Graduation

This page includes all the information you will need to graduate including information about the petition to graduate survey, exit survyes, commencement and convocation ceremonies, transcript requests, and getting your diploma.

Petition to Graduate Survey

To initiate the graduation process, students will complete what is called a ‘Petition to Graduate’. The petition will completed in the Winter quarter of the student’s intended graduation year–(e.g., a student planning to complete the program as of Spring, Summer, or Fall 2016, the student will complete the petition in Winter 2016. A student planning to complete the program in Winter 2016 would complete the petition 1-2 quarters prior to graduation, and this communication will be managed by the Assistant Director).

The Petition to Graduate Survey is an in-house survey that asks what quarter and year students took each of the 15 courses required to earn the master’s degree, along with other information needed to confer the MS degree (e.g., the name you want to have printed on your diploma). Students must complete the form by set deadlines and in order to be eligible to graduate.

The Assistant Director will review each students’ Petition to Graduate surveys and academic transcript to ensure that the student is on track to graduate as planned. The Assistant Director will contact each student to verify that the Petition to Graduate has been reviewed and alert the student to any potential issues. After the student finishes all courses the Assistant Director will again review the transcript and petition to graduate to ensure that all requirements have been met. If the student has met all requirements the Assistant Director will contact the Northwestern University Registrar’s Office and request that the students’ diploma be printed and the degree posted to their transcript.

Exit Surveys

All MSHE students will be required to complete SESP and MSHE exit surveys by the required deadlines. All students will receive communication regarding deadlines.

Technology To-Do’s Before You Graduate

What happens to your Northwestern email, your NetID, and your access to Northwestern online resources once you’ve graduated? Check out this helpful video produced by NUIT to find out!

Commencement v. Convocation

If you hear the word ‘Commencement’, this is the ceremony where ALL NU grads assemble in the stadium, NU President Morty Shapiro speaks, and each NU school (including SESP) is recognized en masse. You do not need a ticket, but all your guests do in order to enter the stadium. You can get a maximum of 10 tickets online.

‘Convocation’ refers to the School of Education and Social Policy’s ceremony, which is held on the same day (afternoon) as the all-NU Commencement. Any student who will graduated in Winter or Spring or will be graduating in Summer or Fall of a given academic year may walk in that year’s ceremony–e.g., a student graduating in Fall (December) 2017 could technically walk in the June 2017 ceremony. For students who are going to complete the program after the actual commencement/convocation takes place–such as Summer (August) or Fall (December) graduates, they must complete a Permission to Participate form, and this information will be communicated via email to all graduating students.

Read all Graduation E-Mails

The best way to ensure you know all you need to know regarding graduation is to be sure you read all emails sent from SESP and MSHE about commencement and convocation. In those emails, you will find crucial information with regard to, but limited to, the following:

• Tickets for NU Commencement and SESP Convocation
• Exit surveys
• Regalia Pick Up
• MSHE Graduation Luncheon
• MSHE Group Photo
• Directions for Lining Up Up for Convocation
• Post-convocation reception
• Returning Regalia

Transcript Requests

Unofficial Transcripts

Students can obtain unofficial transcripts by logging into CAESAR and selecting “My Academics” (under the “Academics” banner.) From there you will be directed to the “Unofficial Transcript Request” page.

Official Transcripts

An official transcript bears the University Seal and a signature certifying its authenticity. To request an official transcript (available in paper or electronic form), visit the Northwestern University Registrar’s website.