Next Steps Toward Graduation

VERIFY YOUR RECORD - You must confirm that all of your majors, minors, specializations, and/or certificates are officially declared. Declaring a major, minor, specialization, or certificate is the student’s responsibility and is discussed and documented with the School offering the award in consideration. If an award is missing from your record, it will not appear on your graduation application and it will not be certified or awarded in the post-term graduation processing.

It is important that you correct your record BEFORE launching the application for graduation. Again, the steps you need to follow to correct your record depend on which School offers the major, minor, or certificate.

How do I verify my record?

The “Academics” section of PeopleSoft CX will show you the active programs (Schools), plans (majors, certificates, and minors), and specializations (subplans) associated with your academic record.

What do I do if the minors, majors, or certificates are incorrect or incomplete on my record?

CORRECTING NON-SCI PLANS (minors, majors, or certificates offered by a different School at Pitt): Procedures for each Pitt School are as unique and individualized as the programs they offer. Contact the offering school’s advisor, department administrator, or records staff for guidance regarding updates to your non-SCI majors, minors, and certificates. Resources and contacts for other Schools are linked in Pitt’s directory of Schools and Colleges.

CORRECTING SCI PLANS (minors, majors, or certificates offered by SCI): Complete the appropriate declaration form for your needs—Major Declaration | Minor Declaration

After you submit a declaration form - HOLD TIGHT! You should check your record for the update no earlier than 10 business days after the form has been signed and completed by all necessary parties. You will not get a notification when your record is updated. It is your responsibility to check your record for the updates.

REVIEW YOUR DEGREE PROGRESS -  Thoroughly review your degree progress and communicate with your advisor to determine potential graduation roadblocks. Your degree progress report (or “academic advisement report, AAR”) will highlight unsatisfied degree requirements. Keep in mind that if you are currently enrolled in classes, these will appear as “in progress” and will count toward earned credit minimums and degree requirements. However, any changes to your enrollment and/or final grades earned below the required minimums will impact your degree progress.

How do I view my degree progress?

The “Academics” section of PeopleSoft CX shows your degree progress. Click through the various requirement groups to see progress details.

What do I if my degree progress report is incorrect or incomplete?

Talk to your advisor: your advisor can help you reconsider your course enrollment. Initiating this conversation as early as possible and no later than the add/drop period for your anticipated graduation term will set you up for success.

BEST FITS: Advisors may be able to identify opportunities for "best fit" alterations to your degree progress report. A course that could fulfill multiple requirements will satisfy the first requirement listed in the report that it is eligible to meet, working from the top of the report and following through to the bottom. The report's linear, top-to-bottom completion of requirements occasionally blocks a class from satisfying the desired requirement. Moving the course to the desired requirement line may be necessary. This action requires manual intervention by SCI Academic Records and is initiated through a "Best Fit" form.

SECONDARY FIELD OF STUDY (SFoS) REQUIREMENT: For most students, the SFoS requirement will be "satisfied" because they have a declared second major, a certificate, or a minor. However, if you are completing the SFoS with a curated set of related area courses or an honors degree. In that case, you must submit the SFoS declaration form.

Any student who fails to complete their second major, certificate, or minor requirements must submit the SFoS declaration form to identify what courses will satisfy that requirement in place of the incomplete major, certificate, or minor.

DEGREE REQUIREMENT EXCEPTIONS: If you have a reasonable degree requirement exception to request, your advisor will assist you with this process. See the Student Appeals webpage for the process details behind degree requirement exceptions.

After forms are submitted - HOLD TIGHT! You will not get a notification when your record is updated. Check your record for updates no earlier than ten business days after the form has been signed and completed by all necessary parties.

ERRORS AND INCOMPLETE NON-SCI DEGREE PROGRESS REPORTS: If a department representative or advisor approves an exception to a requirement for a non-SCI major, minor, or certificate, you must contact the degree progress report administrators in the non-SCI school to ensure your report is accurate and up-to-date. If your degree progress report shows errors or incomplete requirements for a non-SCI major, minor, or certificate, you must contact the administrators of the non-SCI school's degree progress report updates. Resources and contacts for other Schools are linked in Pitt’s directory of Schools and Colleges.

Your graduation certification will only be allowed if the degree progress report is correct and all requirements are satisfied.

APPLY TO GRADUATE: Graduation is not an automatic process. You must submit a graduation application to be reviewed for graduation eligibility and for a degree to be conferred. It is recommended that you apply for graduation after you have enrolled in your final schedule, and before the first late fee applies. Graduation application deadlines are managed by the Registrar and published in the Academic and Graduation Calendars.

How do I apply to graduate?

Log into the PeopleSoft CX and select the Peoplesoft Full Site link at the bottom of the left-hand navigation bar. From there click on the compass icon and follow the breadcrumbs, “Navigator > Self service > Degree Progress/Graduation > Apply for Graduation.”

If you are applying for awards offered in multiple Schools (including majors, minors, certificates, etc.) you will need to submit multiple applications, one for each award. While applying for one award, Do NOT enter majors, minors, or certificates as “missing” or “corrections” to the first graduation application. Instead, be sure that you submit an application for each of the individual awards, using the “Apply for a Different Program” link. That link will take you back to the start so you can submit all necessary applications.

If multiple applications for graduation do not appear and one of your awards is missing from the application list, you must declare the missing award as noted in the “Before your graduation term” section above.

More application instructions and troubleshooting are available on the Registrar’s Graduation/Diplomas webpage. Their Graduation Team is available for questions you may have about the application process.

COMPLETE THE EXIT SURVEY:  The purpose of this survey is to gain a fuller understanding of the undergraduate experience so that campus administrators can provide the best programs and services possible to students. Provide valuable feedback to the University and to SCI by completing the University of Pittsburgh Senior Survey.

COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR ACADEMIC ADVISOR. Either via email or an appointment, verify that you successfully completed the prior term, and that you are enrolled in the final requirements to complete your degree. Share any questions or concerns about your graduation plan with your advisor at this time.

ATTEND A CEREMONY: School and University ceremonies take place toward the end of the term. The ceremonies often happen before grades are posted for the term and before all final certification of graduation eligibility occurs. Students should note that neither walking in the University’s Commencement Ceremony nor being named in the Commencement Program is an official indication of graduation. Similarly, the reading of a student's name at SCI's Recognition Ceremony does not indicate that the student has met graduation requirements.

Attendance, honors cord, RSVP, dates, and location details are available on the School and University ceremony webpages.

REVIEW FINAL GRADES AND REQUIREMENT FULFILLMENT:  Revisit your degree progress. Your degree progress report (or “academic advisement report, AAR”) will highlight the degree requirements that are “not satisfied.”  Final grades below the required minimums will impact your degree progress. Incomplete courses will postpone your graduation.

The degree progress report viewable to students is also the source for staff and faculty’s graduation certification review. If your degree progress report does not indicate that all requirements are complete, staff will deny your graduation certification. To avoid any confusion or surprises, you must check your degree progress report.

When will grades be posted to my record?

The official grade posting deadline is published in the Academic and the Grades Calendars (see the Calendar webpage). Instructors have until 11:59 p.m. to submit their grade rosters, and any rosters submitted after 5:00 p.m. on the day of the deadline may not appear on your record for another 24 hours.

When will grades be updated on my degree progress report?

After grades have appeared on your transcript, it may take another 24 hours for changes to reflect on your degree progress report. Unsubmitted grade rosters, incomplete grades (G or I), course repeats, and other data clean-up can further postpone the accurate reporting of your degree requirement completion.

The Dean’s Office is aware that this wait can create anxiety and frustration for students. Please know that teams of staff are working hard to tie up loose ends and resolve issues that often arise at the end of the term. We will reach out with any known issues. In the meantime, keep an eye on your degree progress report, and if you are aware of hurdles to certifying your graduation eligibility, reach out to your advisor as soon as possible.

I repeated a course and the grade appears on my record; how and when does a “course repeat” impact my degree progress report?

After the official grade posting deadline for the term, the Dean’s Office teams run reports, review repeated course data, and submit the “course repeat form” to Office of the University Registrar for final processing. This is a busy time of the year, and grade changes pass through various hands before appearing on the student’s record. Please know that we make every effort to process repeated courses’ grade replacements within two weeks of the last day of the term. If a repeated course grade is negatively impacting your record after this time, please contact SCI Academic Records with your questions and concerns.

What if I have an incomplete grade (G or I) in a class but I still want to graduate this term?

Incomplete coursework needs to be completed in time for the instructor to review and grade the work within two weeks after the last day of your intended graduation term. Students and instructors for SCI courses must discuss and document a plan for coursework completion through the Incomplete Grade Contract; the contract is launched by the instructor.

Instructors must post a grade change to your student record no later than two weeks after the last day of the student’s intended graduation term. Grade changes submitted later than that date will likely result in a postponement of the student’s graduation to the following term.

How do I view my degree progress?

The “Academics” section of PeopleSoft CX shows your degree progress. Click through the various requirement groups to see progress details.

What do I if my degree progress report is incorrect or incomplete?

Talk to your advisor.

Your advisor can help you reconsider your course enrollment. Initiating this conversation as early as possible and no later than the add/drop period for your anticipated graduation term will set you up for success.

BEST FITS: Advisors may be able to identify opportunities for "best fit" alterations to your degree progress report. A course that could fulfill multiple requirements will satisfy the first requirement listed in the report that it is eligible to meet, working from the top of the report and following through to the bottom. The report's linear, top-to-bottom completion of requirements occasionally blocks a class from satisfying the desired requirement. Moving the course to the desired requirement line may be necessary. This action requires manual intervention by SCI Academic Records and is initiated through a "Best Fit" form.

SECONDARY FIELD OF STUDY (SFoS) REQUIREMENT: For most students, the SFoS requirement will be "satisfied" because they have a declared second major, a certificate, or a minor. However, suppose you are completing the SFoS with a curated set of related area courses or an honors degree. In that case, you must submit the SFoS declaration form.

Any student who fails to complete their second major, certificate, or minor requirements must submit the SFoS declaration form to identify what courses will satisfy that requirement in place of the incomplete major, certificate, or minor.

DEGREE REQUIREMENT EXCEPTIONS: If you have a reasonable degree requirement exception to request, your advisor will assist you with this process. See the Student Appeals webpage for the process details behind degree requirement exceptions.

After forms are submitted - HOLD TIGHT! You will not get a notification when your record is updated. Check your record for updates no earlier than 10 business days after the form has been signed and completed by all necessary parties.

ERRORS AND INCOMPLETE NON-SCI DEGREE PROGRESS REPORTS: If a department representative or advisor approves an exception to a requirement for a non-SCI major, minor, or certificate, you must contact the degree progress report administrators in the non-SCI school to ensure your report is accurate and up-to-date. If your degree progress report shows errors or incomplete requirements for a non-SCI major, minor, or certificate, you must contact the administrators of the non-SCI school's degree progress report updates. Resources and contacts for other Schools are linked in Pitt’s directory of Schools and Colleges.

Your graduation certification will only be allowed if the degree progress report is correct and all requirements are satisfied.

What should I do if I’m no longer eligible to graduate?

Contact your advisor or department representative if you find yourself ineligible to graduate. They will assist with withdrawing your graduation application and plotting a new path to degree completion. Course enrollment for the upcoming term will be blocked in the enrollment system until your application is withdrawn, so be sure to reach out to your advisor or department representative as soon as possible.

