Petitioning to Graduate

• Submit your petition to graduate in Owl Express from the Graduation tab.
  • Submit the petition to graduate for the term in which you expect to complete degree requirements.
    • Students are eligible to participate in Commencement, the term in which degree requirements will be completed.
      • Students who petition for Summer (excluding doctorates) are eligible to participate in the Spring Commencement as long as the summer petition is submitted before January 17.
  • Graduates should refer to the Petition Dates and Deadlines at the top of this page.
• After submitting the petition, you will not immediately see the petition in the header of Degree Works. All petitions are manually reviewed and approved. Please allow 3-5 business days for the petition to appear in Degree Works. The petition fee will be charged to the student account upon approval of the petition.
  • $50 diploma petition fee
  • $15 certificate petition fee
• The notes section at the bottom of Degree Works will be updated to reflect degree progression status. Students will receive an email when an update has occurred in the notes section of Degree Works. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that their KSU student email account remains active and accessible.
• Petitions to graduate remain active for two consecutive semesters, after which they become inactive. It will be necessary for the student to submit another petition* and pay the credential fee upon resubmission.

*Student will need to contact diploma@kennesaw.edu to complete the repetition process. This process will not be able to be completed in Owl Express.

How to Petition to Graduate 

Holds

Bursar holds placed after the submission of the petition will prevent the diploma/certificate from being sent to you after the end of term.

• Please contact bursars@kennesaw.edu to inquire about resolving the hold.
• Please contact diploma@kennesaw.edu after satisfying the hold, which will prompt the diploma release process to begin.

Degree Audit Phases

The Degree Awarding process includes three degree audit reviews of academic records. Please address all questions to the Degree Certifier listed in the notes section of Degree Works.

Initial Audit

The Initial Audit is a first review of progress toward degree completion. It is usually completed within four to six weeks from the time of graduation petition submission. Results will include the details of remaining requirements for graduation toward the degree.

Interim Audit

The Interim Audit is a second review of progress toward degree completion. Interim Audit review begins after registration closes and is completed by mid-term of the graduation term. If completion of scheduled KSU courses will not satisfy KSU residency requirements, student’s graduation date will be changed to the next semester. Results of this review will be communicated through the Degree Works notes. Any problems that are noted during this review should be resolved before the last day to withdraw as noted on the academic calendar.

Final Audit

The Final Audit is the last review of progress toward degree completion. It determines eligibility of the degree. Final audit review begins after submission of final grades. A grade is required for all classes taken and recorded on the academic transcript, even if the course is not required for the degree. A candidate will not be certified to graduate with incomplete grades.

Graduation Petition Fees

Undergraduate students are eligible to submit a formal petition for their degree through the online petition process, as shown in the video, when they have earned 96 credit hours.

For financial aid compliance purposes, students who have not petitioned to graduate, and complete degree requirements at the end of the term, a petition will be entered on their behalf and the credential will be awarded. The credential fee will be added to the student account.

Credential changes cannot be completed by the student after a petition has been submitted. For changes contact diploma@kennesaw.edu.

Upon degree completion, the degree will be awarded.

Declared Minors

Minors are not stand-alone credentials and must be attached to a major. All minor requirements MUST be completed before or at the time of degree completion OR the minor(s) will be removed and the degree awarded.

Undergraduate Double Majors

A student who has declared two majors of the same degree type (BA, BS, BBA, etc.) and housed within the same college will submit one petition with two majors. One diploma will be issued for the degree.

Should requirements for the first major be completed before the requirements for the second major, the first major will be awarded before the second major. If degree requirements for the second major are not completed at the same time as the first major, the second major will have a new petition entered for the next academic term (Spring, Summer, Fall). A second petition fee will be assessed.

Undergraduate Dual Degree

A student who has declared two majors of the same degree type and housed in different colleges will submit two separate petitions. Two diplomas will be issued.

A student who has declared two majors of the different degree types will submit two separate petitions.  

Should requirements for the first degree be completed before the requirements for the second degree, the first degree will be awarded before the second degree.

Undergraduate Certificates

All certificates must be declared and appear in the degree dropdown in Degree Works to be eligible to be petitioned. Petitions for certificates must be a stand-alone petition, and not combined with the major petition.

Graduate students who are within 6-9 credits of degree completion are eligible to petition to graduate. Graduate students must submit a petition to graduate for each declared credential*. The graduation petition process initiates a petition fee assessment, and the academic record will be audited to determine eligibility toward the degree. Expect four to six weeks for results of an initial degree audit.

