GRADUATION INSTRUCTIONS-
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES AND
CERTIFICATES
9.5.2022 1
Contents
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: ......................................................................................... 2
GRADUATION INFORMATION: ................................................................................. 2
REGALIA:-Degree-only graduates ................................................................................ 2
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS: -Degree-only ............................................................ 3
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS: -Certificate-only ....................................................... 5
DISTINCTION/HONORS:-Degree-only ......................................................................... 5
Latin Honors .......................................................................................................... 5
Graduation With Research Distinction ....................................................................... 6
Graduation With Honors in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences ..................................... 6
MINORS: .................................................................................................................. 7
DUAL DEGREES/SECOND MAJORS: ........................................................................... 7
GRADUATION TIMELINE: ........................................................................................ 7
HELPFUL LINKS ...................................................................................................... 8
GRADUATION INSTRUCTIONS-
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES AND
CERTIFICATES
9.5.2022 2
SUBMISSION DEADLINE:
Undergraduate students completing an undergraduate degree and/or certificate
program in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (HRS) are required to complete and
submit a graduation application. To determine the appropriate deadline and receive
priority scheduling for a student’s final semester, please refer to the window of time
below. Submission of the HRS application can only be completed via HRS Graduation
Application. A change in your graduating term requires the completion of a new
application.
HRS students are not eligible to apply to graduate via Buckeyelink. HRS students
completing a graduate degree and/or certificate program should visit the Ohio State
Graduate School for graduation information.
Autumn Semester
Between the last 4 weeks of the previous Autumn semester and the
first 4 weeks of the Spring semester
Spring Semester
Between the last 4 weeks of the previous Spring semester and the
first 4 weeks of the Autumn semester
Summer Term
Between the last 4 weeks of the previous Autumn semester and the
first 4 weeks of the Spring semester
GRADUATION INFORMATION:
Students who have applied to graduate will receive an email to their OSU dot email (not
buckeyemail) during week four and then again during the tenth week of the semester
in which they are graduating regarding graduation information. Students should
regularly check the name.#@osu.edu email account and the University’s
commencement website for additional information. The HRS Office of Academic
Affairs is not responsible for undeliverable emails to students.
If a student is not attending Commencement, they must complete and submit a
Commencement Excuse form to request their diploma to be mailed or picked up. This
form can be found at http://commencement.osu.edu/. The form can either be uploaded
to their HRS Graduation Application when completing the application or emailed to
HRSGradApp@osumc.edu. Excuse forms will be accepted until the tenth Friday of the
graduating semester.
REGALIA:-Degree-only graduates
Graduates participating in Commencement must be in the appropriate cap and gown to
participate in the ceremony. If a student is not in regalia, they cannot be in the
processional/ceremony. In addition, while students may decorate their caps, there
should not be any alterations/modifications/decorations on the gown itself. The only
item that can be worn with a cap and gown is the official Honor Cord provided by the
student’s academic unit. Other cords/stoles provided by OSU student organizations or
honor societies even if affiliated with Ohio State are not to be worn. Commencement
staff has the right to ask students to remove any item that is not “reasonable and
GRADUATION INSTRUCTIONS-
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES AND
CERTIFICATES
9.5.2022 3
faithful to the traditions which give rise to the [academic costume] code”. The tassel
color for undergraduate HRS graduating students is Kelly Green. Students must make
sure they tell the University bookstore when purchasing the cap/gown that their
college is the College of Medicine and School is Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS: -Degree-only
Per Ohio State Faculty Rules, graduating students must be enrolled in the school
(HRS) from which they will receive their degree. The HRS Director of Academic
Affairs may, upon approval of a petition submitted by the student, waive this
requirement. If the student is planning to take courses outside of the Ohio State
University during their final semester, they must indicate this on their application
to graduate and complete an HRS graduation residency requirement petition.
Students must complete the following to be approved to graduate and receive their
diploma:
o Complete an Application to Graduate
o Complete a minimum of 120 semester credit hours
o Present with a minimum cumulative Ohio State GPA of 2.0
o Fulfill their program’s curriculum, cumulative major GPA, and credit
requirements
o Complete at least 30 credit hours at Ohio State to meet residency
requirements
This information is listed on the first page of a student’s degree audit for review. The
auditing of a student’s degree by HRS Student Service is based on their degree
requirements as signified by their Ohio State undergraduate academic record (major,
program year, minor, etc.). Any additional courses taken for prerequisites for post-
baccalaureate, graduate programs, and/or certification in addition to undergraduate
degree requirements are the student’s responsibility and will not be audited as part
of the graduation auditing process.
It is strongly recommended that graduating students do not take courses required for
graduation at another institution during their semester/term of graduation; doing so
might not provide enough time to verify coursework completion to award them with
their actual diploma/honor cord at Commencement.
