PREPARING FOR GRADUATION
Application for Graduation
If you have not applied for graduation, please do so here, Graduation Application. In DegreeWorks, your program should be listed as "In Progress" or "Complete". A status of "Incomplete" means you have not met all requirements.
Changing Your Graduation Date
If your plans to graduate in December change, please contact us at 605.642.6567 or email April.Meeker@bhsu.edu to change your graduation date.
Guests
The number of guests for commencement is not restricted. Guest tickets are not required.
RSVP for Ceremony
In early October, an invitation to participate in Commencement will be sent to your BHSU email account. Follow the instruction in the email to RSVP.
Announcements & Graduation Apparel
Order your graduation announcements and apparel through CB Announcements at cbgrad.com. Your order will be shipped directly to you. Prices for announcements vary based on style and quantity. Apparel package pricing is outlined below. Items are also sold separately for those who don't need a complete package. Single item pricing can be found on the Balfour website.
Associate Cap, Gown & Tassel $34.99
Bachelor Cap, Gown & Tassel $34.99
Master Cap, Gown, Tassel & Hood $79.98
Exit Exams
All bachelor’s degrees require an exit exam or alternative capstone experience such as a portfolio or an interview. Exit exams will be given on December 7. You will receive a separate communication from your Dean’s office with specific details. Questions about this requirement should be directed to your Dean’s office.
Graduation Rehearsal
There will be no Rehearsal for December 2023 commencement.
Diploma Address
Graduates provided a diploma address at the time of application. If you have questions about where your diploma will be mailed, please contact April.Meeker@bhsu.edu.
COMMENCEMENT
Graduation Ceremony
December 9, 2023
10:00 a.m.
Graduates need to be in the Field House of the Donald Young Center by 9:30 a.m. to line up. The ceremony begins at 10:00 and will run for approximately 1 hour.
Graduating with Honors
To graduate with honors, baccalaureate candidates must complete a minimum of 60 BHSU credits and associate candidates must complete a minimum of 30 BHSU credits. In addition, both the BHSU institutional and the overall cumulative GPA’s must be as follows:
- 3.500 Cum Laude (Baccalaureate)
With Honor (Associate)
- 3.700 Magna Cum Laude (Baccalaureate)
With High Honor (Associate)
- 3.900 Summa Cum Laude (Baccalaureate)
With Highest Honor (Associate)
Honor cords will be distributed at rehearsal and during lineup prior to the ceremony. For ceremonial purposes, honors are based on your GPA as of October 1. Final honors will be posted to your diploma and transcript only after all grades have been calculated.
NOTE: Honors are not awarded at the Master’s level.
Photographs
The Grad Team will photograph you during the ceremony. You may view and purchase your photographs online at thegradteam.com one week after the ceremony.
FINALIZING DIPLOMA
Final Grades
Grades for the fall term are due December 18. A final review of your credits will begin after the grading deadline. Students are reviewed in alphabetical order until all degrees are posted.
Incomplete Grades
December graduates with an incomplete grade at the end of term will have until January 15, 2024 to complete the course and still receive a December-dated diploma. Completions after this date will delay the student’s diploma until May.
Transferring Final Coursework
Graduates transferring additional coursework to us for the completion of their degree must do so by January 15, 2024 in order to receive a December-dated diploma. Transcripts received after this date will delay the student’s diploma until May.
- Transcripts should be sent directly to:
- BHSU Registrar
1200 University Unit 9666
Spearfish, SD 57799-9666
Transcripts are not required from USD, SDSU, NSU, DSU or SDSM&T because we utilize the same database and can access these directly.
Mailing Diplomas
During the ceremony, you will receive a diploma cover to house your diploma. The actual diploma will not be mailed until all final reviews have been made. Diplomas will be mailed the last week in January.
Missing Requirements
If we determine that you are missing a requirement to complete your degree or have other questions for you, we will communicate with you via email to your BHSU account. Please check your email on a regular basis until you receive your diploma.
Final Transcripts
Requests for official transcripts can be made online: Online Transcript Request
Make certain to indicate that you want us to wait until your degree has been posted so the transcript does not get inadvertently sent prior to the posting. Choose the Hold for Degree option.
Official transcripts are $9.00 per copy.
