Graduation Information and FAQs
Students pursuing a degree or certificate program in the School of Professional Studies must submit an application for degree/certificate completion by the deadline for the quarter in which they plan to graduate. Visit the SPS Important Dates and Academic Calendar to see the graduation application deadlines and other important dates for the academic year.
Students can access the forms by logging into SPS Forms and Documents site with their netID. Please note there are separate program completion forms for undergraduate students and graduate students.
Students who do not submit the program completion form will not be filed for graduation, even if they have completed the degree requirements for their program.
Students must apply for graduation to be eligible to participate in the annual SPS Convocation and University Commencement ceremonies in June. Visit the SPS Convocation page to learn more about the annual Convocation and Commencement events.
Graduation FAQs
Do I need to apply for graduation?
Yes. Every SPS student in a degree or certificate program must apply for graduation. Applying for graduation notifies the Registrar’s Office of when you plan to complete your program so we can file you for graduation in the correct term. If you do not submit a graduation application, you will not be filed for graduation and your degree or certificate will not be conferred.
What are the deadlines for submitting a graduation application?
Who can I contact if I have questions about completing the degree requirements for my program?
You can reach out to your program advisor if you have questions about completing your degree requirements or would like to confirm you have fulfilled the requirements. Please visit the SPS Academic Advising page to find contact information for the Academic Advisor for your program.
I submitted the form but did not receive confirmation. How do I know it was received?
Please note the graduation application form does not provide an auto-confirmation once it is submitted. If you would like to make sure it was submitted, you can contact the SPS Registrar’s Office (onlinereg@northwestern.edu) to confirm that your form was received and you are filed for program completion.
I already submitted a graduation application but my plans have changed and I plan to graduate in a different quarter now. How can I change my expected graduation term?
If you need to change the quarter you plan to graduate in, you can submit a new graduation application form. The Registrar’s Office will then update your expected graduation term in CAESAR. Please note that you can only update your expected graduation date to an earlier quarter if the deadline for that quarter has not passed yet.
When will I receive my diploma?
You can expect to receive your diploma in the mail 6-8 weeks after degrees are conferred. You will receive an email (to your Northwestern email address) with tracking information once your diploma has shipped. Please allow additional delivery time for diplomas shipped to international addresses.
Will I receive a notification when my degree is conferred?
Notifications are not sent when degrees are conferred. Once your degree is conferred, your unofficial transcript, which you can view in CAESAR, and your official transcript will both update to list the conferred degree. Degrees are conferred by the end of the day on each quarterly degree conferral day.
Can I participate in the SPS Convocation Ceremony?
SPS students graduating from degree programs are invited to participate in the annual SPS Convocation Ceremony. Students graduating in the previous summer through the current summer are invited to attend. Please note that the Convocation Ceremony does not include certificate programs. Visit the SPS Convocation page to find more information about the event.
