Graduation and Degree Conferral

Expected Graduation Term (EGT)

Your Expected Graduation Term (aka "EGT") is the term in which you expect to file your dissertation. To be eligible for filing, your EGT must be the current term in which you intend to file. You may update your EGT using the eForm available in CalCentral (My Dashboard > Student Resources Card > Change of Expected Graduation Term Request).

Commencement

The School of Social Welfare’s Commencement Ceremony is held at the conclusion of the spring semester each year. Details about the ceremony are posted on our Social Welfare Commencement website in early January.

Doctoral candidates who will have their PhD degree conferred in the current academic year (fall, spring, or summer) are eligible to participate in our Spring Commencement Ceremony. Since a complete draft of the dissertation is due to the dissertation committee two months before filing, students planning to participate in the spring graduation ceremony should note the implicit March cut-off for participation in commencement, and plan accordingly.

Degree Conferral

Your official degree conferral date is not the date on which you submit your dissertation. Degrees are officially awarded three times a year, in May, August and December. Your degree will be posted to your transcript approximately 10 weeks after the conferral date of your degree. For salary or employment purposes, however, you have completed all requirements for the PhD on the date you file your dissertation with the Graduate Division. You may request a “Certificate of Degree Completion” from the Graduate Division once your dissertation is accepted.

Diplomas

Diplomas are automatically mailed free of charge from the Office of the Registrar four months after graduation to the address you have on file in CalCentral. Once you no longer have access to campus student systems you may submit a Diploma Mailing Request Form. For more information please visit Office of the Registrar: Transcripts and Diplomas.

Verification of Enrollment or Degrees

You may request Student Self-Service Enrollment Verification or Official Verification of Attendance and Degrees directly from the Office of the Registrar; for information and instructions please visit Verification of Enrollment/Degrees.