Graduation
Graduation is an important time and an equally important event. Graduation is a time to celebrate your success at University. It is a time where you can catch up with others that you have studied with, supervising staff and the many support staff that may have assisted you in your journey. Graduation represents the completion of your study and provides you the formal recognition of your achievements in front of your friends and family.
Topics
- When do you find out about Graduation
- The Ceremony
- Transcripts and Testamurs
- Graduation in absentia
- Useful links
When do you find out about graduation?
After the examination process for the thesis has been successfully completed and copies of the thesis have been deposited with the University you will receive a letter, a graduand transcript showing completion of your course requirements and an Application to Graduate form. This form must be completed and returned to your Administrative Campus indicating whether you wish to graduate “in absentia” or to attend a ceremony and how many guest tickets you require.
Charles Sturt University has ceremonies at each main campus. Some ceremonies can allow more guest tickets than others due to the space available. You can only walk across the stage once, so you need to nominate the ceremony early so that your name can be included in the Official Graduation booklet.
The mail will also have full details about the ceremony’s times, exact location, gowning times, cost of hire of gowns, the graduation luncheon, graduation dinners (if relevant), photos, framing costs, plaques etc. If you elect to graduate “in absentia”, you will receive further details about that process. As you may have changed address since you finished studying, it is very important to advise the Division of Student Administration of your new details by either phoning your campus or alternatively changing your details through the website interface. You must keep your contact details current - go to my.csu
Most (not all) on-shore graduations hold a graduation luncheon on the day of the ceremony. The graduates and their families are invited to attend, with a booking and payment form included in a mailout sent to the students about four weeks prior to the ceremony. Sometimes events are also hosted by particular Schools or Campuses to provide you time to socialise and build networks with your colleagues. You will be advised of these arrangements if applicable in the mailout sent prior to the ceremony.
The ceremony
The Graduation Ceremony is an important and solemn event steeped in history and tradition. After you have registered and been gowned, you will be provided a seat at the front of the hall while your guests will be seated elsewhere in the hall. The Master of Ceremonies will advise you when the Academic Procession of dignitaries will enter and when to stand or to be seated. You will be welcomed with a traditional Wiradjuri welcome to country before being seated. Ceremonies usually contain several short speeches, some musical items and an occasional address by an Alumnus. Graduands cross the stage from right to left, are greeted by the Chancellor and then will progress to the end of the stage to receive their testamur and transcript.
As ceremonies vary from year to year, please read the information you will be given upon registration and listen to the staff that are managing the event. You will be provided two copies of the graduation program when you register. It is very important to arrive in plenty of time and have your parking arranged. If you or your guests have a disability, it is important to respond to the information you are mailed to ensure that you have advised staff so that arrangements can be prepared.
Reality bytes
Testamurs
The Testamur (your degree) is issued to you on the day of the ceremony. Usually, the Dean of the Faculty in which you have studied hands these documents to you as you cross the stage. The Testamur, transcript and a copy of the program are mailed to those who do not attend their nominated ceremony within the next three weeks.
Graduation in absentia
If you finish your course in the middle of the year you are advised of course completion in the session following the one in which you completed your studies. You will automatically be allocated to the following year’s graduation ceremony in the location of your studies. If you do not wish to wait for that ceremony, you can choose to graduate in absentia through the next University Council Executive Committee by advising the Division of Student Administration.
These meetings are scheduled on a monthly basis from February through to December each year. Within three weeks of the relevant meeting, you will be posted your transcript and testamur. You should note that if you choose to graduate in absentia, you cannot later choose to attend a graduation ceremony except if you are a PhD or Doctorate graduate.