AP.4 Degree Application, Conferral and Graduation

AP.4.1 Application for Degree

In the semester prior to the expected completion of degree requirements, students must confirm their intent to graduate through Patriot Web. The deadline to apply to graduate is generally three to four months prior to the conferral date. Specific deadlines and complete instructions regarding graduation are published on the Office of the University Registrar's website. Separate applications for each graduate degree or certificate are required.

For a degree to be conferred, all coursework for the degree must be completed. All students must complete the following degree requirements prior to the conferral (graduation) date: credit-by-exam, oral exams, theses, scholarly papers, and comprehensive exams. Students in doctoral programs must also complete internship/practicum requirements prior to the conferral date. Master's theses and doctoral dissertations are due in the library well before the conferral date. For more information visit the University Dissertation & Thesis Services web page.

Students must have active registration status in the semester or summer term of graduation. Students not registered for coursework in the term of graduation must obtain a special registration. (For more information, see AP.1 Registration and Attendance.) Doctoral students completing a dissertation must be registered for 999 and Master's students completing a thesis must be registered for 799 in accordance with AP.6 of the University Catalog. Degree applications will not be automatically extended if graduation is postponed; students must reapply for each conferral date.

AP.4.2 Degree Conferral

Mason awards degrees and certificates in programs and at levels authorized by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). The university confers degrees at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. An academic program may include a degree program and additional majors, minors, or certificates. The university offers no certificate program below the bachelor level; some post baccalaureate certificates, however, may be awarded concurrently with the bachelor's degree. For more information, see listings in Find Your Program.

AP.4.2.1 Definitions of Degree Components

  • Degree program, major, or field: A program of study that normally requires at least 30 credits of coursework. The primary program name (degree and major as well as any concentrations) appears on the diploma for bachelor's and master's degrees. Only the degree name appears for doctoral degrees. An undergraduate who desires to graduate with a BA, BS, or BSEd degree in two or more subjects must meet the requirements for the major in each subject. For each major, at least 18 credits used to fulfill its requirements must be applied only to that major, i.e., cannot be used to fulfill the requirements of a concentration, minor, undergraduate certificate, or another major. For policies on graduate degrees, refer to AP.6 of the University Catalog.
  • Concentration: A second-order component of a degree program. A concentration consists of at least 12 hours that are not applied to any other concentration. Concentrations are approved by the Undergraduate Council at the undergraduate level or by the Graduate Council at the graduate level.
  • Certificate: A program of study, distinct from a degree program, that requires at least 15 unique undergraduate or 12-24 graduate credits. For each undergraduate certificate, at least 15 credits used to fulfill its requirements cannot be used to fulfill the requirements of a major, concentration, minor, or another undergraduate certificate. The name of a completed certificate program appears on the transcript after the conferral of an undergraduate degree. Certificates and certificate concentrations are approved by the Undergraduate Council at the undergraduate level or by the Graduate Council at the graduate level. For policies on graduate certificates, refer to AP.6 of the University Catalog.
  • Minor: A complement to a bachelor's degree program or major normally requiring at least 15 credits in a field other than the student's major. Of the courses presented for a minor, at least 8 credits must be applied only to that minor and may not be used to fulfill requirements of the student's major, concentration, an undergraduate certificate, or another minor. When coursework for a minor is used to fulfill a component of a major, only those credits in excess of the 30 required for a major may be applied to the requirement for unique credits.

AP.4.2.2 Catalog Requirements for Degrees

Catalog year refers to the setting of course and non-course requirements within academic programs as stated in the school and college section of a specific catalog. Catalog year does not set academic policies other than program requirements in place, however. For more information, see the Knowledge of University Policies section of the Student Rights and Responsibilities page. Not all programs and degree components are available in all catalogs. For any one degree, all requirements must be met as stated in a single catalog. The only exception is that Bachelor's degree students may select a minor from another catalog year for which they are eligible, as noted below.

Bachelor's degree candidates may choose to graduate under the terms of any catalog in effect during their enrollment in degree status. Students who have been inactive for two or more years or who have attended another institution without prior approval from their academic dean or director must graduate under a catalog in effect at or after their re-admission and during their enrollment in degree status.

Master's and doctoral degree candidates who have been continuously enrolled may choose to graduate under the terms of any catalog in effect during their enrollment in degree status. Students who have been inactive more than one year, however, may be required by their program to graduate under a catalog in effect after they have been granted permission to re-enroll. In no case may a student choose the requirements of a future catalog year that take effect after the student's degree is anticipated.

AP.4.3 Graduation

Graduation ceremonies provide opportunities for students and their families to celebrate an important academic milestone. There is no graduation ceremony in summer. Bachelor's and master's degree candidates who declare their intent to graduate in August but who have not yet completed all degree requirements may participate in the spring graduation ceremonies in anticipation of degree completion. Doctoral candidates who apply for graduation in August are not eligible to participate in the spring ceremony. Doctoral students may particpate in the spring ceremony only if they have successfully completed all degree requirements, including defending and submitting a signed, final copy of their dissertation by the deadline.

Note: Students who wish to participate should check GMU Events for current information about all graduation details including tickets, regalia, and schedules.

AP.4.4 Posthumous Conferrals 

A posthumous degree or certificate is an official Mason degree or certificate, as applicable, that is awarded to a deceased student in recognition of the student’s academic achievement. The criteria for the award, listed below, are established in order to uphold academic and institutional integrity.

If a student does not qualify for a posthumous degree or certificate, an “In Memoriam” Recognition may be awarded to a student in good academic standing. Either award is subject to final review by the Provost.

Criteria for Posthumous Degrees and Certificates

A posthumous degree or certificate may be awarded if, at the time of the student’s death, they were enrolled in George Mason University, were in good academic standing, and were nearing completion of the requirements in the major degree or certificate program.

  • Undergraduate: The student must have completed 90 credit hours, with at least 30 credit hours completed at Mason.
  • Graduate - Certificates: The student must have been admitted into a degree-seeking status; completed at least 80% of the credit hours required for the certificate program, with more than half of the required minimum credits for the certificate program completed at Mason; and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 which does not include more than 3 credits of C.
  • Graduate – Masters: The student must have been admitted into a degree-seeking status; completed at least 80% of the credit hours required for the degree, with more than half of the required minimum credits for the degree completed at Mason; and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 which does not include more than 6 credits of C.

    If the degree requirements include a thesis, the student must have completed sufficient research or scholarship such that a thesis or one or more articles can be prepared. The student’s thesis committee must approve the thesis or article(s) and recommend granting the degree.
  • Graduate – Doctoral: The student must have advanced to candidacy; completed all coursework required for the degree with more than half of the required minimum credits completed at Mason and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 which does not include more than 6 credits of C; and must have completed a full draft of the dissertation. The student’s dissertation committee must determine that the dissertation could have been defended and recommend granting the degree.