The Importance of Determining Your Graduation Year

When you start your degree in 2017 and finish it in 2018, but your graduation ceremony takes place in 2019, knowing when your graduation year is can be crucial. This article aims to clarify the importance of your graduation year, based on degree completion rather than the ceremony date.

What Defines Your Graduation Year?

Your graduation year is typically determined by the year in which you successfully meet all academic requirements for your degree, regardless of when the graduation ceremony is held.

Example from a Historical Context

Consider an individual who completed their Chemical Engineering degree requirements in 1958 but had to add a second major in Engineering Physics, which they finished in 1959. Even though their second major was completed in 1959, they were allowed to be part of the class of 1958 by arranging with the alumni association. This arrangement is a testament to how graduation year can be adjusted for special circumstances.

It’s worth noting that in this scenario, the student was joined by their fraternity brothers in the class of 1959, as they took classes out of order due to the additional major requirement. This demonstrates how the graduation year can vary and be adjusted based on individual circumstances.

Graduation Year and Degree Completion

The completion year of your degree is the key determining factor. For instance, if you finish all your degree requirements and pass all exams in 2018, your graduation year is 2018, irrespective of the year of the graduation ceremony (2019 in this hypothetical case).

The university may choose to conduct graduation ceremonies in different years depending on their calendar and convenience. This means there’s no fixed relationship between your completion year and the ceremony year. Your degree will be recognized and valid from the year of your degree completion.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

When you start a degree in 2017 and finish it in 2018 but have a graduation ceremony in 2019, your graduation year is 2018. This is the year when you completed all the necessary degree requirements. Universities often schedule graduation ceremonies after degree completion, but the graduation year is based on the year of completion rather than the ceremony date.

Understanding the nuances of determining your graduation year can help you manage your academic timeline and prepare for future opportunities.