• You have been given access to a shared excel file in SharePoint that includes the full list of students that have applied to graduate for the Fall 2023 semester, separated by program.
• The “Status Code” and “Status Description” fields (Columns O & P in the excel files) will indicate the graduation status of each student. Please pay extra attention to the students with the "PCD, ECD, or FND" codes as our review has found possible deficiencies during the audit.
• A more detailed description of each of the Status Codes is available in the excel files tab “Status Codes” for your convenience.
• We encourage you to access the files frequently as they are being updated daily.
• If you have any questions regarding a graduation applicant, please contact us gradcertification@utrgv.edu.

• Degree Works is a web-based tool that provides a clear and convenient method for students, graduate program coordinators, and faculty to track degree progress, to prepare for registration, and to plan for graduation.
• Degree Works matches students’ academic and course history against the degree requirements as defined in published Graduate Catalogs. Degree Works can be accessed through the self-service portal ASSIST by logging on to myUTRGV. For additional information on how to access and navigate Degree Works, review this guide.

• For graduate students' exit options (capstone requirements), GPCs need to declare it via Degree Works using the “Notes” feature that will track the student’s declaration and completion of Exit Options. This action will also notify the Graduate Degree Auditors so the audit in Degree Works displays accurately.
• Exit options (capstone requirements) may include e-portfolio, oral and written exams, thesis, and dissertation.
• The Thesis and Dissertation process is overseen by the Graduate College. Once the Graduate College has completed their final review of a student’s Thesis or Dissertation formatting, they will then enter a “Note” in Degree Works to indicate that the student’s Thesis or Dissertation formatting has been approved.
• Please note that for ALL students following the Thesis track, GPCs will only need to enter a note to declare the students as Thesis option. The Graduate College will be the only ones entering the Thesis/Dissertation completion notes in Degree Works.
• All Thesis/Dissertation forms must be submitted directly to the Graduate College at ETD@utrgv.edu. Visit the Thesis & Dissertation Graduate College page to familiarize yourself with deadlines for draft submissions, required forms, guidelines and additional resources.
• For additional questions on Thesis/Dissertation contact the Graduate College at ETD@utrgv.edu
• To review how to use “Notes” in Degree Works, please refer to the Declaration and Completion of Exit Options guide.

• Displays student academic record (program/major, concentration/specialization, if applicable, courses and registration activity).
• If you have additional questions about ASSIST navigation, visit the ASSIST User Guides page under U Central site.

• A course substitution is a request to replace a required course in the degree plan using a course of similar content and learning outcomes.
• Course substitutions at the graduate level can only be submitted by the Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) via the Graduate Course Substitution Portal and must be reviewed by the Department Chair, College Dean, and Dean of the Graduate College. If the course substitution has been approved, and no further clarifications are required, our team will proceed to make the substitution in Degree Works, reflecting it in the degree plan.
• Before submitting a course substitution request, please review the Instructions and Guidelines, as well as the Course Substitution Policy outlined on the Graduate Catalog, to ensure compliance.
• The web link to the online portal is below, and you can access it using your UTRGV credentials. 
  • Online portal direct access: https://enrollment.utrgv.edu/CourseSubGR

• Current graduate level students seeking to change their catalog year and/or the concentration/specialization associated with their current degree program must submit a request using the Graduate Program of Study Update Request portal.
• Submitted requests will be reviewed by the Graduate Program Coordinator, Department Chair, and processed by the Office of the University Registrar. Once all three areas have completed their reviews, students will be notified via email if the request was approved or denied. 
• Please see the guide for additional information and instructions.
• If you have additional questions regarding the Graduate Program of Study Update Request portal, please contact the Office of the University Registrar at registrar@utrgv.edu.

• Graduate students must apply for graduation using ASSIST.
• For more information on how students submit a graduation application, review the Guide on How to Apply for Graduation.

• The graduation application via ASSIST is only available for students that intend to complete a master’s or doctoral degree.
• Students pursuing graduate certificate programs must complete a separate graduation application form using the link below.
• Graduate Certificate Graduation Application: https://forms.office.com/r/ZcypFxDq5z
• Please note that students must be formally admitted to the certificate program of their interest and complete the required coursework.
• To apply for admission to a graduate certificate program, students will need to contact the Graduate College at (956) 882-4026 or email gradcentral@utrgv.edu, or visit utrgv.edu/gradapply.

• Students who do not meet degree requirements during the term they submitted a Graduation Application will need to change their graduation term by completing the Transfer Graduation Date form.
• The Transfer Graduation Date form must indicate the new term in which they will complete ALL degree requirements. Once completed, students must return the form to gradcertification@utrgv.edu

• The UTRGV Graduate Catalog provides information about degrees offered by the departments within each college. The section for each college describes the degree requirements for all majors (including concentrations) and certificates offered by the college.
• The Student Policies Publication provides general information about the university and contains rules and policies that affect graduate students.
• Past issues of graduate catalogs are located on the UTRGV catalog archive page.

• As a university policy, students must be enrolled in the semester in which they plan to graduate and fulfill all the degree requirements for their program.
• When students reach the exit option of their graduate program, they must continue to enroll in the appropriate course each succeeding semester until completion of exit option.
• The complete enrollment policy can be viewed here: https://utrgv.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2023-2024/student-policies/academic-policies-and-procedures/registration-and-enrollment/graduate-registration-and-enrollment/

• ‘Stay on Track’ is the process used by UTRGV to identify courses within a student’s degree plan. Courses that do not apply toward a student’s degree program will not be eligible for financial aid.  All enrolled courses must count in a student’s declared program and concentration/specialization (if applicable) using the university’s degree evaluation tool to be counted as part of the student’s degree plan.
• For additional questions, please visit the Stay on Track.

Please make sure to promptly submit course substitutions, declarations of exit options, completion of exit options, catalog year changes, concentration changes, and/or final grades. This helps us ensure that we can process students' audits efficiently and without any delays.

• Stay up to date with crucial deadlines, such as graduation application deadlines, registration periods, deadlines to clear deficiencies, final awarding deadlines, and thesis/dissertation submission deadlines.
• Clearing degree requirements by the deadline allows us to expedite the degree audit and awarding process and to comply with the federal deadlines to confer a degree.
• Deadlines are also included in each excel file for your reference. For degree audit important dates, please visit Important Dates page.

• Graduation is the completion of all degree requirements, courses, and exit options (if applicable). Students must be registered in that term to meet the enrollment policy for graduation. This is the date for the certification of a student’s degree completion. Students need to apply for Graduation via ASSIST in the semester during which they will complete ALL degree requirements for their program.
• Commencement is the ceremony that celebrates the completion of a degree. The ceremony is handled by the Office of the University Registrar. Ceremonies are held in May and December.
• For questions about the “Commencement Ceremonies,” students must contact the Office of the University Registrar at commencement@utrgv.edu.

Applying for graduation is required whether or not a student attends the commencement ceremony. Participation in the commencement ceremony does not imply that a student has officially graduated.

• For additional Graduate College resources, please visit https://www.utrgv.edu/graduate/for-faculty-and-staff/index.htm