If you need academic assistance, be sure to seek guidance from the Student Success Center and avail yourself of all that Pitt has to offer.

Then, you’ll start back at the “Before your graduation term” section and work your way through the graduation application and certification process again.

LOOK FOR UPDATES TO YOUR OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION: Check your academic record (transcript) for updates to the “degrees awarded” section; the transcript will be updated before diplomas are mailed. Official documentation of graduation is managed by the Office of the University Registrar. Inquiries regarding transcripts, diplomas, and related address changes should be directed to that office's Graduation/Diplomas service area.

When can I request an updated official transcript?

Graduation certification review is finalized about four to six (4-6) weeks after the term ends. After this time, students may request an updated, official transcript. The date when updated transcripts are available is published in the Graduation Calendar as “Transcripts with degrees posted for [graduation term] are available.”

I need to know the official date of my graduation; where do I find that date?

The date of graduation for each term is published in the Academic and Graduation Calendars (see the Calendar webpage) as the “official date for degrees awarded” or “official date for awarding degrees.”  

When will I receive my diploma?

All diplomas are mailed to students approximately six to eight (6-8) weeks after the “official date for degrees awarded.” The Registrar’s Office publishes an approximate date for mailing diplomas on their Graduation Calendar.

What should I do if an employer requests proof of graduation?

After grades are posted but before degrees are officially conferred, students may request a graduation progress verification letter from SCI Academic Records. The team will confirm dates of enrollment and the most recent documentation of your degree progress. The letter will NOT state that the degree has been awarded but will provide the term-specific dates for when the Registrar’s Office will process degree conferrals and begin mailing diplomas.

After degrees are officially awarded, direct requests for transcripts and diplomas to the Registrar’s Graduation Team.

I gave a copy of my transcript directly to the SCI Academic Records Office. I would like to have it returned to me. Who do I contact?

Contact SCI Academic Records to request a return of your non-Pitt transcripts.

VERIFY YOUR RECORD - You must confirm that all of your degrees, specializations, and/or certificates are listed on your official record. Maintaining this list is your responsibility, and the list is discussed and documented with the School offering the award in consideration. If an award is missing from your record, it will not appear on your graduation application, and it will not be certified or awarded in the post-term graduation processing.

It is important that you correct your record BEFORE launching the application for graduation. Again, the steps you need to follow to correct your record depend on which School offers the degree, specialization, or certificate.

How do I verify my record?

The “Academics” section of PeopleSoft CX will show you the active programs (Schools), plans (degrees and certificates), and specializations (subplans) associated with your academic record.

What do I do if information is incorrect or incomplete when I verified my record?

CORRECTING NON-SCI PLANS (degrees or certificates offered by a different School at Pitt): Procedures for each Pitt School are as unique and individualized as the programs they offer. Contact the offering school’s advisor, department administrator, or records staff for guidance regarding updates to your degrees and certificates. Resources and contact’s for other Schools are linked in Pitt’s directory of Schools and Colleges.

CORRECTING SCI PLANS (degrees or certificates offered by SCI): Students who have an incorrect subplan (specialization, thesis designation, GSPIA/MSIS joint degree designation) must complete the Graduate Academic Plan (Degree/Specialization) Change form.

If you are pursuing an additional award, e.g. a graduate certificate, and you did NOT submit an application for admission, you cannot add the award at the end of your studies. You must apply for all graduate degrees and certificates BEFORE enrolling in the degree’s course requirements.

After you submit the form - HOLD TIGHT! You should check your record for the update no earlier than 10 business days after the form has been signed and completed by all necessary parties. You will not get a notification when your record is updated. It is your responsibility to check your record for the updates.

REVIEW YOUR DEGREE PROGRESS -  Thoroughly review your degree progress and communicate with your advisor to determine potential graduation roadblocks. Your degree progress report (or “academic advisement report, AAR”) will highlight unsatisfied degree requirements. Keep in mind that if you are currently enrolled in classes, these will appear as “in progress” and will count toward earned credit minimums and degree requirements. However, any changes to your enrollment and/or final grades earned below the required minimums will impact your degree progress.

How do I view my degree progress?

The “Academics” section of PeopleSoft CX will show your degree progress. Click through the various requirement groups to see progress details.

What do I do if information is incorrect or incomplete when I reviewed my degree progress?

Talk to your advisor or a representative from your department.

Your advisor can help you reconsider your course enrollment. It is important that you initiate this conversation as early as possible and no later than the add/drop period for your anticipated graduation term.

ERRORS AND REQUIREMENT EXCEPTIONS: Your graduation certification will only be allowed if the degree progress report is correct and all requirements are satisfied.

Your department representative may be able to identify opportunities for "best fit" alterations to your degree progress report. A course that could fulfill multiple requirements will satisfy the first requirement listed in the report that it is eligible to meet, working from the top of the report and following through to the bottom. The report's linear, top-to-bottom completion of requirements occasionally blocks a class from satisfying the desired requirement. Moving the course to the desired requirement line may be necessary. This action requires manual intervention by SCI Academic Records and is initiated through a “Graduate Requirement Exception” that is submitted and approved by your department representative.

If you have a reasonable exception to request for any degree requirements, your department representative will assist you with this process. See the Student Appeals webpage for the process details behind degree requirement exceptions.

MILESTONES: Milestones are special progress markers for masters project or thesis students and doctoral students. For masters thesis and project students, their milestones are a part of the Thesis or Project Option requirement sections of the progress report. These requirements will not be satisfied until after the close of their graduation term. Professional masters degrees (MSIS, MST, MLIS, MDS) do not require the completion of milestones.

After forms are submitted - HOLD TIGHT! You will not get a notification when your record is updated. Check your record for updates no earlier than 10 business days after the form has been signed and completed by all necessary parties.

