Graduation Guide for Graduate Students
Registrar's Office

• Spring (May 2021) Graduation: Friday, January 8, 2021 (Late deadline: Friday, February 12)
• Summer (August 2021) Graduation: Friday, January 8, 2021 (Late deadline: Friday, February 12)
• Fall 2021 (December 2021) Graduation: Friday, August 6, 2021

Step 1: Register for Your Last Semester of Classes

• In general, you have to be registered for the last of your degree requirements before you can apply to graduate.
• If you will be taking a final requirement at another school, testing out of a course, or substituting one course for another, you can still apply to graduate, but you need to include documentation explaining how you intend to fulfill those final requirements.

Step 2: Run a Degree Audit

• Once you've registered for your final classes, it's time to make sure you're ready to go. Your WebOPUS degree audit is the best way to do this. Your degree audit tells you what your degree requirements are and whether or not you have fulfilled those requirements.
• Running a degree audit is easy:
  • Log in to WebOPUS
    • Click the "Student Services" tab
    • Click "View Degree Audit"
• Once you are in your degree audit, it should be easy to tell whether or not you have met the requirements.
  • All requirements marked in green are done.
  • If requirements are marked in blue, it means you are currently registered for a class that fulfills those requirements.
  • Requirements marked in red have not been fulfilled.
• So, if you open of your degree audit and you see only green and blue, you are good to go (as long as you successfully pass all the classes you are registered for).
• If you see red, you need to take a closer look to see what you're missing.
  • If you are missing any degree requirements, now is the moment to make changes to your schedule so you can complete those final requirements.

Do you have questions, or do you need assistance figuring out your degree audit?

• Come by Skyhawk Station! Skyhawk Station staff are here to help. You can also make an appointment with your professional advisor.

Step 3: Submit your Application for Graduation

• Once you've confirmed that you will have fulfilled all of your degree requirements by the end of your final semester, it's time to submit your Application for Graduation.
   
  • Current Graduate Students: Graduate Studies Application for Graduation
    • You will be directed to a confirmation page when you submit your application. If you do not get a confirmation page, your application did not go through.
  • Inactive Graduate Students: You do not have to be an active student (a student who is currently registered for classes) in order to apply for graduation. If you are not a current student, please use the printable Graduate Studies Application for Graduation.
     
• Exceptions and Substitutions: If you need to provide documentation for exceptions or substitutions, email the appropriate paperwork to the Graduation Check email.
• How long will it take to review my application? Applications submitted by the deadline will be processed within seven weeks. When a decision has been made, you will receive an email at your FLC email address notifying you of the final status of your application.

Step 4: Check Your FLC Email

• Last but not least, make sure you are checking your FLC email regularly. All official communications about your application and graduation-related announcements will be sent to your FLC email.
  • Skyhawk Station staff will email you if there are any issues with your application.
  • You will receive an email notifying you of the status of your application once we have finished processing it.

The "catalog" is the document that defines all degree requirements for a given academic year, and it is subject to change from academic year to academic year. The degree requirements for a particular academic year are referred to as "a catalog" or a "catalog year". Unless you deliberately change your catalog year (which you can do), your catalog year is the academic year during which you first attended Fort Lewis College. That catalog year outlines the specific requirements that apply to you as you pursue your degree.

For example, if your first semester at Fort Lewis was Fall 2017, Spring 2018, or Summer 2018, your catalog year is 2017-2018. As such, the 2017-2018 catalog defines the requirements for all majors, minors, concentrations, and certificates available to you. In other words, your catalog year is your map -- it tells you exactly what you need to do to finish your degree.

You can find your catalog year in your WebOPUS degree audit. It will be listed right under your declared majors/minors/certificates.

You can view the status of your Application for Graduation on WebOPUS.

• Log in to WebOPUS
  • Click "Student Services"
  • Click "Student Records"
  • Click "Advising Information"
    • Select the term during which you are intending to graduate
    • Your status will be listed under "Status of Application to Graduate"
       

Understanding Your Status

• Blank: You have not submitted an application (this is the default).
• Application Pending: Your application has been received by the Registrar’s Office and awaits review.
• Application Approved: Your application has been reviewed and approved. You are officially eligible to participate in the commencement ceremony that corresponds with your graduation term.
• Application Denied: Your application has been denied. You may appeal (see below) or submit a new application for a later graduation date.
• Degree Awarded: You degree has official been awarded by the College.
• Failure to Complete: Your degree was not awarded because you did not complete all of your degree requirements as expected. You need to re-apply once you have completed your requirements, or you are registered to complete your requirements.

You will be charged an $80 graduation fee when you submit your application. The fee covers the cost of your graduation regalia (cap and gown) and other associated costs. You will be charged the fee even if you do not intend to participate in Commencement. 

If your application was denied, you may appeal that decision.

To appeal, you just need to submit and new Application for Graduation. On your new application, make sure that you document how you will complete all missing degree requirements by the end of the semester during which you would like to graduate.

Appeal Deadlines

• Fall (December 2019) Graduation: The Friday before Thanksgiving Break in November
• Spring (April 2020) Graduation: The last business day of March
• Summer (August 2020) Graduation:The last business day of July (you will not be permitted to participate in Commencement)