Graduation is having earned eligibility to receive an academic degree or diploma. You must satisfy all of your degree requirements before you officially graduate and receive your diploma.
Commencement is the actual ceremony in which degrees or diplomas are conferred on graduating students. Commencement is not a certification of graduation, but rather a ceremony that celebrates your academic achievements.
Yes. Anyone graduating from the University is required to pay the degree completion fee.
The degree completion fee is a Northwest fee that assists with costs related to graduation and commencement. These costs include but are not limited to:
The legal student’s name, degree earned, major(s) and scholastic honors appear on the diploma. Minors do not appear on the diploma but are on the transcript. Students completing multiple majors within the same degree type receive one diploma.
Graduates will be mailed their diploma within six to eight weeks after the final date of the semester. Diplomas are mailed to the permanent address provided on the application for degree that you submitted to the Office of the Registrar or the Graduate Office. Any change in address should be reported to the Office of the Registrar at registrar@nwmissouri.edu.
If you do not receive an informational email and believe you should, contact the Office of the Registrar at 660.562.1151 to check your status, or send an email to commencement@nwmissouri.edu.
A reader's card is included with your cap and gown at pickup. The reader's card will have your name printed on it with an area to write phonetic spelling. If you think the reader will have difficulty pronouncing your name, complete the phonetic spelling area in clear print. Example: Bobby Bearcat (Ba-bee Bear-cat).
A check-in table will be located near cap and gown pickup prior to the commencement ceremony. The check-in table is where you can make any changes to your name and degree information on your reader's card.
Graduates should arrive no less than 30 minutes before the ceremony if you need to pick up your cap and gown. The commencement coordinator begins to line up graduates in the Student Recreation Center 15 minutes before the time of the ceremony.
All participants should check in at the Student Recreation Center located in the Lamkin Activity Center.
Graduates will be seated on the floor and guests in the bleachers.
The commencement coordinator will line you up in the Student Recreation Center before the ceremony begins. From there, you will be led down the hallway and into the arena. If you want to sit beside a friend, make sure they are lined up in front or behind you.
You may dress in business casual clothing.
Your tassel will begin on the right side of your cap. During the commencement ceremony, the president confers degrees and will direct you to move the tassel from the right to the left side of your cap.
The commencement ceremony will be approximately 75 minutes.
There is no limit to how many guests you may bring.
If you have questions, contact us at commencement@nwmissouri.edu.
