Graduation Guidelines

The final transcript and diploma will be issued after all tuition and fees are paid.
Students declared as degree candidates after the deadline date will not appear in the OU Norman Commencement Program of Degree Candidates. The student name will appear in the official publication of Degrees Awarded if degree requirements are completed by the end of the term.
OU Health Sciences Recruitment and Admissions prints diplomas following submission of the Certified Graduation Report from each college.
The date of graduation for each term will normally be the last day of examinations in the fall, the date of commencement in the spring, and the last day of classes in the summer. (See Academic Calendar)
To entitle the student to graduate as of the established date, all academic work required for the degree must be satisfactorily completed prior to the first day of classes of the next semester or summer session, with the following exceptions:
1. Students completing degree requirements by enrollment in internship or OU Health Sciences professional programs which are in session during the graduation term and extend beyond the University's cut-off date.
2. Students completing degree requirements by concurrent enrollment at another institution during the graduation term when the other institution's semester or session runs concurrent will be counted with the graduates of that term, but diplomas will be held until the official records of the required work have been filed with the University and the student is officially cleared for graduation.
3. Graduate students completing degrees that require a thesis or dissertation are given a "grace period" to complete all requirements The following guidelines apply:
  
  Current Semester Graduate: All documents must be to the Graduate College by 5 PM on the last working day prior to the beginning of classes in the upcoming semester.
  
  Upcoming Semester Graduate Without Enrollment: All documents submitted to the Graduate College by 5 PM on the last working day to enroll for the upcoming semester.
  
  Upcoming Semester Graduate with Required 2-hour Enrollment: On Monday after the final day to add a class, the student must enroll in 2 hours and will become an upcoming semester graduate.
All official records required for clearance of graduation requirements must be filed with OU Health Sciences Recruitment and Admissions prior to degree clearance.
Diplomas will be printed under the name appearing on the student's official academic record at the time of graduation. Variations are allowed, such as adding a maiden name and/or dropping the middle name and using an initial. The last name and first name must be spelled out so that the name on the diploma and the academic record can always be matched. The adding of a suffix is acceptable providing the student completes a Change of Name Form with evidence of the suffix being part of their legal name.

Students who want to make changes to how their name appears on their diploma must make a request in writing to OU Health Sciences Recruitment and Admissions at the beginning of the term in which they anticipate graduation. Students who request a name change after diplomas have been ordered will be required to pay an additional cost for reprinting.

Married names cannot appear on the diploma if the marriage has not taken place at the time of the diploma order. Students who change their names prior to the graduation date may request a new diploma at their expense.
Should a student complete all academic requirements for graduation and apply for the diploma before the end of the term, the student will be entitled to receive a certified statement of completed degree requirements bearing the date academic requirements were completed from the graduating college. Such a statement will be entered on a student's permanent academic record when OU Health Sciences Recruitment and Admissions receives notification from the college.
Should a degree candidate fail to successfully complete graduation requirements as of the graduation date for which the student applied, the student's name will be deleted from the list of graduates for that term and the student must reapply for graduation.
Students who qualify for graduation with both College Distinction and University Honors will be graduated with Honors. Undergraduate degrees can be awarded with the following designations: With Distinction, With Special Distinction, With Outstanding Distinction, Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude, and Magna Cum Laude.
A lost, stolen, or damaged diploma may be replaced by submitting a notarized affidavit and a $50 replacement fee to OU Health Sciences Recruitment and Admissions. If possible, the original diploma must be returned prior to release of the new diploma. A maximum limit of 3 replacement or duplicate diplomas may be ordered.