Graduation
About four quarters before you actually graduate, you'll need to do some clean-up work on your academic record, just to verify your status on the completion of courses required to receive your degree -- think of it as last-minute maintenance. Chances are, you'll want to work out a detailed plan for taking what few courses remain. This can be extremely important in your final year at RIT since you may only get one or two opportunities to register for that quick-to-fill-up class you've been putting off.
The best way to determine how many and which courses you have left is to meet with your PTC advisor. The Curriculum Checklist [pdf] will also help. Once you're in the home stretch, you'll want to keep an updated checklist handy to keep track of what's left to take.
The first thing you need to do is complete an Application for Graduation form four quarters before your anticipated graduation date. You'll probably receive one of these in your student mail folder. If you do not receive an application contact the PTC staff assistant or your advisor. You should submit the application to the Department of Communication (you can give it to your advisor or the department chairperson) for approval. Completing the form triggers an audit of your academic record by the College of Liberal Arts to make sure that you meet the eligibility requirements for graduation
The second task is to update your address with the Registrar's Office. They'll ask for both your local and home town addresses. You can provide this information through the Student Information Systems (SIS) or by stopping by the Registrar's Office on the first floor of the Eastman Building.
Third, you'll need to resolve all outstanding financial obligations with RIT. These include tuition payments, parking tickets, library fines, and the like. You may need to visit several departments, such as Financial Aid, the Bursar and the Traffic Office to take care of any remaining business. Keep in mind -- your transcript and diploma will be withheld until all debts to RIT are paid in full.
The fourth task is to return any library books you've checked out. This, of course, need not be done until the week before graduation. But, if at graduation time you still have books that are not returned, your transcript and diploma will be withheld. While you're at it, be sure to pay off any overdue fines.
After the "administrative" tasks are complete, you'll finally get to do fun things, like make reservations for your friends and family to come to the commencement ceremony, pick up your cap and gown, attend graduation rehearsal and so on. Schedules for many of these activities will be communicated via e-mail and your mail folder.