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the course(s) taken will fulfill the
intended course requirements at Ohio State, and have a transcript sent from the
host institution to Ohio State. Ohio State has a formal arrangement for graduating
students attending Columbus State Community College and it is clearly explained
on the CSCC Early Grade Release page. Should a student be enrolled at another
institution, they are encouraged to inquire if they have a similar early grade release
program.
Transfer credit must be posted to the student record by 5:00pm on the Friday before
commencement to receive a diploma during Commencement. If the credit does not
GRADUATION INSTRUCTIONS-
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES AND
CERTIFICATES
9.5.2022 4
post by that deadline, students may still participate in Commencement, but they
will not receive their diploma or honor cords at Commencement.
Students have up to the
second Friday of the subsequent term to resolve any
outstanding coursework issues and be certified to graduate for the original term of
graduation. If any issues are still unresolved by this deadline, then the student will
need to reapply for graduation during an upcoming term.
After a student has completed the course and have requested a transcript to be sent
to Ohio State’s Graduate and Professional Admissions, students are able to view
their Transfer Credit Report online at Buckeyelink. Once the credit has been posted
to the Ohio State record, it will appear on this report.
All financial obligations to Ohio State must be resolved by the student before the
weekend of graduation to receive their diploma/honor cord at Commencement.
Students must check Buckeyelink to determine if there is a hold or a “to-do list”
posted to their accounts. Students who have any financial obligations left to the
university will not receive their diploma until those issues are settled. These can
include, but are not limited to, tuition payments, exit interviews, library fines,
parking tickets, etc. In addition, the university will not release a student’s diploma
or transcripts to the student or future employers until such issues are settled.
Students can view the name that will appear on their diplomas by accessing their
Buckeyelink. From there, visit the Personal Information section and click on
Diploma Name. Your name will be displayed the way it will appear on your
Diploma. Follow the directions to make any changes. This link will be available
through the 10th week of the term in which you have applied to graduate. This is
not a graduation application. You must follow the deadlines and application process
for HRS. Please note that this is NOT an official name change. The name entered
will only be used for printing the diploma and the commencement program.
Transcripts and enrollment verification will continue to use your primary name. To
officially change a name on an Ohio State academic record, a student must submit a
Request for Change of Record form along with appropriate documentation
verifying their name change to Buckeyelink. To access the form, visit the university
commencement website.
Students can review and update their permanent address on the Buckeyelink
website with a mailing address that will be valid for at least one month following
Commencement. Should it be necessary to mail a student their diploma for any
reason, the listed permanent address will be used for the mailing.
After applying to graduate, any changes to a graduating student’s planned course
schedule must be submitted to the student’s HRS advisor or approved by their
faculty advisor. If students are not making course changes but switching the
semester in which they propose to graduate, they need to submit another
application to graduate with the correct semester/term. Students are responsible
for knowing the curriculum and requirements of their degree program. Students
must utilize their degree audits for this information as this is the tool the HRS uses
GRADUATION INSTRUCTIONS-
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES AND
CERTIFICATES
9.5.2022 5
for degree certification.
Students who do not meet their degree requirements after their intended
graduation semester (e.g., failure to pass a class, grades not posted on time, failure
to earn minimum grade requirements, cumulative Ohio State GPA below 2.0) will
be notified via their OSU email and may be given the option to participate in
Commencement, but not receive their diploma until a later date when all degree
requirements have been met. Students who do not meet their degree requirements
during their intended semester of graduation must re-submit another graduation
application (for graduation in a later semester). Additionally, students are not
permitted to participate in Commencement in a semester different from their
graduation. (e.g., requesting to “walk” in spring when their graduate application is
either the following summer term or autumn semester). Students can only
participate in Commencement during the semester in which they applied to
graduate.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS: -Certificate-only
Students must complete the following to be approved to graduate from their certificate
program:
a. Complete an Application to Graduate before enrollment in the last required
course
b. Complete the minimum semester credit hours for the certificate
c. Present with a minimum cumulative Ohio State GPA of 2.0
d. Fulfill their certificate’s curriculum and minimum grade for each course
e. If applicable, fifty percent of the certificate coursework must be distinct
from current undergraduate degree coursework
Students who successfully complete the undergraduate certificate program are not
eligible to participate in the HRS Honors Program, Research Distinction, Latin Honors
designations, and University Commencement, except if they are also graduating from a
degree-seeking program the same semester. Students will receive a mailed completion
document in the form of a certificate after the semester of completion.
DISTINCTION/HONORS:-Degree-only
Latin Honors-At the end of the semester preceding a student’s graduation semester, HRS
Student Service will determine a student’s eligibility to graduate with Latin Honors.
Students must earn 60 graded credit hours at Ohio State to be eligible. All coursework
completed at Ohio State will be considered in determining Latin Honors. Latin Honors
will be noted on the diploma and in the Commencement program. Students who fall
below the Latin Honors bestowed in the subsequent semester before their graduation
semester/term will retain the Latin Honors designation.
