Graduation

Registration and Records
In this Section
Graduation Procedures

A commencement ceremony is held at the end of each fall semester in December and each spring semester in May. All students must file for graduation. Students who complete all requirements for their degree (including co-ops, internships, student teaching, etc.) during the fall semester or during WinTerM may participate in the December commencement ceremony. Students who complete all requirements during the spring semester or during the following summer session may participate in the May commencement ceremony.

Visit the official Commencement page for more information and commencement instructions.

Requirements

Undergraduate Students

The semester credit hours and minimum cumulative grade point average required for graduation vary according to the major and are stated under the course of study for each major. A student cannot graduate with less than a 2.000 cumulative grade point average. Meeting the requirement for graduation is a responsibility of the student.

Students must apply to graduate. Undergraduate Degree Applications are submitted via Access Stout. Make sure to Update your Diploma Name before commencement.  

Beginning Fall 2015, a one time, non-refundable $100 graduation fee will be applied to all undergraduate student accounts once they reach 90 credits.  All graduate student accounts will receive the $100 fee once they are enrolled in their first class.  The fee will cover various costs including but not limited to:  commencement ceremonies, Commencement Coordinator, Degree Audit Coordinator, commencement program, commencement reception, diploma paper, diploma covers, diploma printing, ticket printing, the Graduation Fair and honors cordons.  

Students are required to complete 32 semester hours of credit for a bachelor's degree, in residence. 

Graduate Students

Please refer to the Graduate Graduation Information website to obtain forms, deadline dates for submission of materials, and other related information necessary for graduation. All paperwork needed for graduation is due in the Graduate School by the first two weeks of the term. 

Senior Check-Out

Majors Cleared for Graduation by Ria Haas 

  • B.F.A. Animation and Digital Media (formerly Entertainment Design)
  • B.S. Applied Math and Computer Science               
  • B.S. Applied Social Science
  • B.S. Arts Administration and Entrepreneurship 
  • B.S. Automation Leadership
  • B.S. Business Administration                                                                    
  • B.S. Career, Technical Education and Training
  • B.S. Computer and Electrical Engineering
  • B.S. Construction
  • B.S. Digital Marketing Technology
  • B.S. Engineering Technology
  • B.F.A. Game Design and Development-Art
  • B.S. Graphic Communications 
  • B.F.A. Graphic Design and Interactive Media
  • B.S. Individualized Studies
  • B.F.A. Industrial Design and Product Design (formerly Industrial Design)
  • B.F.A. Interior Design 
  • B.S. Mechanical Engineering
  • B.S. Manufacturing Engineering
  • B.S. Packaging
  • B.S. Plastics Engineering
  • B.F.A. Studio Art
  • B.S. Supply Chain Management
  • B.S. Video Production

Majors Cleared for Graduation by Valerie Mardis

  • B.S. Apparel Design and Development
  • B.S. Applied Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • B.S. Applied Science
  • B.S. Art Education 
  • B.S. Computer Networking & Information Technology (formerly Information Technology Management)
  • B.S. Computer Science
  • B.S. Criminal Justice and Rehabilitation
  • B.S. Cybersecurity
  • B.S. Dietetics 
  • B.S. Early Childhood Education - ECE
  • B.S. Environmental Science
  • B.S. Family and Consumer Sciences Education
  • B.S. Fashion and Retail (redirected from programs in Apparel Design & Development and Retail Merchandising & Management)
  • B.S. Food Science and Technology
  • B.S. Golf Enterprise Management - GEM
  • B.S. Health, Wellness, and Fitness
  • B.S. Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management
  • B.S. Human Development and Family Studies
  • B.S. Information and Communication Tech
  • B.S. Management
  • B.S. Marketing and Business Education
  • B.S. Professional Communication and Emerging Media
  • B.S. Psychology
  • B.S. Real Estate Property Management
  • B.S. Rehabilitation Services
  • B.S. Retail Merchandising and Management
  • B.S. Science Education
  • B.S. Special Education
  • B.S. Sustainable Management
  • B.S. Technology Education
  • B.S. Technology and Science Education
Academic Requirements Reports (formerly Graduation Audits)

All undergraduate students are able to view their progress towards graduation at any time by viewing their Academic Requirements Report in Access Stout.

Students are asked to review their academic advising report each registration period to help them in selecting appropriate courses to meet graduation requirements. The degree audit reviewed prior to registering for the final semester should be up to date and show all waivers/substitutions/approvals needed to graduate. If the audit is not complete, students must work with their academic advisor and program director to determine if a substitution or waiver is appropriate in their situation. Any substitution/waiver approval forms are routed via the ImageNow workflow to the Registration and Records Office.

Graduation Date of Record

Academic terms are defined as being over on the last day of the Fall semester in December; the last day of WinTerm in January, the last day of the Spring semester in May; and the last day of Summer Session in August. Undergraduate and graduate degrees are dated the last day of the term in which they are completed.

Graduate students will be recorded as having graduated in the academic term in which all degree requirements are completed, including the filing of the signed and approved copy of the research report in the Graduate School Office. Graduate advisers who supervise reports will need adequate lead time for reading both prior to and after final typing of the report. Ask your adviser about appropriate lead time to permit adequate review prior to the planned completion date.

Ceremonies

A commencement ceremony is held at the end of each Fall and Spring semester. Only students completing all requirements for their degree by the end of the graduating term, and who have filed for graduation, will be permitted to participate in the commencement ceremony.

Visit the official Commencement page for more information and commencement instructions.

Award of the Degree

Transcripts

About three weeks after the end of the graduating term, after all grades, credits and overall grade point average have been checked to determine that program requirements have been met, a transcript will be available from the Registration and Records Office upon submission of a transcript request by the student.

Diplomas

Time to start making your degree work for you. Claim your digital diploma today!

New Digital Diplomas!

UW-Stout has partnered with Parchment to also offer an official digital version of your diploma. Graduates will receive an email and/or text notification with instructions for electronically claiming their diploma. Your digital diploma complements your paper diploma, but is faster to access.

Your digital diploma claim notification will be sent to your Stout email address on file when it's ready. Follow this guide to adding a secondary email address to your Parchment account alongside your school email address. Your digital diploma will always be accessible through your Parchment account. You can login and download or share it again and again -- at no cost to you.

Follow these simple steps: 

  • Check your Stout email and text messages for the award notification.
  • Follow the link to set up your Parchment digital credentials account.
  • Share your digital diploma or download a secure .pdf version.

Graduates have 72 hours after their diploma email notification to verify their mailing address.

How to Claim Your Digital Diploma and Verify Your Paper Diploma Address

How to Claim Your Digital Diploma and Verify Your Paper Diploma Address Video

Diplomas will not be generated electronically or mailed to students with outstanding financial obligations (holds) to the university. Clear any holds on your account to receive official credentials. 

Paper diplomas will be shipped out by our authorized third-party vendor, Parchment. 

Graduating with Honors

Undergraduates Honors are based upon scholarship. The following designations are used:

Cum Laude 3.5 -- 3.699 grade point average
Magna Cum Laude 3.7 -- 3.899 grade point average
Summa Cum Laude 3.9 -- 4.000 grade point average

A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 must have been earned in all credits completed at UW-Stout and additional credits accepted at UW-Stout, as indicated on the transcript and Degree Audit, from all previous institutions attended. For commencement purposes, the cumulative grade point average earned at the end of the semester preceding the commencement ceremony will determine recognition at the commencement ceremony. However, honors will be officially determined when all coursework has been completed. Honors will be listed in the student's transcript and will appear on the diploma.