Picture yourself at Ohio State commencement. You have completed all requirements for your degree, and this day is the culmination of your career as an undergraduate student. You may also be preparing to graduate with research distinction or to complete your honors program. In addition to meeting the necessary academic requirements for your degree, there are many other important steps for you to take to prepare for graduation.
Undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences may apply for graduation as early as one term before their term of graduation. University policy requires that all undergraduate applications for graduation be submitted no later than the 10th Friday of the term of graduation. Late applications are not accepted or reviewed until the following term. Deadline dates set by the Registrar are available here.
Autumn 2024: Friday, October 25, 2024
Spring 2025: Friday, March 21, 2025
Summer 2025: Friday, July 11, 2025
Autumn 2025: Friday, October 24, 2025 (Tentative)
- Apply during the term prior to the term in which you intend to graduate or early during the term in which you intend to graduate. Meet with your academic advisor to verify that your major requirements are complete.
- If you have not consulted with your advisor, please contact him or her to schedule an appointment prior to filing your application.
- If a Minor Program Form is needed, please bring a signed copy with you to your appointment. Your advisor can provide you with the form.
- Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to file your graduation application.
- After you meet with your Arts and Sciences academic advisor and your graduation application is on file, there are other important things to do.
Review all of the information on commencement.osu.edu in your final term. It provides information on where to purchase a cap and gown, times and locations of the rehearsal and ceremony, the commencement speaker announcement and other essential guidance.
To schedule an appointment to apply for graduation, call (614) 292-6961 or email askascadvising@osu.edu.
Complete and submit a commencement excused form (below) to Graduation Services (asc-gradsrv@osu.edu) in the College of Arts and Sciences. This form must be completed if you do not plan to attend commencement. The information you provide is essential for you to receive your diploma. Please complete and return this form by the Friday before the ceremony. More information can be found on the Unable to attend page on the Ohio State Commencement website.
Graduating with Honors
Eligibility for any graduation honor requires a GPA based on completion of at least 60 graded hours (including courses graded "S/U") while enrolled in course work at Ohio State. No EM (credit by examination) credit hours or credit hours taken on a Pass/Non-Pass basis are counted as part of these 60 hours. All courses taken at the university will be used in calculating the GPA to determine graduation with honors.
The distinctions of cum laude, magna cum laude and summa cum laude are awarded to those graduates in Arts and Sciences who meet the following standards of these honors (no rounding):
- cum laude: Each student who graduates with a GPA of 3.50 to 3.699 and completes a minimum of 60 graded semester hours of course work at Ohio State will receive the cum laude designation upon the diploma and transcript.
- magna cum laude: Each student who graduates with a GPA of 3.70 to 3.899 and completes a minimum of 60 graded semester hours of course work at Ohio State will receive the magna cum laude designation upon the diploma and transcript.
- summa cum laude: Each student who graduates with a minimum 3.90 GPA and completes a minimum of 60 graded semester hours of course work at Ohio State will receive the summa cum laude designation upon the diploma and transcript.
*Please note, graded course work does not include transfer credit, EM credit, courses taken with the Pass/Non-Pass option or audited courses.
Students in the Arts and Sciences Honors Program are required to commit to an Honors Contract (completion of which results in graduation with honors in the Arts and Sciences) and/or an Honors Thesis (successful completion of which leads to graduation with honors research distinction).
These options are available only by application through the Arts and Sciences Honors Office in 3180 Smith Lab.
If you meet the qualifications for an honors braid in the penultimate term of graduation, you will receive an honors braid notification within two weeks of the commencement ceremony via Ohio State email indicating where to pick up the braid.
If you qualify for an honors braid at the end of the term of graduation, you will receive the braid during line-up before the commencement ceremony with presentation of an advising report showing all grades submitted.
Note: You will need to print your Advising Report on or before Saturday as BuckeyeLink undergoes system maintenance on Sundays.
Students who have completed a research project resulting in a distinction notation (i.e. "with research distinction in", "with research distinction") do not receive braids unless they have completed an Honors Contract or Honors Thesis, or qualify for a Latin honor.
Students completing a minimum of 12 graded credit hours with a point-hour ratio of 3.50 or higher for any given term will be named to the Dean's List for that term in the college in which they are enrolled. Up to 3 hours of course work graded Satisfactory (S) may be included in the 12 graded hours. However, course work graded Pass (PA) may not count toward the minimum of 12 graded hours. Any grade of E, EN, U, UEN, NP, or P will disqualify a student from making the Dean's List even if the student has a term point-hour ratio of 3.50 and 12 graded hours.