites of individual state boards of nursing, e.g., the Colorado State Board of Nursing.

Some graduate students must be nationally certified in the specialty for which they received education (e.g., nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse midwives). APRN specialty certification is required prior to applying for state licensure and state APRN licensing is required (in addition to RN licensure). General information regarding national certification should be sought from the Graduate Specialty Director or from the appropriate specialty professional certification websites (i.e., AACN, PNCB, and AANP).

Students will find specific instructions and requirements about state licensure on the websites of individual state boards of nursing.

Degree verification are processed by the Office of the Registrar in consultation with the College of Nursing when necessary. Current and former students can order a degree verification by emailing their request to [email protected], which must include the student's current and former name, student ID, date of birth, degree awarded (e.g. Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, Post-Graduate Certificate, etc.), and the mailing or email address to which the verification should be sent.

Degree verification requests are processed in the order in which they are received. Most requests take 3-5 business days to process, but can be extended due to the complexity of information requested.