Graduation Resources | Whitacre College of Engineering | Undergraduate Students and Programs | Whitacre College of Engineering

Before You Graduate

Make sure every requirement is in place.

Congratulations on your approaching graduation. The information below applies to undergraduate engineering candidates and is intended to help you complete the graduation process without delays.

Begin by checking your graduation term and reviewing your DegreeWorks audit. Missing requirements, outside coursework, unresolved grades, legal-name corrections, or financial holds can affect the processing or delivery of your diploma.

Questions about an item not addressed here may be directed to Patty Rodriguez.

Required Steps

Graduation Action Items

Complete these items during your graduating term. Open each section for instructions and special circumstances.

1. Confirm your graduation date in DegreeWorks

Check DegreeWorks to make sure your graduation term is correct. If it is incorrect, follow the instructions to update your graduation term or date.

2. Review your DegreeWorks for accuracy.

Make sure all minors show in DegreeWorks. If a minor is missing, contact your advisor on the process to declare or update your minors. If graduating with 3 minors, please contact patty.rodriguez@ttu.edu.
Check "Complete," "In-Progress," and "Incomplete" requirements.
1. Complete requirements will show in green. Verify that all items you know are complete show in green.
2. Requirements that will be finalized at semester’s end show in blue. Verify that all items you are currently working on show as in blue.
3. Incomplete/Missing requirements show in red. This means they need to be resolved prior to graduation. To solve incomplete/missing requirements, please contact your advisor for more information on how to clear these. Common examples include:
  - Foreign language showing as incomplete. Often due to the high school transcripts (showing 2+ years of foreign language) not having been received by TTU. Please submit a transcript as soon as possible.
  - A course taken elsewhere. If a course was completed at another institution and a transcript was not sent to TTU for processing this will show as incomplete. Please submit a transcript as soon as possible.
  - Honors College program. When a student drops the Honors College program, they must submit documentation to the Honors College to remove it from their account. If not submitted the program will show in DegreeWorks as incomplete. Please contact the Honors College to submit the form if applicable to you.
Exceptions.

There are items that may have been completed or are in-progress which may not show in green (complete) or blue (in-progress) due to complications on having these show in DegreeWorks. These include:
1. 1. Courses taken concurrently or at the same time elsewhere.
    1. These need to be cleared at semester's end once the course(s) are completed and transcripts are sent to TTU and processed by the registrar’s office at TTU.
    2. Students must request a transcript be sent to TTU as soon as a final grade has been posted at that institution. This is time sensitive.
    3. Additionally, a student taking a course at another institution during their last semester should have completed the Residency/Last 30 Hour Approval Form with their advisor. If you have not please work with your advisor to fill this out at your earliest convenience.
  2. Graduate level courses taken during the semester of your graduation will need to be transferred to the undergraduate degree once a final grade is posted. Once these show in Degreeworks your advisor will apply/substitute them in the appropriate location. Please be patient with your advisor as this is something they take care of manually.
  3. Courses with "I" or "PR" grades that need a grade change submission by a professor/instructor. Please work with your instructor(s) to submit the needed work and have grade changes submitted by the end of your graduating term

3. Submit a Confirmation of Graduation Term/Date.

The Confirmation of Graduation Term/Date request must be submitted at the beginning of your graduation term. The request becomes initially available when a student completes 70% of their program. The request will show your legal name on file, ask if you want your name in the printed program at commencement, request an address should your diploma need to be mailed to you, show your graduation term, and show major(s) (minors are not included).

4. Check your legal name in TTU system.

Check DegreeWorks, Student Dashboard, raiderlink, etc. and if updates are needed submit a name update to the Registrar's Office. For questions please reach out to patty.rodriguez@ttu.edu.

Check for SBS holds.

Prior to Commencement students should check for SBS holds due to an unpaid balance. Diplomas for students with an SBS hold will be placed on hold and unavailable until the balance is taken care of. An SBS hold does not prevent graduation, it only prevents retrieval of the diploma and transcript.

6. Walk Only Agreement.

Walk only requests are available to students set to graduate who drop or fail a required course during their last semester OR for students wanting to walk early. Students in this situation can fill out the Early Walk Participation Agreement and send to patty.rodriguez@ttu.edu. This request requires the approval of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and students that submit a request will be notified by Patty Rodriguez if approved.

