Getting to Graduation
Getting to Graduation for Graduate Students
Graduate school offers enough challenges as it is without also having to figure out what else you need to do in order to graduate. This page provides guidance to graduate students in the key areas needed to ensure successful graduation (assuming all graduation requirements are completed). The Office of Graduate Studies is here to assist you in navigating your way to graduation, so please contact us if you have questions or concerns!
Graduation Requirements
It is the student's responsibility to ensure that all degree requirements have been completed; see the Graduate Catalog for complete details. To be approved for graduation, a student must:
- successfully complete all course requirements
- have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater
- successfully complete a Culminating Academic Experience (see below)
- be enrolled for the semester in which graduating
- submit appropriate paperwork within deadlines
Degree Evaluation
Students can review their Degree Evaluation in BannerWeb to see which of the academic requirements listed above have been met (Degree Evaluations are being updated to reflect Culminating Academic Experience options). See Degree Evaluation Information for Students (PDF) for step-by-step instructions. The Degree Evaluation is only a tool; if you feel there is an error, please contact your advisor.
Style Guide Resources
Each graduate program determines which style guide or style manual (e.g., APA, MLA, AMA) must be followed when writing a thesis or capstone project. A style guide is used to ensure consistency throughout a document and provides guidance on formatting, organization, and how to cite references, but it also may go further and provide guidance on ethical writing and how to write clearly.
APA
Official APA Style Guide site - provides the basics and quick answers from the source
UC Library's Citing Your Sources site - provides links to a quick guide and full guide
Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) - a wonderful secondary APA resource
MLA
UC Library's Citing Your Sources site - provides links to a quick guide and full guide
Official MLA Style Guide site
Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) - a wonderful MLA resource
AMA
UC Library's Citing Your Sources site - provides links to a quick guide and full guide
Official AMA Style Guide site
Culminating Academic Experience Options
In keeping with the requirements of the New York State Department of Education, Utica College requires that all graduate students complete research or a comparable occupational or professional experience, which the College calls Culminating Academic Experiences (CAEs). Each graduate program determines which experience option(s) are available to students in the program (e.g., thesis, capstone project, comprehensive exam, portfolio/dossier). At Utica College, individual graduate programs have program-specific research requirements. Click the CAE link above for information about the options and broad definitions for each.
Graduation Deadlines
Graduate students must abide by the published Graduation Deadlines (link also to the left). Also see the Forms link to the left for specific forms students need to complete in order to graduate, including the need to Apply for Degree in the semester in which you anticipate completing your degree requirements.
Step by Step Guide to Completing a Thesis/Capstone Project
This Step by Step Guide walks students through the key components of the thesis/capstone project process and includes a visual flow chart of the process.
Template for Thesis/Capstone Project
This Word document template can be used by students who start writing their thesis/capstone project. The margins, pagination, and justification are preset according to the Formatting and Submission Guide, which must be followed in order for a thesis or capstone project to be accepted by the College. Just open the document, replace the variable information (often in square brackets -- [xx]), and start typing your text!
Roles of the Student and Committee Members
There are many responsibilities of students, faculty, and other readers in the thesis/capstone process. Anyone involved in the creation and reviewing of a thesis/capstone project should be well informed of what is expected of them. Here is a general description of the roles of the student and committee members (coming soon), although specific graduate programs may have different expectations.
Resources and Support for Theses/Capstone Projects
Information regarding resources and support specifically for students working on their thesis or capstone project at Utica College, including style guide information (such as APA 6th Edition) and quick steps to finding UC students' theses and capstone projects in the UC Library.
Commencement Ceremony
Although students can graduate three times a year (May, August, and December), there is only one Commencement Ceremony per year, which is held in May. Graduate students have a separate Commencement Ceremony from the undergraduates, and they must notify Utica College by RSVPing by the deadline if they plan on participating. Visit the Commencement website for more information about the ceremony.