If a student becomes eligible for Latin Honors after final grades are posted, they will be
notified by the HRS Office of Academic Affairs regarding honor cord pick up. However,
GRADUATION INSTRUCTIONS-
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES AND
CERTIFICATES
9.5.2022 6
their name will not appear in the Commencement bulletin and the Latin Honor may not
appear on the diploma they receive at Commencement. However, instructions for
diploma reprinting to state the Latin Honor will be provided when notified of their
eligibility. Finally, the designation will be noted on the final official Commencement
bulletin.
The Latin Honors designation – cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude –
are awarded to those graduates in HRS who meet the following standards of these
honors. Unfortunately, the University does not round up. If you receive a 3.4999999999
cumulative Ohio State GAP at the end of the semester, you are not eligible to graduate
with Latin Honors.
Cum Laude: Each student who graduates with a GPA of 3.50 to 3.69 and completes a
minimum of 60 graded credit hours of coursework at Ohio State will receive the cum
laude designation upon the diploma and transcript.
Magna Cum Laude: Each student who graduates with a GPA of 3.70 to 3.89 and
completes a minimum of 60 graded credit hours of coursework at Ohio State will
receive the magna cum laude designation upon the diploma and transcript.
Summa Cum Laude: Each student who graduates with a minimum 3.90 GPA and
completes a minimum of 60 graded credit hours of course work at Ohio State will
receive the summa cum laude designation upon the diploma and transcript.
Graduation With Research Distinction-Students completing an approved HRS Research
Project will earn the designation, “Graduating with Research Distinction in [the
student’s major]”. The designation will be added to the diploma and printed in the
Commencement program once verified by the HRS Honors Director. To ensure that
the designation is posted to their academic records, students must indicate on the HRS
graduate application that they intend to graduate with research distinction. Students
are responsible to make sure their distinction requirements are met by the time of
graduation. All eligibility questions are to be directed to the HRS Honors Director.
Graduation With Honors in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences-Students who have
completed an approved Honor Contract will graduate with “Honors in Health and
Rehabilitation Sciences.” The designation will be added to the diploma and printed in
the Commencement program once verified by the HRS Honors Director. To ensure
that the designation is posted to their academic records, students must indicate on the
HRS graduate application that they intend to graduate with honors. Students are
responsible to make sure their honor requirements are met by the time of graduation.
All eligibility questions are to be directed to the HRS Honors Director.
Students are eligible to wear honor cords if they have earned Latin Honors, are
Graduating with Honors in HRS, and/or are Graduating with Research
Distinction/Honors Research Distinction. Each student wears only one set of cords,
GRADUATION INSTRUCTIONS-
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES AND
CERTIFICATES
9.5.2022 7
even if they have earned multiple honors. It is the student’s responsibility to bring their
cords to the Commencement ceremony. Students not attending Commencement may
still pick up their honor cords or they will be mailed to their permanent address listed
on Buckeyelink.
MINORS:
Students who wish to graduate with a minor should check the minor requirements at
https://undergrad.osu.edu/majors-and-academics/minors to determine if the minor
requires a Minor Program Form to be signed by the area offering the minor or
designated academic unit. If the minor form requires a signature, students are
required to submit the form with the graduation application if not submitted
previously. To ensure that the minor is posted to their academic records, students must
indicate on the HRS graduate application that they intend to or have completed the
minor.
DUAL DEGREES/SECOND MAJORS:
Students who plan to complete two baccalaureate degrees or two majors at Ohio State
need to indicate this on their graduation application. They must also indicate the
required information on the HRS graduation application. Students should work closely
with their academic advisors in each college to make sure they are meeting degree
requirements for each college.
GRADUATION TIMELINE:
Applying to graduate
each undergraduate student applies for graduation by
To determine the deadline, refer to the
at the beginning of the document to receive
Submission of
n only be completed via the HRS
by the posted deadline. HRS students
eligible to apply to graduate via Buckeyelink. The
advisor will approve eligibility and the process
4
th
week of graduating
semester
graduation eligibility status as well as graduation,
10
th
week of graduating
semester
, and rehearsal
10
th
week of graduating
semester
of the 10
th
week. Applications for the current semester
GRADUATION INSTRUCTIONS-
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES AND
CERTIFICATES
9.5.2022 8
12
th
week of graduating
semester
, and rehearsal
14
th
week of graduating
semester
HRSGradApp@osumc.edu by Friday for those
to attend Commencement.
15
th
week of graduating
semester
Commencement
Rehearsal
website
not required but is
Saturday before
Commencement (Spring
only)
Sunday after finals week
Commencement if they have not been approved to
rent semester. Students that have
Hours after final grades have been
will receive
HELPFUL LINKS
Commencement Services
Commencement Week Activities
OSU Alumni Association
HRS Alumni Association
Buckeye Career
Lifetime Email – to keep OSU email for life
Transcript Ordering
Commencement Excuse Form