7. Accelerated Program & ENVE BS/MS students.

Accelerated Program & ENVE BS/MS students must ensure both the graduate and undergraduate program requirements are met at the same time and prior to commencement in order to graduate. Additionally, they must follow the TTU Graduate School Graduation Deadlines. These can be found under “Academic Progress” on their website.

Planning Ahead

Commencement & Diploma Information

Review these details before commencement so you know what to expect regarding ceremony information, honors, regalia, diploma delivery, and guest documentation.

Commencement Information is available in the Provost’s Office Website.

You can check the commencement time and location on the Provost's Office Commencement website. For future dates check here.

Caps & Gowns

Caps & Gown information can be viewed here. If you order online, order as early as possible.

Latin Honors

Latin Honors are based on your Pure TTU GPA which considers ALL courses taken at TTU including those failed and retaken. Additionally, students must have completed 48+ hours of coursework at TTU.
The TTU GPA you see on DegreeWorks is not your PURE GPA, it is your adjusted GPA. Students cannot see their Pure GPA but may request it from their advisor or patty.rodriguez@ttu.edu.
TTU GPAs are not rounded when determining Latin honor designations. Latin Honors GPA requirements are noted below. You can find greater details in the catalog.
- 3.5-3.699 = Cum Laude
- 3.7-3.899 = Magna Cum Laude
- 3.9-4.0 = Summa Cum Laude
- 4.0 = Summa Cum Laude
Students that qualify for Latin Honors receive an email toward the beginning of the semester from Patty Rodriguez to notify them of their designation. Moreover, once grades post at the end of the semester, a new report is pulled to identify changes. Students and commencement coordinators are notified of any updates/changes and diplomas are reprinted.
Honors College recognitions are not the same as Latin Honors. Honors College graduates do not need to qualify for Latin Honors to receive the recognition since that recognition is based only on their coursework with the Honors College.
Students graduating with a 4.0 GPA are recognized during Commencement. If you are graduating with a 4.0 GPA you will need to stand when students graduating with “Highest Honors” are called.

Diploma Pick-up & Mailing

Engineering Diploma Pick-up in Fall and Spring is available on Commencement day at the Engineering Graduation Reception (details are provided via email to graduates each semester).
Summer semester graduates may pick up diplomas in Holden Hall 103 after commencement during designated days and times (details are provided via email to graduates each summer semester).
Diplomas that are not picked up at the Engineering Graduation Reception, or during the designated summer dates, will be mailed 3-4 weeks after Commencement. Diplomas will be mailed to the mailing address provided and verified prior to mailing these out. We cannot mail internationally so a US address will need to be provided.

Family Invitation Letters

Students with family traveling internationally to attend their Commencement Ceremony may request an invitation letter for their guests. Please email Patty Rodriguez at patty.rodriguez@ttu.edu the following information for each guest:

Full name
Relationship to you the student (mom, dad, cousin, etc.)

Tuition Rebate for Certain Undergraduates

You might qualify for the Graduate on Time $1,000 Tuition Rebate for Certain Undergraduates.

Requirements Include:

You are a resident of Texas and paid in-state tuition for your whole academic career
You completed your engineering degree within 5 years
This is your first degree at a Texas institution
All coursework was completed at a Texas public institution (WCOE IEP/Global Experience courses completed abroad that are degree applicable are allowed)
Attempt NO more than 3 hours in excess of the minimum hours required by your degree and minor(s) – this means all courses count including dropped, retaken, withdrawn, etc.

You can see your attempted hour count at the end of your unofficial transcript
9 hrs of credit by exam do not count against you & dual credit hours prior to HS graduation do not count against you either

To find out more details and the form to apply check the following site.

Final Review

Three things to verify before commencement.

Your Academic Record

Confirm that your graduation term, major, minors, completed coursework, and in-progress requirements are accurately reflected in DegreeWorks.

Your University Information

Verify your legal name, mailing address, diploma information, and account status before final processing begins.

Your Ceremony Details

Review the commencement schedule, order regalia early, and watch your Texas Tech email for college-specific reception and diploma instructions.

Need Assistance?

Get help with the graduation process.

Contact Patty Rodriguez for questions about undergraduate engineering graduation records, commencement participation, diploma processing, or requirements not addressed on this page.

Email Patty Rodriguez Visit Commencement Website

Graduation & Commencement