COMPLETE THE EXIT SURVEY:  The purpose of this survey is to gain a fuller understanding of the undergraduate experience so that campus administrators can provide the best programs and services possible to students. Provide valuable feedback to the University and to SCI by completing the University’s graduation (exit) survey.

APPLY TO GRADUATE: Graduation is not an automatic process. You must submit a graduation application to be reviewed for graduation eligibility and for a degree to be conferred.

How do I apply to graduate?

Log into the PeopleSoft CX and select the Peoplesoft Full Site link at the bottom of the left-hand navigation bar. From there click on the compass icon and follow the breadcrumbs, “Navigator > Self service > Degree Progress/Graduation > Apply for Graduation.”

If you are applying for awards offered in multiple Schools (including majors, minors, certificates, etc.) you will need to submit multiple applications, one for each award. While applying for one award, Do NOT enter majors, minors, or certificates as “missing” or “corrections” to the first graduation application. Instead, be sure that you submit an application for each of the individual awards, using the “Apply for a Different Program” link. That link will take you back to the start so you can submit all necessary applications.

If multiple applications for graduation do not appear and one of your awards is missing from the application list, you must declare the missing award as noted in the “Before your graduation term” section above.

More application instructions and troubleshooting are available on the Registrar’s Graduation/Diplomas webpage. Their Graduation Team is available for questions you may have about the application process.

COMPLETE THE EXIT SURVEY:  The purpose of this survey is to gain a fuller understanding of the undergraduate experience so that campus administrators can provide the best programs and services possible to students. Provide valuable feedback to the University and to SCI by completing the University’s graduation (exit) survey.

ATTEND A CEREMONY: The School hosts a recognition ceremony for graduate students that takes place toward the end of the term. The ceremony often happens before grades are posted for the term and before all final certification of graduation eligibility occurs. Students should note that the reading of a student's name at SCI's Recognition Ceremony does not indicate that the student has met graduation requirements.

Attendance, RSVP, dates, and location details are available on the School ceremony webpages.

REVIEW FINAL GRADES AND REQUIREMENT FULFILLMENT:  Revisit your degree progress. Your degree progress report (or “academic advisement report, AAR”) will highlight the degree requirements that are “not satisfied.”  Final grades below the required minimums will impact your degree progress. Incomplete courses will postpone your graduation.

The degree progress report viewable to students is also the source for staff and faculty’s graduation certification review. If your degree progress report does not indicate that all requirements are complete, staff will deny your graduation certification. To avoid any confusion or surprises, you must check your degree progress report.

When will grades be posted to my record?

The official grade posting deadline is published in the Academic and the Grades Calendars (see the Calendar webpage). Instructors have until 11:59 p.m. to submit their grade rosters, and any rosters submitted after 5:00 p.m. on the day of the deadline may not appear on your record for another 24 hours.

When will grades be updated on my degree progress report?

After grades have appeared on your transcript, it may take another 24 hours for changes to reflect on your degree progress report. Unsubmitted grade rosters, incomplete grades (G or I), course repeats, and other data clean-up can further postpone the accurate reporting of your degree requirement completion.

The Dean’s Office is aware that this wait can create anxiety and frustration for students. Please know that teams of staff are working hard to tie up loose ends and resolve issues that often arise at the end of the term. We will reach out with any known issues. In the meantime, keep an eye on your degree progress report, and if you are aware of hurdles to certifying your graduation eligibility, reach out to your advisor as soon as possible.

I repeated a course and the grade appears on my record; how and when does a “course repeat” impact my degree progress report?

After the official grade posting deadline for the term, the Dean’s Office teams run reports, review repeated course data, and submit the “course repeat form” to Office of the University Registrar for final processing. This is a busy time of the year, and grade changes pass through various hands before appearing on the student’s record. Please know that we make every effort to process repeated courses’ grade replacements within two weeks of the last day of the term. If a repeated course grade is negatively impacting your record after this time, please contact SCI Academic Records with your questions and concerns.

What if I have an incomplete grade (G or I) in a class but I still want to graduate this term?

Incomplete coursework needs to be completed in time for the instructor to review and grade the work within two weeks after the last day of your intended graduation term. Students and instructors for SCI courses must discuss and document a plan for coursework completion through the Incomplete Grade Contract; the contract is launched by the instructor.

Instructors must post a grade change to your student record no later than two weeks after the last day of the student’s intended graduation term. Grade changes submitted later than that date will likely result in a postponement of the student’s graduation to the following term.

How do I view my degree progress?

The “Academics” section of PeopleSoft CX shows your degree progress. Click through the various requirement groups to see progress details.

What do I if my degree progress report is incorrect or incomplete?

Talk to your advisor or a representative from your department.

Your advisor can help you reconsider your course enrollment. It is important that you initiate this conversation as early as possible and no later than the add/drop period for your anticipated graduation term.

ERRORS AND REQUIREMENT EXCEPTIONS: Your graduation certification will only be allowed if the degree progress report is correct and all requirements are satisfied.

Your department representative may be able to identify opportunities for "best fit" alterations to your degree progress report. A course that could fulfill multiple requirements will satisfy the first requirement listed in the report that it is eligible to meet, working from the top of the report and following through to the bottom. The report's linear, top-to-bottom completion of requirements occasionally blocks a class from satisfying the desired requirement. Moving the course to the desired requirement line may be necessary. This action requires manual intervention by SCI Academic Records and is initiated through a “Graduate Requirement Exception” that is submitted and approved by your department representative.

If you have a reasonable exception to request for any degree requirements, your department representative will assist you with this process. See the Student Appeals webpage for the process details behind degree requirement exceptions.

After forms are submitted - HOLD TIGHT! You will not get a notification when your record is updated. Check your record for updates no earlier than 10 business days after the form has been signed and completed by all necessary parties.

I am a Master's student completing the "Thesis Option" and the requirement is not satisfied in my degree progress resport; what do I do?

