Planning for Graduation and Beyond

Graduation is not automatic! You must submit the online Application for Graduation, which is found on Student Access.

• If you submit an application for graduation past the deadline listed for the quarter below, it will be moved to the following quarter.
• Double majors outside of ICS must also abide to the graduation application deadlines in the other School(s).
• If you did not submit your graduation application on time but you have finished all of your degree requirements, you can submit a graduation application for the next quarter and graduate in absentia if you do not plan to take any more courses. A $70 fee will be charged for certification at the end of the graduating quarter.

More information can be found on the Registrar website.

The graduation application deadlines for ICS are as follows:

To be eligible for graduation, you must meet the following requirements:

• University: completion of all University Requirements as outlined in the General Catalogue.
• School and Major: completion of all courses required for your School and Major
• Units: credit for a minimum of 180 quarter units.
• GPA: 2.0 cumulative, 2.0 in your major requirements, and 2.0 in the upper-division courses in your major, including your specialization.
• Senior Residency: 36 of the final 45 units completed for the bachelor’s degree must be earned in residence at the UCI campus  (exceptions include courses taken through the Education Abroad Program, the UCDC Academic Internship Program, or the UC Center Sacramento Scholar Intern Program).

More information can be found in the General Catalogue.

Please be aware that students are ultimately responsible for making sure they are on track and meet all graduate requirements.

Pending: (beginning of the quarter) your graduation application is submitted.

Received: (by mid-quarter) an ICS counselor reviewed your application and finds it feasible for you to complete your remaining degree requirements during your proposed quarter of graduation.

Certified: (4-6 weeks after the end of the quarter) all your final grades have been posted and you have completed all degree requirements. Your application will be sent to the Registrar’s office for final certification.

Academic honors at graduation are Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Cum Laude. Of the graduating seniors, no more than 16 percent will receive academic honors: approximately 2 percent summa cum laude, 4 percent magna cum laude, and 10 percent cum laude. All are awarded on the basis of academic performance.

The student’s cumulative record at the end of the final quarter is the basis for consideration for awarding Latin Honors. In order to qualify for Honors, you must have a minimum of 72 units in residence at UCI. You will be notified by our office via email once we have the official GPA cutoffs for Latin Honors (timing varies each year).

Latin honors designations are finalized after your final quarter grades are determined. Students who are eligible for latin honors based on the previous quarter’s grades may see their designation go up, down, or off the latin honors scale.

More information can be found on the Registrar website.

For questions regarding the graduation ceremony, please contact the UCI Commencement Office.

• Students graduating in Fall of the current year may participate in the Fall Commencement Ceremony. For students that graduate in Fall of the academic year, they may also decide to participate in the June Commencement Ceremony, as long as they did not register or attend the Fall ceremony.
• Students graduating in Winter or Spring may participate in the Spring Commencement Ceremonies.
• Students graduating in Summer may choose to participate in the previous Spring ceremony or wait for Fall Commencement Ceremony.

To be eligible to participate in the Commencement Ceremony, you must submit an Application for Graduation by the stated deadlines. If you miss this deadline, you may not be able to reserve Commencement tickets for your guests and your name will not appear in the Commencement Program.

Students are issued one diploma for each degree awarded.

• Minors and specializations are not included on the diploma but are posted on academic transcripts.
• Latin Honors and Campuswide Honors are posted on both the diploma and academic transcripts.
• University Honors are not included on diplomas, but are posted to academic transcripts.

Diplomas are typically available four months after the end of the quarter in which the student graduated. The Registrar’s Office will notify you by mail when your diploma is available.

Degrees are posted on official transcripts approximately six to seven weeks after the end of the quarter in which they are awarded. The degree award date is the last day of the graduating term, or for Summer Session, the last day of Summer Session II.

More information regarding obtaining your diploma can be found on the Registrar’s website.

If you are interested in pursuing graduate school, these are your next steps:

• Research universities and graduate programs to find the ones most suited to your goals and interests.
• The UCI Division of Career Pathways offers a range of services for those considering graduate school, including: resource materials for graduate school research, tips for preparation and application, and an online Letter of Recommendation service.

Once you have narrowed down your choices, be sure to contact those programs directly for information. Every school is different! If possible, try to speak with staff, faculty, and even current students in those programs to learn more about what graduate life is like there.

• You may make an appointment to speak with an ICS graduate counselor for additional advice and guidance.
• Watch this helpful video where ICS faculty talk about the grad school application process, and ICS grad students share their experiences.

The UCI Division of Career Pathways offers a range of services for those looking for jobs, including tips for building a strong resume and cover letter, preparing for interviews, and job search strategies.

Check out UCI Handshake for current job opportunities.