Graduation Day December 2009

Bachelor’s Degrees

A. ACADEMIC DEADLINES AND ELIGIBILITY FOR GRADUATION

Congratulations! If you are completing or are scheduled to complete your academic requirements for a bachelor’s degree at The University of Texas at Arlington, you are considered a candidate for graduation.

As you prepare to graduate, please make sure you meet all your academic requirements and complete your financial obligations. Students are typically allowed to participate in their commencement ceremony if they apply for graduation by the deadline and if they have completed all of the requirements for their degree program or will have completed all of those requirements by the end of the graduation term. A student’s academic School or College does have the right, however, to prohibit a student from attending his/her commencement ceremony based on School or College criteria used for determining who is and is not eligible to “walk” in their commencement ceremony each term.

Graduation Date: December 14, 2009 @ 3:00 p.m.

Deadline for submitting an Online Undergraduate Application for Graduation Fall 2009: September 7
Deadline to apply late to graduate: October 5

http://www3.uta.edu/registrar/graduation.asp

1. Verify your name as you wish it to appear on your diploma, your current and permanent home addresses and phone number to ensure receipt of time-sensitive degree information and your diploma.

2. After you apply to graduate, check your MyMav and University e-mail account regularly for important graduation information and updates during your graduation term.

3. Successfully complete your degree program requirements.

4. Successfully complete credit by exams before your graduation term to ensure sufficient processing time to score and evaluate for required degree program credits.

5. Successfully complete all coursework you are taking at other institutions during the graduation term and report that coursework to the Office of Records in Davis Hall 129.

6. Clear your academic record. Previous incomplete grades must be converted to satisfactory letter grades before you can graduate. Incompletes received in your final term will prevent you from graduating and receiving your diploma.

7. Satisfy all financial obligations (fines, tickets, fees, etc.) with the Bursar’s Office in Davis Hall or online. Outstanding debt will prevent release of your diploma and transcript.

8. Should your plans change and you will no longer graduate in the term you applied, notify the Office of Records immediately.

B. CEREMONY

Location:
All commencement ceremonies are held in Texas Hall.

Graduate Arrival Time:
The academic processional, consisting of bachelors, masters, and doctoral degree candidates, participating faculty, and platform party members will assemble inside the Texas Hall West 1 entrance one hour before their School or College ceremony begins.

Do not bring personal items such as purses, bags, or cell phones. At the lineup site, all candidates will be grouped by degree or major and will receive a card on which they can confirm the phonetic spelling of their name as they would like it to be read on stage.

Family and Guest Arrival Time:
To allow for parking, the walk or shuttle ride to Texas Hall, and ticket collection, it is strongly recommended that guests arrive 60 minutes prior to their student’s School or College ceremony.

Late Arrival:
Guests arriving more than ten minutes late will not be permitted into Texas Hall.

Assembly and Robing:
In accordance with tradition, all participants in commencement ceremonies are expected to dress in full academic regalia with the exception of the keynote speaker. Appropriate business attire should be worn underneath the gowns. Graduates will be directed to line up in order of program and major, and will be seated, and receive their degrees according to those groups.

Processional:
The academic processional begins when the graduates and platform party leave the lineup site, led by an appointee of the University called the marshal. From this point in time until the completion of the recessional after the ceremony, the traditionally formal protocol of the occasion directs the proceedings, and the respectful solemnity of all participants and guests is expected.

Seating for Graduates:
Bachelors, masters and doctoral degree candidates will be seated on the first level of Texas Hall at the front of the auditorium. Guests will be seated behind the last row of graduates and in the balcony.

COMMENCEMENT TICKETS

All family and guests over the age of two must have a commencement ticket to attend the ceremony. UT Arlington IDs will not be accepted in place of a ticket for admittance. Students should have received an e-mail with a confidential username and password and instructions to access the ticket site at www.utagraduationtickets.com. You will be able to download up to the maximum number of guest tickets provided to you.

http://www.uta.edu/ucomm/commencement/
http://www.uta.edu/ucomm/commencement/graduates/bachelors.html

DIPLOMAS AND TRANSCRIPTS

After your degree has been officially conferred, transcripts and diplomas will become available. For more information, contact the Office of Records, Davis Hall 129.

Diplomas:
Diplomas will be ready approximately 6-8 weeks after commencement ceremonies. Graduates who paid a fee to have their diplomas mailed will receive their diploma in a hard cardboard mailer by first class priority mail. Graduates who wish to pick up their diplomas at the Office of Records front counter will be notified by e-mail when their diplomas are available for pickup. Graduates must provide a photo ID to pick up their diplomas in the Office of Records. Graduates with account balances must clear those balances before their diploma can be picked up or mailed.

Transcripts:
If you successfully completed your coursework and were enrolled only at UT Arlington, your degree will be posted to your transcript within 4-6 weeks of your commencement ceremony. If you were taking classes at another institution during the graduation term, have an incomplete grade, or are awaiting exam credit, additional time will be needed before your degree can be awarded and posted to your transcript. UT Arlington cannot award a degree that includes transfer credit hours in the degree plan until it receives and has evaluated official transcripts from the colleges and universities from which the transfer credit was earned.

Important:

Office of Records

110 Davis Hall
Phone: 817-272-3372
http://www3.uta.edu/registrar/

Commencement WEBSITE for University

http://www.uta.edu/commencement/

Commencement WEBSITE for College of Science

http://www.uta.edu/cos/

UTA Bookstore

400 South Pecan Street
Phone: 817-272-2785
(On the corner of UTA Blvd. & Pecan)

Official Maverick Ring

http://www.uta.edu/alumni/maverickring