You must defend your thesis and submit any requested corrections to your committee. Your Committee Chair will notify the department administrator of their final thesis approval so the administrator may launch the “Report on Examination form” on your behalf. You will then need to follow the ETD Review and Publication Process [insert link] before the progress report and the associated milestone is marked as “satisfied.”

What I am a doctoral student and the "Other Degree Requirements" section in my progress report is not satisfied; what do I do?

This section of your progress report contains several requirements—minimum credits and milestones—that may not be updated for a few weeks after the closure of your graduation term.

MINIMUM CREDITS: Credits do not automatically calculate to the correct amount if you earned a masters degree at an external institution. During the graduation certification process, staff review your minimum credit requirement and search your file for official transcripts showing proof of a masters degree. When official transcripts are found, qualifying credits are posted to your Pitt student record and calculated with your Pitt earned credits to meet the minimum requirements. Several policies surround the transfer of credit to Pitt degrees. If any issues are found or if any official external transcripts are missing, SCI Academic Records will reach out to you directly.

MILESTONES: You must defend your dissertation and submit any requested corrections to your committee. Your Committee Chair will notify the department administrator of their final dissertation approval so the administrator may launch the “Report on Examination form” on your behalf. You will then need to follow the ETD Review and Publication Process before the progress report and the associated milestone is marked as “satisfied.”

Before beginning the ETD Review and Publication Process, the following milestones should already be “satisfied:” preliminary examination, comprehensive examination, committee approval, overview meeting, proposal defense, admission to doctoral candidacy.

LOOK FOR UPDATES TO YOUR OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION: Check your academic record (transcript) for updates to the “degrees awarded” section; the transcript will be updated before diplomas are mailed. Official documentation of graduation is managed by the Office of the University Registrar. Inquiries regarding transcripts, diplomas, and related address changes should be directed to that office's Graduation/Diplomas service area.

When can I request an updated official transcript?

Graduation certification review is finalized about four to six (4-6) weeks after the term ends. After this time, students may request an updated, official transcript. The date when updated transcripts are available is published in the Graduation Calendar as “Transcripts with degrees posted for [graduation term] are available.”

I need to know the official date of my graduation; where do I find that date?

The date of graduation for each term is published in the Academic and Graduation Calendars (see the Calendar webpage) as the “official date for degrees awarded” or “official date for awarding degrees.”  

When will I receive my diploma?

All diplomas are mailed to students approximately six to eight (6-8) weeks after the “official date for degrees awarded.” The Registrar’s Office publishes an approximate date for mailing diplomas on their Graduation Calendar.

Note: Graduate Certificate awards do not appear on a University diploma. Instead, a certificate is generated and mailed by the School. The School will follow the same dates and address information as the Registrar’s Office uses for the diploma mailing. If you have a question regarding the certificate award, please contact the SCI Academic Records.

What should I do if an employer requests proof of graduation?

After grades are posted but before degrees are officially conferred, students may request a graduation progress verification letter from SCI Academic Records. The team will confirm dates of enrollment and the most recent documentation of your degree progress. The letter will NOT state that the degree has been awarded but will provide the term-specific dates for when the Registrar’s Office will process degree conferrals and begin mailing diplomas.

After degrees are officially awarded, direct requests for transcripts and diplomas to the Registrar’s Graduation Team.

I gave a copy of my transcript directly to the SCI Academic Records Office. I would like to have it returned to me. Who do I contact?

Contact SCI Academic Records to request a return of your non-Pitt transcripts.

VERIFY YOUR RECORD - You must confirm that all of your degrees, specializations, and/or certificates are listed on your official record. Maintaining this list is your responsibility, and the list is discussed and documented with the School offering the award in consideration. If an award is missing from your record, it will not appear on your graduation application, and it will not be certified or awarded in the post-term graduation processing.

It is important that you correct your record BEFORE launching the application for graduation. Again, the steps you need to follow to correct your record depend on which School offers the degree, specialization, or certificate.

How do I verify my record?

The “Academics” section of PeopleSoft CX will show you the active programs (Schools), plans (degrees and certificates), and specializations (subplans) associated with your academic record. 

What do I do if information is incorrect or incomplete when I verified my record?

CORRECTING NON-SCI PLANS (degrees or certificates offered by a different School at Pitt): Procedures for each Pitt School are as unique and individualized as the programs they offer. Contact the offering school’s advisor, department administrator, or records staff for guidance regarding updates to your degrees and certificates. Resources and contacts for other Schools are linked in Pitt’s directory of Schools and Colleges.

CORRECTING SCI PLANS (degrees or certificates offered by SCI): Students who have an incorrect subplan (specialization, thesis designation, GSPIA/MSIS joint degree designation) must complete the Graduate Academic Plan (Degree/Specialization) Change form.

If you are pursuing an additional award, e.g. a graduate certificate, and you did NOT submit an application for admission, you cannot add the award at the end of your studies. You must apply for all graduate degrees and certificates BEFORE enrolling in the degree’s course requirements.

After you submit the form - HOLD TIGHT! You should check your record for the update no earlier than 10 business days after the form has been signed and completed by all necessary parties. You will not get a notification when your record is updated. It is your responsibility to check your record for the updates.

REVIEW YOUR DEGREE PROGRESS -  Thoroughly review your degree progress and communicate with your advisor to determine potential graduation roadblocks. Your degree progress report (or “academic advisement report, AAR”) will highlight unsatisfied degree requirements. Keep in mind that if you are currently enrolled in classes, these will appear as “in progress” and will count toward earned credit minimums and degree requirements. However, any changes to your enrollment and/or final grades earned below the required minimums will impact your degree progress.

How do I view my degree progress?

The “Academics” section of PeopleSoft CX will show your degree progress. Click through the various requirement groups to see progress details.

What do I do if information is incorrect or incomplete when I reviewed my degree progress?

