Graduation
Check here for information about DU and GSSW graduation policies and procedures. Visit our Events page for information about DU Commencement ceremonies.
Commencement: Commencement is the symbolic ceremony held by the University to mark the beginning of your new professional life. DU holds Commencement ceremonies in June and August each year. Participation in Commencement ceremonies does not mean you have completed/earned your degree. Learn More.
Graduation or to graduate: Graduation marks the completion and formal conferral of an academic degree. This is when DU officially confers your degree. It means your degree is reflected on your transcript and is a part of your record. This happens only after final grades are posted and successful completion of all degree requirements is verified. Grades are posted after Commencement.
Graduation Process & Application Deadlines
Graduation occurs at the conclusion of each academic quarter. Students are required to apply for graduation consideration. Pending verification of successful completion, degrees are officially conferred on the last day of each quarter. View academic calendars.
*Reminder, graduation and commencement are two different things. See the above definitions of each.*
Application Deadlines:
- Apply for graduation via MyDU by the deadlines listed below:
- Winter Quarter 2025: September 16, 2024*
- Spring Quarter 2025: January 13, 2025*
- Summer Quarter 2025: April 7, 2025*
- Fall Quarter 2025: June 23, 2025
- Winter Quarter 2026: September 15, 2025
- Spring Quarter 2026: January 12, 2026
- *If it is past the deadline, please apply via the Late Graduation Application.
Students in the Denver Campus Program: If you have a certificate, you must fill out two separate graduation applications: one for your MSW and one for your certificate.
Graduation Process:
- Graduation evaluations begin after registration. The GSSW Registrar team manually reviews the records and degree requirements of each candidate. All students are notified of their status by the first week of their last quarter.
- During the final week of their last quarter students are sent a reminder of the graduation process.
- After grades post, the GSSW Registrar’s Office begins the degree certification process.
- Degrees are awarded 4–6 weeks after grades post.
- Students can order transcripts when they see their degree is awarded (via their student profile).
- Diplomas are mailed out 8 weeks after grades post.
- Please ensure your mailing address is correct. You may update your address by accessing MyDU. Log in to MyDU, type My Person Profile in the search box. Then click Personal Information to update your mailing address.
- If you do not receive your diploma 8 weeks after grades post, please email registrar@du.edu with your name, your program, and your DU ID.
- Please help us enhance career support for current and future GSSW students, by reporting your post-graduate employment information to our Career Services team via this link.
Information regarding DU commencement can be found here.
How do I verify my degree posted?
You can verify your graduation application on your MyDU Student Profile. You will see a section entitled “Graduation Information,” which will list your active graduation applications. After conferral, your degree will also populate in this section.
You can verify your grades or whether your degree has posted via your unofficial transcripts (accessible on your Student Profile). If you do not see a grade posted, reach out to your instructor right away.
When you see the awarded degree, term, and degree date, your degree will be posted and you can order official transcripts.
By Quarter Graduation Updates:
-
Winter Quarter 2025 Graduation Candidates (March)
General Process:
- Graduation evaluations begin at the end of October. The GSSW Registrar team will manually review records and degree requirements of each candidate. All students will be notified of their status by Friday, 11/22/2024.
- After grades post, the GSSW Registrar team begins the degree certification process to award degrees (more details below).
- Grades post Friday, 03/28/2025.
- Winter Quarter candidates participate in Spring 2025 Commencement, Friday, 06/13/2025.
- Information regarding DU commencement can be found here.
Degree Certification Process:
- Winter Quarter 2025 grades are due Thursday, 03/27/2025 at 10pm. The next day, the GSSW Registrar team will begin the degree certification process. Your degree will post 4-6 weeks after grades post with the conferral day of March, 21, 2025.
- You can order transcripts as soon as you see your degree awarded, via your student profile. You will NOT be notified when your degree posts. You will need to monitor your student profile. (Directions above)
- ***Be careful when you order transcripts. If you order before your degree is awarded, no degree will be listed and you will have to order again.
- Diplomas are mailed out 8 weeks after grades post (Late-May 2025).
- Please ensure your mailing address is correct. You may update your address by accessing MyDU. Log in to MyDU, type My Person Profile in the search box. Then click Personal Information to update your mailing address.
