Graduation Information

Degree Conferral

Conferral Dates

In addition to the standard spring term graduation in May, Pitzer College offers the opportunity to graduate two other times each year:

Fall – typically finalized in late October (last semester of enrollment would be summer; degree requirements completed prior to the first day of the Fall term)

Winter – typically finalized in mid February (last semester of enrollment would be fall; degree requirements completed by the last day of the Fall term).  

See the Academic Calendar for conferral dates.

For Commencement participation eligibility, please see the Commencement section below.

Graduation, Commencement, and Diploma Validation Form

Graduating students will need to complete the Graduation, Commencement, and Diploma Validation Form through their MyCampus2 portal. This form will become available during your last term before graduation–deadlines for submission will be available on the Academic Calendar. This form will ask you to confirm your academic and contact information and let us know how you’d like your name on your diploma and in the Commencement program.  You will also be presented with the option to record your name pronunciation if you’ve not yet submitted a recording.


Diploma and Transcript Information

Diploma Specifications

Size: 8.5 x 11 inches
Orientation: Portrait

Degree Information Included:

  • Degree (i.e. Bachelor of Arts)
  • Major(s)
  • Minor (if applicable)
  • Honors (if applicable)
Diploma Distribution

For Fall and Winter graduates, diplomas are mailed to the graduate’s permanent address on file with the Office of the Registrar after degrees are conferred (approximately 2-3 weeks after the conferral date listed in the Academic Calendar). Spring graduates will receive their diplomas at the May Commencement ceremony as they walk across the stage. Diplomas will be mailed to Spring graduates who are not participating in the Commencement ceremony.

Duplicate or Replacement Diplomas

Replacement or duplicate diplomas will have the current Board Chair and President signatures on it. To request a duplicate diploma, please email the Office of the Registrar at: [email protected]. 

Transcripts

Please visit the Transcripts and Verifications webpage for availability and ordering information.


Graduation Requirements

Initiating and maintaining strong communication with your Faculty Adviser is essential, particularly during the senior year.

A. Satisfactorily complete 32 course credits.

  • Students must satisfactorily complete 32 course credits (of which at least 16 must be taken while registered at Pitzer).
  • All academic credits transferred to Pitzer are translated into equivalent Pitzer course credits according to the conversion:  four semester units or six quarter units equal one Pitzer course.  Check with the Office of the Registrar to confirm your transfer credit totals.
  • Grades earned from courses accepted for transfer credit are not included in the calculation of grade point averages.

B. Declare and Satisfactorily Complete a Field of Major

  • Students must submit the Major Declaration Form to the Office of the Registrar by midterm of the first semester of the junior year.
  • Students must satisfactorily complete all requirements for the declared field of major.
  • In the second semester of the senior year, faculty advisors submit, at the request of the Registrar’s Office, a Degree Verification for majors and minors.

C. Attain at least a 2.0 “C” Grade Point Average overall and in the field of major

D. Fulfill all Educational Objective Requirements of:

(See Guidelines for Graduation for detailed descriptions.)

  • Intercultural Understanding: Local/Global
  • Social Responsibility/ Justice: Justice Theory/Responsibility
  • Humanities (2 courses)
  • Social/Behavioral Science (2 courses)
  • Natural Science (1 course)
  • Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning (1 course)
  • Written Expression (1 course)

E. Complete the Application for Graduation and submit it to the Office of the Registrar

The Application for Graduation, submitted by students by midterm of the first semester of the senior year, verifies how the student’s name will appear on their official Pitzer College diploma and provides other important information relating to Commencement in May.


Commencement Participation

Commencement Policy

The College has one graduation ceremony each year, which takes place in May on the Saturday after the end of final examinations. It is a degree-granting ceremony in which only those students who have fully completed the College’s graduation requirements since the last ceremony are allowed to participate.

Please see the full Commencement Policy in the Pitzer College Catalog for information about eligibility requirements for participation in the ceremony.


Additional Information

Ceremony and Event Information

For additional information regarding the Commencement ceremony, please contact:

Office of Student Affairs
[email protected]

For information regarding transcripts, diplomas, and questions or concerns related to your graduation status, please contact:
Email Address: [email protected]

For information regarding financial aid
Please contact the Financial Aid Office: [email protected]

For information regarding Alumni engagement, please contact:
[email protected]