Graduation and Commencement

Degrees and Degree Completion

See The St. Olaf Curriculum, Graduate Requirements, and Degrees.

Senior Audit

Every fall, the Registrar's Office conducts a degree audit review for each senior in order to track progress toward graduation. Students are notified of any outstanding degree requirements at that time.

Graduation Application

In January, students who anticipate completing all degree requirements during that calendar year must submit a graduation application to the Registrar's Office through SIS.

Participation in Commencement

St. Olaf holds its annual Commencement ceremony each May. Only seniors may walk in Commencement, and only one time. Those students who have completed all degree requirements will receive their diploma at Commencement. Those students who walk at Commencement but have not yet completed all degree requirements will receive their diploma upon completion. Honor designation and graduating grade point average will be finalized on the date of official graduation.

Diploma

A diploma is issued to each member of the graduating class at Commencement under the following conditions:

1. All requirements for the Baccalaureate degree have been successfully completed. 
2. The recipient has no outstanding financial obligations to the college.

There is a fee for replacing a diploma. Contact the Registrar's Office to order a replacement diploma. 

Posthumous Degrees

Posthumous degrees provide St. Olaf College with an established avenue for recognizing the academic achievement of students who have completed all or nearly all of their degree requirements but died before graduating. The College may award a posthumous degree to students with senior classification, who are enrolled, or on an approved leave, and who have completed a significant amount of their coursework to warrant the academic award at the time of death. Requests must be approved by the Department Chair, the Associate Dean, the Provost, and the President.