Talk to your advisor or a representative from your department.

Your advisor can help you reconsider your course enrollment. It is important that you initiate this conversation as early as possible and no later than the add/drop period for your anticipated graduation term.

ERRORS AND REQUIREMENT EXCEPTIONS: Your graduation certification will only be allowed if the degree progress report is correct and all requirements are satisfied.

Your department representative may be able to identify opportunities for "best fit" alterations to your degree progress report. A course that could fulfill multiple requirements will satisfy the first requirement listed in the report that it is eligible to meet, working from the top of the report and following through to the bottom. The report's linear, top-to-bottom completion of requirements occasionally blocks a class from satisfying the desired requirement. Moving the course to the desired requirement line may be necessary. This action requires manual intervention by SCI Academic Records and is initiated through a “Graduate Requirement Exception” that is submitted and approved by your department representative.

If you have a reasonable exception to request for any degree requirements, your department representative will assist you with this process. See the Student Appeals webpage for the process details behind degree requirement exceptions.

After forms are submitted - HOLD TIGHT! You will not get a notification when your record is updated. Check your record for updates no earlier than 10 business days after the form has been signed and completed by all necessary parties.

MILESTONES: Milestones are special progress markers for masters project or thesis students and doctoral students. For masters thesis and project students, their milestones are a part of the Thesis or Project Option requirement sections of the progress report. These requirements will not be satisfied until after the close of their graduation term. Professional masters degrees (MSIS, MST, MLIS, MDS) do not require the completion of milestones.

For doctoral students, milestones are listed as a part of the “Other Degree Requirements” group in your progress report. In the term before your graduation, doctoral students must have their preliminary examination, comprehensive examination, committee approval, overview meeting, proposal defense, and admission to doctoral candidacy milestones listed as “satisfied.” If they are not satisfied, please reach out to your department representative for guidance. 

APPLY TO GRADUATE: Graduation is not an automatic process. You must submit a graduation application to be reviewed for graduation eligibility and for a degree to be conferred.

How do I apply to graduate?

Log into the PeopleSoft CX and select the Peoplesoft Full Site link at the bottom of the left-hand navigation bar. From there click on the compass icon and follow the breadcrumbs, “Navigator > Self service > Degree Progress/Graduation > Apply for Graduation.”

If you are applying for awards offered in multiple Schools (including majors, minors, certificates, etc.) you will need to submit multiple applications, one for each award. While applying for one award, Do NOT enter majors, minors, or certificates as “missing” or “corrections” to the first graduation application. Instead, be sure that you submit an application for each of the individual awards, using the “Apply for a Different Program” link. That link will take you back to the start so you can submit all necessary applications.

If multiple applications for graduation do not appear and one of your awards is missing from the application list, you must declare the missing award as noted in the “Before your graduation term” section above.

More application instructions and troubleshooting are available on the Registrar’s Graduation/Diplomas webpage. Their Graduation Team is available for questions you may have about the application process.

ELECTRONIC THESIS & DISSERTATION: As a masters thesis or doctoral student, you are required to publish an Electronic Thesis or Dissertation (ETD) that aligns with the University’s formatting guidelines. We suggest writing your thesis or dissertation within one of the University’s template options; however, your committee may prefer different formatting for your paper.

If your writing process or the preferences of your committee are not conducive to writing your thesis or dissertation within the one of the University templates, please be aware that converting your final and approved paper into the University’s format can be time consuming. Start early, and ask for guidance as needed.

The University’s formatting guidelines and templates are available on the ETD website. Additionally, the digital scholarship experts at the University Library System (ULS) provide resources, workshops, and guidance through the ETD website. If you have questions that cannot be answered by the ULS experts, set up a meeting with SCI’s ETD Coordinator through the Coordinator’s Navigate/Pathways calendar.

COMPLETE THE EXIT SURVEY:  The purpose of this survey is to gain a fuller understanding of the undergraduate experience so that campus administrators can provide the best programs and services possible to students. Provide valuable feedback to the University and to SCI by completing the University’s graduation (exit) survey.

ATTEND A CEREMONY: The School hosts a recognition ceremony for graduate students that takes place toward the end of the term. The ceremony often happens before grades are posted for the term and before all final certification of graduation eligibility occurs. Students should note that the reading of a student's name at SCI's Recognition Ceremony does not indicate that the student has met graduation requirements.

Attendance, RSVP, dates, and location details are available on the School ceremony webpages.

REVIEW FINAL GRADES AND REQUIREMENT FULFILLMENT:  Revisit your degree progress. Your degree progress report (or “academic advisement report, AAR”) will highlight the degree requirements that are “not satisfied.”  Final grades below the required minimums will impact your degree progress. Incomplete courses will postpone your graduation.

The degree progress report viewable to students is also the source for staff and faculty’s graduation certification review. If your degree progress report does not indicate that all requirements are complete, staff will deny your graduation certification. To avoid any confusion or surprises, you must check your degree progress report.

When will grades be posted to my record?

The official grade posting deadline is published in the Academic and the Grades Calendars (see the Calendar webpage). Instructors have until 11:59 p.m. to submit their grade rosters, and any rosters submitted after 5:00 p.m. on the day of the deadline may not appear on your record for another 24 hours.

When will grades be updated on my degree progress report?

After grades have appeared on your transcript, it may take another 24 hours for changes to reflect on your degree progress report. Unsubmitted grade rosters, incomplete grades (G or I), course repeats, and other data clean-up can further postpone the accurate reporting of your degree requirement completion.

The Dean’s Office is aware that this wait can create anxiety and frustration for students. Please know that teams of staff are working hard to tie up loose ends and resolve issues that often arise at the end of the term. We will reach out with any known issues. In the meantime, keep an eye on your degree progress report, and if you are aware of hurdles to certifying your graduation eligibility, reach out to your advisor as soon as possible.

