The Doctoral Degree and the Master’s Degree
A graduate degree is awarded to students who satisfy all university degree requirements and all requirements established by each degree program. In order to participate in graduation ceremonies, a student must be receiving a degree during the spring or upcoming summer semester or have received a degree within the last academic year. Students who expect to receive a degree in the upcoming summer semester must meet additional ceremony participation eligibility requirements. Students may only participate in one ceremony. Please see the General Requirements that follow as well as specific degree requirements, which are set forth in the program descriptions in this catalog.
The Graduate Certificate and the Post-Master’s Certificate
A graduate or post-master’s certificate is awarded to students who satisfy all certificate requirements established by each program and as set forth in the program descriptions in this catalog. Certificate students are not eligible to participate in graduation ceremonies unless they have completed their certificate in conjunction with a degree program. Please see General Requirements, which follow, as well.
General Requirements
Academic certification: Certification for graduation by a student’s dean and the registrar must be obtained prior to degree conferral.
Application for graduation: A graduation application must be received by the Office of the Registrar by the posted deadline.
Completion requirement: For a graduate degree or certificate less than or equal to 60 credits, coursework must be completed at Marymount University within five years of the date of matriculation into the program. For programs greater than 60 credits, coursework must be completed at Marymount University within seven years of the date of matriculation into the program. Students not meeting this requirement must have permission from the program director to continue. School/program ramifications (i.e., retaking outdated courses, considering program changes) may result.
Documentation: All final documentation must be received by the Office of the Registrar no later than 30 days after the degree conferral date for that semester. Documentation includes such items as official transcripts, test scores, completion of incompletes and in progress grades, and grade changes. Dissertations must be submitted to the library no later than 30 days after the degree conferral date for that semester.
Final grades: Students receiving a grade of I in the semester in which they apply to graduate must complete the outstanding work within the time designated by the instructor, but no later than 30 days after degrees are conferred for that semester.
Students transferring credits from another institution in the semester in which they apply to graduate must submit final official transcripts to the Office of the Registrar no later than 30 days after degrees are conferred for that semester.
Financial obligations: All financial obligations must be met prior to receiving a diploma. These include parking fines, credit holds, tuition, etc.
Minimum grade point average (GPA): A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better must be obtained for the awarding of any graduate degree or certificate.
Program requirements: The total number of credits required to earn a degree or certificate varies by program. Please consult individual program sections in this catalog. Marymount University requires successful completion of all coursework associated with a student’s degree or certificate program. The requirements to be met are stated in this catalog. This includes obtaining minimum grades for courses as stipulated in other sections of this catalog.
A student who cannot successfully fulfill the requirements of a program will be dismissed from the program. If the student is otherwise in good academic standing, the student may remain at the university by seeking admission to another program.
Graduation and Commencement
Degrees are conferred in May, August, and December. There is one formal Commencement ceremony in May.
A student must submit a graduation application (available online in Marynet) by the posted deadline. NOTE: The completion of a graduation application does not guarantee that a student will graduate. The Office of the Registrar will complete a student's degree audit once a student applies to graduate. The degree audit will determine if a student is eligible to graduate.
Graduation applications submitted after the posted deadline will be processed at the discretion of the university and are subject to a late processing fee. Students who submit the application after the published deadline may not receive their diplomas by the close of the semester, may not graduate until the next graduation date, and — in the spring semester — may not be listed in the Commencement program and may not participate in Commencement exercises.
Students who do not meet graduation requirements at the end of the semester in which a graduation application was submitted will automatically have their application moved to the next semester provided they can complete their requirements within the maximum period for degree completion. Students who are unable to complete their degree requirements within the maximum period for completion must obtain permission from the program director to continue. For any delays beyond one semester, the student must submit a new application and indicate the new anticipated graduation date.
Participation in the Commencement ceremony held in May is open to students who have applied to graduate in the current spring semester, the preceding fall semester, or the preceding summer semester. Students may only participate in one Commencement ceremony.
In addition, students who are not in the Ed.D., D.Sc., and D.B.A.* and need to take no more than 9 credits during the upcoming summer semester to complete their degree requirements may also participate in the previous May Commencement ceremony if they meet both of the following conditions:
- They complete an application for graduation by the designated deadline.
- The Office of the Registrar confirms that the student needs to complete their degree requirements in the summer semester immediately following Commencement.
No exceptions or exemptions to these two conditions will be made or given.
*NOTE: Ed.D., D.Sc., and D.B.A. program students must have completed and defended their dissertations before they may participate in a Commencement ceremony.
Posthumous Degrees
A posthumous degree is an official Marymount degree that is awarded to a deceased student in recognition of the student’s academic achievement. The criteria for the award are established in order to uphold academic and institutional integrity. All posthumous degrees must be submitted by the dean to the provost for approval. A posthumous degree may be awarded if, at the time of the student’s death, they were enrolled in Marymount University, were in good academic standing, and were nearing completion of the requirements in the major degree program.
Any student who at the time of death was in good standing in a graduate degree program and had completed approximately two-thirds of the requirements toward a graduate degree or certificate at Marymount University shall, upon recommendation by the faculty of the program and approval of the dean and provost, be awarded the degree posthumously.
Diplomas
Diplomas for all graduates (fall, spring, and summer) are typically mailed by the Office of the Registrar within 8-12 weeks of the conferral date of the graduating semester, provided the graduation application has been submitted in a timely manner.
Diplomas are issued in the student’s legal name as it appears in official university records. Diplomas are mailed at no charge. Diplomas are withheld from students who have unsettled obligations to the university.
Diploma Replacement Policy
A replacement diploma in the name of the student as it appeared at the original time of issue will be provided upon written request by the student, return of the damaged diploma if possible, and payment of a $90 replacement fee. The replacement will include appropriate dates, signatures, and notations where possible. If the student’s name has been legally changed by marriage or court order, a new diploma may be issued upon written request. This request must include legal proof of the name change and payment of the fee.