Frequently Asked Questions

Graduation & Commencement

If your application to graduate is accepted, it does not guarantee that your degree will be conferred.

Attending Commencement is the act of celebrating your academic achievement at the ceremony held in May. However, you are not considered an official graduate until after the Registrar's Office has received your degree certification from your department and posted the degree to your transcript. 

Yes. All students must pay the graduation fee regardless of whether or not they attend the commencement ceremony. The fee is listed at: Bursar: Explanation of Billing.

Yes. All students must apply for graduation and pay the graduation fee in order to have the degree conferred and receive a diploma. Attending Commencement is not mandatory.

Visit the Commencement site for details about the ceremony, picking up caps and gowns, speakers and honorees, and more.

If you are an inactive student, you will not be able to apply for graduation online. For assistance, please Submit an Inquiry for Registrar with the Graduation/Diploma option selected."

 

Degrees, diplomas, distinctions, transcripts

You can log into COIN and run an unofficial transcript to determine if your degree has been awarded.

  • December graduates: posting begins mid-February
  • May graduates: posting begins mid-May
  • Summer graduates: posting begins mid-September

Students are eligible for graduation with distinction provided they achieve a cumulative grade point average in all of their UMass Dartmouth credits:

  • 3.200 to 3.499 Cum Laude
  • 3.500 to 3.799 Magna Cum Laude
  • 3.800 to 4.000 Summa Cum Laude

Graduation with Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, or Summa Cum Laude is noted on the student’s transcript and also inscribed on the diploma. Graduation with distinction is based on all UMass Dartmouth work including the final semester.

Note: In the Commencement booklet, students graduating with distinction are noted only if that distinction was earned by the end of the fall/winter semester, as grades for spring/summer will not yet be available.

A denial email will be sent to both your UMass Dartmouth and your personal email address on file.

Diploma ordering begins approximately 8 weeks after the degree conferral date for students whose degrees have been awarded. Therefore, please allow 14-16 weeks for ordering, processing, and delivery of your diploma. Diplomas are shipped directly from our diploma vendor and will be mailed to your “Diploma Address” in COIN. If there is no “Diploma Address” listed, it will be mailed to your “Permanent Address”. So please be sure to check COIN to verify that your address is correct.
 
However, in the meantime, you may request an official transcript from the National Student Clearinghouse as proof of your degree conferral.
If you are a recent graduate and have not received your diploma within 12-16 weeks after your conferral date, please Submit an Inquiry .
If you have lost your diploma or if you need an additional copy, please visit our website at Alumni Resources - Replacement Diploma to fill out a replacement diploma request form. 

The official way to prove degree conferral is to request your transcript. Official transcripts may be ordered through COIN or by visiting Registrar: Transcripts.

Alumni Association

Your $20 alumni fee, charged during your final semester, provides you with membership to the UMass Dartmouth Alumni Community for one year. Learn more about the Alumni Association.