I repeated a course and the grade appears on my record; how and when does a “course repeat” impact my degree progress report?

After the official grade posting deadline for the term, the Dean’s Office teams run reports, review repeated course data, and submit the “course repeat form” to Office of the University Registrar for final processing. This is a busy time of the year, and grade changes pass through various hands before appearing on the student’s record. Please know that we make every effort to process repeated courses’ grade replacements within two weeks of the last day of the term. If a repeated course grade is negatively impacting your record after this time, please contact SCI Academic Records with your questions and concerns.

What if I have an incomplete grade (G or I) in a class but I still want to graduate this term?

Incomplete coursework needs to be completed in time for the instructor to review and grade the work within two weeks after the last day of your intended graduation term. Students and instructors for SCI courses must discuss and document a plan for coursework completion through the Incomplete Grade Contract; the contract is launched by the instructor.

Instructors must post a grade change to your student record no later than two weeks after the last day of the student’s intended graduation term. Grade changes submitted later than that date will likely result in a postponement of the student’s graduation to the following term.

How do I view my degree progress?

The “Academics” section of PeopleSoft CX shows your degree progress. Click through the various requirement groups to see progress details.

What do I if my degree progress report is incorrect or incomplete?

Talk to your advisor or a representative from your department.

Your advisor can help you reconsider your course enrollment. It is important that you initiate this conversation as early as possible and no later than the add/drop period for your anticipated graduation term.

ERRORS AND REQUIREMENT EXCEPTIONS: Your graduation certification will only be allowed if the degree progress report is correct and all requirements are satisfied.

Your department representative may be able to identify opportunities for "best fit" alterations to your degree progress report. A course that could fulfill multiple requirements will satisfy the first requirement listed in the report that it is eligible to meet, working from the top of the report and following through to the bottom. The report's linear, top-to-bottom completion of requirements occasionally blocks a class from satisfying the desired requirement. Moving the course to the desired requirement line may be necessary. This action requires manual intervention by SCI Academic Records and is initiated through a “Graduate Requirement Exception” that is submitted and approved by your department representative.

If you have a reasonable exception to request for any degree requirements, your department representative will assist you with this process. See the Student Appeals webpage for the process details behind degree requirement exceptions.

After forms are submitted - HOLD TIGHT! You will not get a notification when your record is updated. Check your record for updates no earlier than 10 business days after the form has been signed and completed by all necessary parties.

I am a Master's student completing the "Thesis Option" and the requirement is not satisfied in my degree progress resport; what do I do?

You must defend your thesis and submit any requested corrections to your committee. Your Committee Chair will notify the department administrator of their final thesis approval so the administrator may launch the “Report on Examination form” on your behalf. You will then need to follow the ETD Review and Publication Process before the progress report and the associated milestone is marked as “satisfied.”

I am a doctoral student and the “Other Degree Requirements” section in my progress report is not satisfied; what do I do?

This section of your progress report contains several requirements—minimum credits and milestones—that may not be updated for a few weeks after the closure of your graduation term.

MINIMUM CREDITS: Credits do not automatically calculate to the correct amount if you earned a masters degree at an external institution. During the graduation certification process, staff review your minimum credit requirement and search your file for official transcripts showing proof of a masters degree. When official transcripts are found, qualifying credits are posted to your Pitt student record and calculated with your Pitt earned credits to meet the minimum requirements. Several policies surround the transfer of credit to Pitt degrees. If any issues are found or if any official external transcripts are missing, SCI Academic Records will reach out to you directly.

MILESTONES: You must defend your dissertation and submit any requested corrections to your committee. Your Committee Chair will notify the department administrator of their final dissertation approval so the administrator may launch the “Report on Examination form” on your behalf. You will then need to follow the ETD Review and Publication Process before the progress report and the associated milestone is marked as “satisfied.”

Before beginning the ETD Review and Publication Process, the following milestones should already be “satisfied:” preliminary examination, comprehensive examination, committee approval, overview meeting, proposal defense, admission to doctoral candidacy.

BEGIN THE ETD REVIEW AND PUBLICATION PROCESS: After receiving verbal thesis or dissertation approval from your Chair, begin the ETD Review and Publication steps. Your degree requirements will remain incomplete and you will not be certified for graduation if you do not follow through with publishing your thesis and submitting the necessary paperwork. Please review the steps below carefully.

Step 1: Convert your thesis or dissertation to the University's ETD format

This process can be time consuming and is mentioned in the “End of your graduation term” section for students who did not begin writing their thesis or dissertation in or converting it to the University’s ETD format earlier. Be sure to start the conversion to the University format as soon as you are confident with your paper’s content.

Step 2: Gather ETD and Graduation-related paperwork

Details, explanations, and links are available on the ETD “After You Defend” webpage. Save the paperwork listed out in the sections below; please do NOT send them to the ETD Coordinator as they will be collected in a later step. You must gather this paperwork and launch the ETD Approval Form by the ETD and Graduation Paperwork deadline.

Master's Thesis Paperwork

• ETD Patent Form (if applicable)
• Receipt for the ETD processing fee (Email payments@pitt.edu with your name, student ID, and the name of the fee— “ETD Processing fee.” Note in the email message that you would like to add the fee to your PittPAY account. You will pay the fee through PittPAY after the Student Payment Center has posted it to your account.
• If your thesis contains material copyrighted by others or executable software owned by another party, gather copyright permission letter(s) from the copyright owner(s).

Doctoral Dissertation Paperwork

• ETD Patent Form (if applicable)
• Receipt for the ETD processing fee (Email payments@pitt.edu with your name, student ID, and the name of the fee— “ETD Processing fee.” Note in the email message that you would like to add the fee to your PittPAY account. You will pay the fee through PittPAY after the Student Payment Center has posted it to your account.
• If your dissertation contains material copyrighted by others or executable software owned by another party, gather copyright permission letter(s) from the copyright owner(s).
• Proof of completion of the Survey of Earned Doctorates, either as an e-mail confirmation or certificate of completion.
• Proof of completion of the Association of American Universities Data Exchange (AAUDE) Doctoral Exit Survey.

