Students who are close to completing their degree should apply to graduate the semester before they plan to finish.

The suggested timeline to follow is:

• May 1 for Fall or January semester graduation

• December 1 for Spring semester graduation

• February 1 for Summer semester graduation.

Students should use the Apply for Graduation drop-down link in the Student Information System (SIS) to apply for the degree to be conferred. 

The commencement ceremony signup is a separate step, which can be completed by clicking on the link found at the end of the online Graduation Application form.  If you miss this step initially, simply go back to SIS later and use the Edit Commencement Info drop-down link to complete the appropriate fields.

Students may walk in one of two ceremonies.

• December (for fall or January graduates who complete courses in December or in January)
• May (for spring or summer graduates who complete courses in May for spring, or any session in June, July or August in summer).

Degree

The degree awarded and reflected on the diploma will be a Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.), Master of Athletic Training (M.A.T.), Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Master of Science (M.S.), Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.), or Master of Social Work (M.S.W.). The area of study for either degree is reflected on the academic transcript including Applied Leadership for Teaching & Learning, Applied Biotechnology, Athletic Training, Business Administration, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Environmental Science and Policy, First Nations Education, Health and Wellness Management, Management, Nursing Leadership and Management, Social Work, Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology or Sustainable Management.

• Degrees are posted to a record (academic transcript) as soon as all grades are awarded, the culminating graduate experience is finished and all degree requirements are completed.
• Diplomas are printed and mailed approximately four to six weeks after the official semester ends.

Credits Required

All programs require a minimum of 30 credits completed towards a UW-Green Bay graduate degree, however some programs may require more credits (30-61 credits) to meet full degree requirements.  

Culminating Graduate Experience

Students must complete a Thesis/Capstone level course in order to be awarded a Graduate Degree. Once the student enrolls in this course the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay requires enrollment in this course until completion. Details on specific courses for each program are provided within the Graduate Catalog under Courses and Related Policies.

Grades

• All courses and assigned studies are graded on a 4.0 scale. A cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 is required to earn the Ed.D. or M.S. degree.
• Thesis credits are given a grade of either “P” or “NC.” In a student’s final semester, a grade of “PR” can be assigned at the time grades are due if the student has not completed the thesis defense by the end of the semester. This grade is replaced with either a “P” or “NC” grade when the student completes the defense. A passing grade (P) must be achieved in order to graduate.
• Students are expected to maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0. Students who fail to maintain this average are subject to probation and or suspension as specified in the Graduate Academic Rules and Regulations.
• Students must earn a semester grade of C or higher in a graduate course for the credits to count toward fulfilment of graduate program requirements at UW-Green Bay. Individual programs may have a more rigorous grading scale than presented by the Office of Graduate Studies. 

Honors designations are not awarded at the Graduate level.

Time Limit

• Matriculated graduate students must complete all requirements for their graduate degree within five years if completing a masters degree or within seven years if completing a doctorate degree, and with continuous enrollment.
• If a student is unable to complete their degree within the time limit allowed, they may complete a Completion Deadline Extension form. 
• This time period begins with the first day of the first term of enrollment as a graduate degree-seeking student. The time period will restart if a student is readmitted to a program after a period of two or more semesters (fall and spring) away from the university.  
• All returning students must be an enrolled student for the semester in which they wish to graduate. This also pertains to returning students who have already met the credit requirement for their degree.