- If you do not receive your diploma 8 weeks after grades post, please email registrar@du.edu with your name, your program, and your DU ID.
- Please help us enhance career support for current and future GSSW students, by reporting your post-graduate employment information to our Career Services team via this link.
Commencement:
- Winter Quarter candidates participate in Spring 2025 Commencement, Friday, 06/13/2025.
- Information regarding DU commencement can be found here
-
Spring Quarter 2025 Graduation Candidates (June)
General Process:
- Graduation evaluations begin at the end of February. The GSSW Registrar team will manually review records and degree requirements of each candidate. All students will be notified of their status by Friday, 03/28/2025.
- After grades post, the GSSW Registrar team begins the degree certification process to award degrees (more details below).
- Grades post Friday, 06/20/2025.
- Spring Quarter candidates participate in Spring 2025 Commencement, Friday, 06/13/2025.
- Information regarding DU commencement can be found here.
Degree Certification Process:
- Spring Quarter 2025 grades are due Thursday, 06/19/2025 at 10pm. The next day, the GSSW Registrar team will begin the degree certification process. Your degree will post 4-6 weeks after grades post with the conferral day of June 12, 2025.
- You can order transcripts as soon as you see your degree awarded, via your student profile. You will NOT be notified when your degree posts. You will need to monitor your student profile. (Directions above)
- ***Be careful when you order transcripts. If you order before your degree is awarded, no degree will be listed and you will have to order again.
- Diplomas are mailed out 8 weeks after grades post (Mid-August 2025).
- Please ensure your mailing address is correct. You may update your address by accessing MyDU. Log in to MyDU, type My Person Profile in the search box. Then click Personal Information to update your mailing address.
- If you do not receive your diploma 8 weeks after grades post, please email registrar@du.edu with your name, your program, and your DU ID.
- Please help us enhance career support for current and future GSSW students, by reporting your post-graduate employment information to our Career Services team via this link.
Commencement:
- Spring Quarter candidates participate in Spring 2025 Commencement, Friday, 06/13/2025.
- Information regarding DU commencement can be found here.
-
Summer Quarter 2025 Graduation Candidates (August)
General Process:
- Graduation evaluations begin at the Mid-May. The GSSW Registrar team will manually review records and degree requirements of each candidate. All students will be notified of their status by Friday, 06/06/2025.
- After grades post, the GSSW Registrar team begins the degree certification process to award degrees (more details below).
- Grades post Friday, 08/29/2025.
- Summer Quarter candidates participate in Summer 2025 Commencement, Saturday, August 23, 2025
- Information regarding DU commencement can be found here.
Degree Certification Process:
- Summer Quarter 2025 grades are due Thursday, 08/28/2025 at 10pm. The next day, the GSSW Registrar team will begin the degree certification process. Your degree will post 4-6 weeks after grades post with the conferral day of August 22, 2025.
- You can order transcripts as soon as you see your degree awarded, via your student profile. You will NOT be notified when your degree posts. You will need to monitor your student profile. (Directions above)
- ***Be careful when you order transcripts. If you order before your degree is awarded, no degree will be listed and you will have to order again.
- Diplomas are mailed out 8 weeks after grades post (Late-October 2025).
- Please ensure your mailing address is correct. You may update your address by accessing MyDU. Log in to MyDU, type My Person Profile in the search box. Then click Personal Information to update your mailing address.
- If you do not receive your diploma 8 weeks after grades post, please email registrar@du.edu with your name, your program, and your DU ID.
- Please help us enhance career support for current and future GSSW students, by reporting your post-graduate employment information to our Career Services team via this link.
Commencement:
- Summer Quarter candidates participate in Summer 2025 Commencement, Saturday, August 23, 2025
- Information regarding DU commencement can be found here.
Learn more about DU Commencement ceremonies and GSSW Commencement activities.
Stay Connected After Graduation
From Career Services to Alumni Engagement, our GSSW teams are here to support you as the next chapter of your journey begins!
- Your Contact Information: Even though you may plan to continue to use your DU email following graduation, we strongly recommend that you update your contact info and add an alternate email address to your PCO and MyDU profiles, so we can keep in touch with you following graduation. If you need assistance, you are welcome to contact the DU IT helpdesk.
Visit our GSSW alumni page often to stay connected.