Step 3: Launch the ETD Approval Form

Launch the ETD Approval Form by the ETD and Graduation Paperwork deadline. You will attach the related paperwork you gathered in the previous step to the online form. The form automatically routes to your Committee Chair(s) for a signature and sends completed copies to you, the Chair(s), the Department, and the ETD Coordinator. Please do NOT send extra copies of the form and paperwork to the ETD Coordinator.

STEP 4: Upload your ETD to the Digital Repository

The University’s digital repository for publications, D-Scholarship, provides a space for uploading your ETD as well as supplementary data sets and other materials you would like to submit for archival purposes. D-Scholarship is maintained by the University Library System (ULS) and a dedicated staff of digital scholarship experts. Details regarding how to submit your materials as well as how to make updates to previously submitted items are available on the University’s ETD website. Visit the “Submit” section of the ETD website and check in with the ETD support staff if you have any questions.

STEP 5: ETD Formatting Review and Corrections Period

The ETD Coordinator will begin reviewing student’s uploaded materials the day after the ETD and Graduation Paperwork deadline. Comments, questions, and corrections will be noted in a copy of the ETD file and uploaded to the existing D-Scholarship entry. The Coordinator returns the D-Scholarship entry to you and is no longer able to access the documents until you upload your corrections to the existing D-Scholarship entry and return it to the Coordinator for a second review.

You and the Coordinator will pass the D-Scholarship entry back-and-forth until the ETD file meets all University standards for formatting and publication. It is your responsibility to be available and responsive during the ETD Formatting Review and Corrections Period. This period occurs between the ETD and Graduation Paperwork deadline and five (5) business days before the date titled, “[Graduation Term] Final Certification List Due to Registrar’s Office,” on the Registrar’s Graduation Calendar.

You may avoid excessive corrections by reviewing and adhering to the University’s formatting guidelines and template. Resources, workshops, and guidance from the ULS digital scholarship experts are available online through the ETD website. If you have questions regarding the comments and corrections sent by the Coordinator, please set up a meeting through the Coordinator’s Navigate/Pathways calendar to discuss your concerns.

Note: throughout the review period, several files will collect in the D-Scholarship entry. The final version will be approved for publication by the Coordinator, and all previous versions and corrections will be deleted from the record. You will receive a notification from the D-Scholarship system when your ETD is published. This will be sent no later than the date titled, “[Graduation Term] Final Certification List Due to Registrar’s Office,” on the Registrar’s Graduation Calendar.

What should I do if I cannot complete my thesis or dissertation edits, review, and publication during my intended graduation term?

Contact your Committee Chair, your department administrator, and the ETD Coordinator with your status update. They will assist with withdrawing your graduation application and plotting a new path to degree completion.

If you are completing thesis or dissertation edits, review, and publication in a subsequent term you MUST enroll for a minimum of one (1) credit in that term. Enrollment for the upcoming term will be blocked in the enrollment system until your application is withdrawn, so be sure to make the above mentioned connections as soon as possible.

What should I do if I’m no longer eligible to graduate?

Contact your advisor or department representative if you find yourself ineligible to graduate. They will assist with withdrawing your graduation application and plotting a new path to degree completion. Course enrollment for the upcoming term will be blocked in the enrollment system until your application is withdrawn, so be sure to reach out to your advisor or department representative as soon as possible.

If you need academic assistance, be sure to seek guidance from the Student Success Center and avail yourself of all that Pitt has to offer.

Then, you’ll start back at the “Before your graduation term” section of this webpage and work your way through the graduation application and certification process again.

LOOK FOR UPDATES TO YOUR OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION: Check your academic record (transcript) for updates to the “degrees awarded” section; the transcript will be updated before diplomas are mailed. Official documentation of graduation is managed by the Office of the University Registrar. Inquiries regarding transcripts, diplomas, and related address changes should be directed to that office's Graduation/Diplomas service area.

When can I request an updated official transcript?

Graduation certification review is finalized about four to six (4-6) weeks after the term ends. After this time, students may request an updated, official transcript. The date when updated transcripts are available is published in the Graduation Calendar as “Transcripts with degrees posted for [graduation term] are available.”

I need to know the official date of my graduation; where do I find that date?

The date of graduation for each term is published in the Academic and Graduation Calendars (see the Calendar webpage) as the “official date for degrees awarded” or “official date for awarding degrees.”  

When will I receive my diploma?

All diplomas are mailed to students approximately six to eight (6-8) weeks after the “official date for degrees awarded.” The Registrar’s Office publishes an approximate date for mailing diplomas on their Graduation Calendar.

Note: Graduate Certificate awards do not appear on a University diploma. Instead, a certificate is generated and mailed by the School. The School will follow the same dates and address information as the Registrar’s Office uses for the diploma mailing. If you have a question regarding the certificate award, please contact the SCI Academic Records.

What should I do if an employer requests proof of graduation?

After grades are posted but before degrees are officially conferred, students may request a graduation progress verification letter from SCI Academic Records. The team will confirm dates of enrollment and the most recent documentation of your degree progress. The letter will NOT state that the degree has been awarded but will provide the term-specific dates for when the Registrar’s Office will process degree conferrals and begin mailing diplomas.

After degrees are officially awarded, direct requests for transcripts and diplomas to the Registrar’s Graduation Team.

I gave a copy of my transcript directly to the SCI Academic Records Office. I would like to have it returned to me. Who do I contact?

Contact SCI Academic Recordsto request a return of your non-Pitt transcripts.