Application for Graduation
UAA awards degrees and certificates and prints diplomas year-round. To be eligible for graduation at the end of a given semester, a student must:
- Be formally admitted to the degree or certificate program and submit an Application for Graduation through UAOnline or
- Submit an Earn Degree/Certificate on the Way application and meet the eligibility requirements listed on the form.
Application for graduation deadlines are the Friday before finals for the semester in which the student intends to graduate. Students wishing to have their name in the commencement ceremony program must apply by an earlier deadline. See the Office of the Registrar's calendar for specific deadline dates.
If the student meets all requirements by the end of the semester, the certificate or degree is awarded after the completion of the semester. Students are held responsible for meeting all academic regulations and degree/certificate requirements. Students who complete requirements before the end of the semester may contact uaa.degrees@alaska.edu to request that their certificate/degree be awarded early.
Names of students receiving certificates and degrees appear in the commencement program and are released to the media unless a student places a directory hold on their record.
Students who apply for graduation and do not complete their degree/certificate requirements by the end of the semester in which they have applied to graduate, but are within 6 or fewer credits of completion, will have their application for graduation moved to the following semester by the Office of the Registrar (spring to summer, summer to fall, or fall to spring). This courtesy change will be granted one time. Students with more than 6 outstanding credits of requirements remaining, or who have 6 credits or fewer remaining for a second semester, must reapply for graduation.
Graduation with Honors
UAA recognizes outstanding student scholarship in associate and baccalaureate degree graduates by granting Latin Honors based on the following criteria:
- Have at least a 3.50 cumulative UAA GPA
- UAA resident credit of 30 semester hours for a baccalaureate degree
- UAA resident credit of 15 semester hours for an associate’s degree
GPA calculations for graduation with honors do not include:
- Credits that were excluded due to retaking a course or through the Academic Fresh Start or Academic Renewal programs
- Transfer credits, non-credit courses, and credit by examination or other forms of nontraditional credit
Honors are awarded to associate and baccalaureate degree graduates with cumulative GPAs as follows:
| Cum Laude | 3.50 to 3.74 |
| Magna Cum Laude | 3.75 to 3.89 |
| Summa Cum Laude | 3.90 to 4.00 |
Commencement
Students who complete certificate or degree requirements in the summer and fall semesters will be invited to participate in fall commencement ceremonies in December. Students who complete certificate or degree requirements in the spring semester will be invited to participate in spring commencement ceremonies in May. Undergraduate students will only be eligible to wear honor cords and be recognized in the commencement program as receiving university honors if their overall GPA at the end of the preceding semester is 3.50 or above. If students earn university honors after their final grades are submitted, they will have honors displayed on their diploma and academic transcript and may request an honor cord with their diploma.
Hooding Ceremony
Graduate students who complete degree requirements will be invited to participate in a formal hooding ceremony. Hooding ceremonies are typically held the day prior to commencement.