Conferring Degrees and Awarding Diplomas
Degrees are conferred and diplomas are awarded at the end of the Summer, Fall and Spring semesters. Formal commencement exercises take place at the end of the Fall and Spring semesters (please refer to the Academic Calendar for the respective commencement ceremony date). Students graduating in the summer are invited to participate in the next designated commencement ceremony (please refer to the Academic Calendar for the respective commencement ceremony date). Diplomas are mailed to the student after the official graduation audit period barring any outstanding administrative obligations to Concordia-Chicago.
Intent to Graduate
The "Intent to Graduate/Complete" application triggers the degree or program completion processes, which includes degree and program completion audits. All students who intend to complete their program or degree must file an Intent to Graduate by the deadline. An “Intent to Graduate/Complete” application, found in Banner Self-Service, must be submitted electronically to the Office of the Registrar no later than the posted deadline. Deadlines for filing the Intent:
- Summer graduation/completion: June 1
- Fall graduation/completion: October 1
- Spring graduation/completion: March 1
Students who miss the deadline to file an intent have a right to file an appeal to be recognized for candidacy. The policy and process are found in CUConnect. All appeals are carefully reviewed and researched before a decision is made. Please note there is no guarantee that an appeal will be granted. Students will be notified of the decision via their CUC email by the Office of the Registrar within 5 business days of the appeal deadline. All decisions are final.
Commencement Ceremony Attendance
Students who have a hold on their account will not be allowed to participate in the Commencement Ceremony. If the student who planned to participate in the Commencement Ceremony has had extraordinary expenses that have not allowed them to meet their financial responsibility to CUC, they can submit an appeal to the Office of Student Business Services at least two weeks before the Commencement Ceremony. If the appeal is approved, the student has to complete a payment plan agreement with the Office of Student Business Services to participate in the Commencement Ceremony.
Graduates Walking Early
Due to extenuating circumstances, a student may participate early in a commencement ceremony if the student needs 6 credits or less to complete his/her degree in the semester immediately following the anticipated commencement ceremony. An Intent to Graduate/Complete Application (available in Concordia Connect) and a written appeal must be submitted to Commencement@cuchicago.edu by the respective deadlines.
Please note there is no guarantee that an appeal will be granted. Participation in the commencement ceremony does not equate to degree completion. A student will not receive their degree until all outstanding academic requirements are complete and audited. A student may only participate in one commencement ceremony per degree program.
- File an Intent to Graduate before the designated deadline.
- Complete the designated credit hours as detailed in the curriculum, relevant to the individual’s degree program.
- Attain the required cumulative GPA designated by the College in which the student is enrolled.
- Complete residency requirements.
- A passing score on the Illinois State Licensure Test(s) (taken prior to student teaching for those seeking licensure).
- For your endorsement’s specific test requirement please refer to ISBE’s webpage (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Professional-Educator-License.aspx) or contact the Licensure Officer at licensure@cuchicago.edu
- A passing score on the EdTPA (for those seeking licensure).
- In addition to satisfying the overall minimum credits for a given degree, major, minor, and special programs such as Concordia Honors Program or Pre-Seminary Program course requirements are also necessary, if they have been declared. Deficiency in any area of the program will delay awarding the degree and require a new intent to graduate is filed in alignment with completion of requirements. Students may elect to drop minors or other programs if they present an obstacle for graduation, however, the term assigned to awarding degrees will be consistent with the term the program change is submitted. Please note, students are subject to additional fees when subsequent intent forms are filed.
Residence Requirements for Graduation
At least one academic year (30 hours) of study in residence on campus will be required for graduation, preferably the last year before graduation. At least 15 of the last 30 hours in the student’s program must be taken in residence; at least five of the last 30 hours must be taken in residence within five years prior to graduation. Half of the hours in each major must be done in residence. These residency requirements may be waived in whole or in part when a student is enrolled in a collaborative program that CUC has officially approved through a consortium or contractual agreement with a partnering institution.
Graduation with Honors
For graduation with honors a student must have earned at least 60 hours in residency at CUC, (64 if student is coded under an older catalog year) including the final semester before graduation. At least 42 of the 60 hours must be GPA hours. The cumulative grade-point average will include only work completed at Concordia-Chicago, excluding the last semester prior to graduation. For honors cords to be worn at the ceremony the GPA and residency hours are calculated from the term before graduation. For awarding the degree and posting to transcripts, they are calculated after all final grades are posted at the end of the final term attending CUC.
| GPA Range | Honor |
|---|---|
| 3.90 - 4.00 | summa cum laude |
| 3.70 - 3.89 | magna cum laude |
| 3.50 - 3.69 | cum laude |