*For assistance declaring credentials, contact the Graduate College at gradcollege@kennesaw.edu.

For financial aid compliance purposes, students who have not petitioned to graduate, and complete degree requirements at the end of the term, a petition will be entered on their behalf and the credential will be awarded. The credential fee will be added to the student account.

Upon degree completion, the degree will be awarded.

Graduate Dual Degree

Students enrolled in a graduate dual degree program must petition for each degree separately. Both degrees will be awarded at the same time. For questions regarding the Graduate Dual Degree, please contact the Graduate College at gradcollege@kennesaw.edu.

Dual Degree

• Business Administration/Conflict Management Dual Master’s Degree (MBA/MSCM)
• Business Administration/Information Systems Dual Master’s Degree (MBA/MSIS)
• Business Administration/Public Administration Dual Master’s Degree (MBA/MPA)
• Business Administration/Social Work Dual Master’s Degree (MBA/MSW)
• Public Administration/ Criminal Justice Dual Master’s Degree (MPA/MSCJ)
• Public Administration/Integrated Global Communication Dual Master’s Degree (MPA/MAIGC)

Graduate Certificates

All certificates must be declared and visible in the degree dropdown box in Degree Works. For questions regarding Graduate Certificate declaration, please contact the Graduate College at gradcollege@kennesaw.edu.

Live diplomas are not issued at Commencement. Commencement ceremonies occur before the end of the semester and final recording of grades. Approximately 1-2 weeks after Commencement, diploma orders will *begin being submitted to the diploma vendor after the degree audit team reviews the audits for degree completion.

*Bursar holds on the student account at the time of diploma vendor submission will prevent the diploma from being ordered. Other outstanding degree requirements may also prevent diplomas from being ordered.

After submission of the petition any mailing address changes for diploma purposes, students MUST notify diploma@kennesaw.edu. Otherwise, the diploma mailing address will not be updated, and the diploma will not be delivered on time. Expected diploma delivery timeframe is approximately 6-8 weeks after Commencement. The diploma vendor will send an email to the KSU student email address when the diploma shipping label has been created. If the diploma has not been delivered 8 weeks after Commencement, please contact diploma@kennesaw.edu.

Electronic Diplomas

Students will receive an email from the electronic diploma vendor to their KSU student email address when the electronic diploma is available to download. Electronic diplomas will be submitted to the vendor approximately 2 weeks after Commencement. Fall electronic diploma orders will be submitted 3-4 weeks after Commencement due to the holidays. Electronic diplomas may have an additional charge to download.

Apostille

Student requesting transcript(s) and/or diploma(s) for overseas job opportunities must complete the Apostille Request Form. Make sure you need an Apostille and not a Foreign Use Stamp. If you need a Foreign Use Stamp, please check the appropriate box on the form. If you are unsure whether the country requesting the documentation needs an Apostille or a Foreign Use Stamp, below is a list of countries that need the Apostille.

The student is responsible for providing the mailing labels from KSU to the Georgia Superior Court and from the Georgia Superior Court to the final destination. The student is also responsible for pre-paying or contacting the Georgia Superior Court. Webpage for pre-payment of the Courts services: https://www.gsccca.org/notary-and-apostilles.

Apostille Request Form

 

Replacement Diplomas

Alumni may request a replacement diploma by submitting the Replacement Diploma Request Form to the Office of the . A current, government issued photo ID is required to be submitted with the form to complete the request.

Students are eligible to walk in the Commencement Ceremony in which they are completing degree requirements and have an active petition on file.

Summer graduates must be petitioned before the January 17 deadline to be eligible to walk in the Spring Commencement ceremonies. Summer graduates who petition after the posted date or who do not participate in the Spring Commencement ceremonies are eligible to participate in the Fall Commencement ceremonies. The Graduation Audit team will add these summer students to the Fall Commencement registration system. Students need to continue to monitor their KSU student email for Commencement Communications.

All eligible petitioned students, with the exception of doctorate students*, will be uploaded to Marching Order for Commencement registration and attendance. Students will receive an email from Marching Order when it is time to register. Name update changes made in Marching Order do not update the official diploma name. To update the official diploma name, please contact diploma@kennesaw.edu.

*Doctorate students will be contacted by the Graduate College for Commencement attendance and ticking purposes.