Advising Team Updates

Spring 2024

Graduation is almost here!

The advising team wanted to share with you all a few critical updates regarding graduation. There's a ton of information so please make sure you read this carefully. If you need any support or clarification, please contact your academic advisor.

Apply to graduate through the Student Information System. This is how the University confirms students have met their degree requirements and is how they will receive their diploma. For questions regarding this application and diplomas, students should contact the Office of the Registrar at reg@msu.edu or 517-355-3300. The Academic Calendar states:

4/26/2024 - Last day for AgTech, Undergraduate, and Graduate students to apply to graduate Spring Semester 2024.

However, we recommend that you do this ASAP!

For those whose graduation term is not correct in your student record (SIS) – The Graduate Office is working with the College to get this resolved. Please be patient – and do not reach out to the Registrar’s Office (as we had previously recommended to some). Keep checking to see if the term has been changed, and apply for graduation when it is resolved.

In order for your degree to be conferred, and to receive your diploma, you need to have an approved GradPlan. This is done in your student record (student.msu.edu). The only portion that you need to complete is the course list. Directions as to how to complete it correctly can be found at:

https://socialwork.msu.edu/MSW/advising.html (under Resources).

Please note: the approval process is multi-tiered. If you need to make changes, you will receive notification (via email) with an explanation.

The University has implemented a Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RECR) requirement as part of degree conferral for Graduate students.

At this time, it is not confirmed as to what this entails. As it is formalized, we will let you know what is needed.

The Commencement Ceremony will be held on Friday 4/26/24.

Please make sure to arrive early as traffic will be heavily impacted.

So mark your calendar! As it gets closer, the Commencement Office will update their site, but all the information including date and time and location should be up:

https://commencement.msu.edu/

Please make sure to register to participate in the commencement ceremony to confirm your intent to walk and have your name called.

(Note: If you are not graduating until Summer 2024, you are welcome to participate in the Spring 2024 Commencement Ceremony, as there is not one in the Summer.)

To ensure your name will appear in the commencement program, graduates must submit their application by February 23. If you apply after this date, your name will not be in print. Please note: If you have a FERPA restriction on your account or apply after that deadline, your name will not print. FERPA restrictions can be modified in the settings of your student account and must be removed prior to the deadline for your name to print.

Additionally, if you miss that deadline, having your name in the program does not impact your ability to walk or have your name announced during a ceremony. Names are called based on the participation registration and not the program, so that only the names of graduates in attendance are read.



Once you have completed those two items (applying for graduation and registering for the commencement ceremony if you plan to attend), you should also arrange for your cap, gown, and other regalia through the Spartan Spirit Shop using the links below-

https://commencement.msu.edu/graduate/cap-gown

https://spartanspiritshop.msu.edu/pages/masters-graduation-packages

Graduate cap/gown with Social Science/James Madison: Citron (yellow-ish) stole.

(Note: MSU does not have a hooding ceremony)

If you are a part of the Phi Alpha Honor Society, you can order the Phi Alpha Blue and Gold Honor Cord and the Phi Alpha Stole. Please follow up with the E-Board or the Faculty Advisor for more information as other options may be available.

Students who qualify for Phi Alpha for the current spring semester will be contacted within the upcoming week.

Degree audits begin with the School of Social Work, and are expected to be done mid-late May. The audits and recommendations then go to the College of Social Science for review. Once the review is completed, they make and process recommendation to confer degrees to the University. The recommendations then goes to the University Registrar Office performing a final degree checklist and processing of degree (posting notation on transcripts and sending of actual degree certificate). This entire process usually takes several weeks, my good faith estimate would be 4-6 weeks after final grades are posted in the University system.

We just wanted to get you thinking about, and preparing for graduation – and hope that this is helpful! As additional details get finalized, and we get more information, we will keep you posted!

Michigan State University

655 Auditorium Road

East Lansing, MI 48824

(517) 355-1855