Commencement Requirements

All Graduate Commencement Candidates

Only students who have completed all academic requirements for graduation (as defined by the academic programs and listed below) are allowed to participate in commencement exercises. Additionally, all official transcripts, which include transfer credits to be used to satisfy graduation requirements, must be received in the Office of the Registrar BEFORE a student is allowed to participate in commencement exercises.

Commencement Requirements (Non-Thesis and/or Professional Programs)

Commencement requirements for Non-Thesis program students are as follows:

Completion of all coursework

Successful completion of practical rotation, internship, and/or professional clinical requirements

Commencement Requirements (Thesis Programs)

Graduate students who are enrolled in thesis based programs are required to defend their thesis by the Friday of the fourth week of November (Fall Semester) if they intend to graduate in December, and Friday of the fourth week of April (Spring Semester) if they intend to graduate in May.

The final dates for Thesis Defense (all thesis defense for candidates for graduation must be announced University wide and completed by these dates) are as follows for the next two academic years:

Commencement requirements for thesis program students are as follows:

Completion of all coursework

Successful completion of thesis defense

Submission of final thesis document via ETD Publishing by the last day of the final exam period (please refer to upload instructions for thesis documents)

Thesis Document Upload

To have your thesis bound and published, please visit this link to register with the UMI publishing site - (www.etdadmin.com/cookman).  

At the top of the webpage, click “Log In” and select “Students” to be taken to the registration page. Once you have registered, please upload your final, post-defense thesis.  Please make sure your final thesis includes the thesis signature page with all necessary signatures.  

This submission will automatically create a bound thesis to be placed in the Swisher Library at Bethune-Cookman University and entered into ProQuest (with your permission).  You will be given options to order and pay for personal copies of your thesis. 

Submission of your thesis to the publication site is a program requirement for graduation.  This must be done as soon as possible after completion of your oral defense and by the last day of the final exam period.