Graduation / Commencement

Commencement Website

Contact Information:

Office Hours:
Monday-Friday 8:30 A.M.-4:30 P.M.
Phone: (201) 684 – 7520 / Fax: (201) 684 – 7956

E-mail: grad@ramapo.edu / Location: D – 224 (Academic Building)

After Hours (Graduation Office):  Graduation Applications and documentation, may be placed in the gray mailbox located outside of the Office of the Registrar D-224.

Requirements

• General Education
  Your adviser should review your audit for General Education requirements with you.
• Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirements
  Students must have a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (G.P.A.) as well as a 2.0 G.P.A. in their major and second major and/or minor  (2.3 G.P.A. in Nursing major, 2.85 for Clinical Lab Sciences & Medical Imaging Sciences) to be eligible for a degree. All courses taken at Ramapo College (including those numbered below 100) apply to the G.P.A. whether for graduation credit or not. Transferred course work does not count in the G.P.A. at Ramapo College.
• Students must have a minimum of 128 credits in order to graduate. A minimum of one-half of the credits for majors/second majors/minors must have been completed at Ramapo College. All students must have completed a minimum of 48 credits at Ramapo College with the final 32 credits being completed  in residence. Students are responsible for all requirements in effect at the time of matriculation. Students who have not been enrolled at Ramapo College for two or more consecutive semesters must apply for readmission and will be responsible for graduation requirements in effect at the time of readmission.

Note:  The last 32 credits must be taken at Ramapo.  Therefore, once a student reaches 96 credits, he/she may no longer take courses off campus.

If, you decide to postpone your graduation or you are requesting a grade change, please e-mail grad@ramapo.edu.

NO CHANGES OF ANY KIND MAY BE MADE TO YOUR ACADEMIC RECORD ONCE YOU HAVE GRADUATED.

Graduation Application/Instructions

Graduation Application Deadline Dates:

A student must make an appointment with a faculty advisor in his/her major and minor.  Once your Graduation Application has been reviewed and signed by your advisor(s) AND signed by your School Dean(s), bring the completed graduation application and detailed degree evaluation to the Office of the Registrar (D-224).

The student should have the following:

• a degree evaluation

• a completed and signed graduation application.

Be sure your name is PRINTED CLEARLY. It must be the same as the name on record with the Office of the Registrar.

IMPORTANT:  ALL correspondence regarding your graduation application and/or status will be sent to your RAMAPO EMAIL ACCOUNT ONLY.  Therefore, you must maintain your Ramapo email account and check it regularly.

Graduation Instructions and Application (PDF)  (DOC)

Graduation Fee

A $100.00 non-refundable fee will be assessed to all students who have filed for graduation and the fee will be added directly to your bill/account. This fee covers costs associated with degree processing.  This fee is charged to applicants for each degree level: Baccalaureate and Master’s.   In the case where a master’s student has received a previous degree from Ramapo, this fee is applicable for the new degree level.  However, if you file for graduation and do not graduate during that year, you will not be charged another fee.  Instead, your first payment will be verified by the Graduation Office.

The deadline to apply for a January degree is September 30th; the deadline to apply for a June degree is January 30th and the deadline to apply for an August degree is March 30th.

No applications will be accepted after the deadline date.  Graduation applications and instruction are available online only.

NOTE: If any application deadline dates listed above fall during a weekend, holiday, or on a Friday during the summer, the next working day following listed date will be substituted.

Graduation Diplomas

Diplomas will automatically be mailed to all graduates.

After your degree is certified, as long as you do not have any outstanding financial obligations, your diploma will be ordered and will be shipped within 6 weeks directly to the permanent address on file.  Therefore, it is important for you to login and verify the permanent address on your student record.

Reviewing Permanent Address

• Log into Web Self Service (https://ssb.ramapo.edu/pls/RCNJ/twbkwbis.P_WWWLogin)
• Click on Personal Information (hyperlink)
• Click on View Addresses and Phones (hyperlink)

Address changes must be received at least one week prior to your official degree conferral date to ensure your diploma is shipped to the correct address.  Information for address changes is available on the Office of the Registrar website :  https://www.ramapo.edu/registrar/forms-transcripts/

There two Commencement Ceremonies (undergraduate and graduate) in May and degrees are conferred on June 20th, August 30th, and January 30th each year. Degree candidates will receive final email notification regarding the status of their degree conferral on or about these dates.

Honors

• Graduation with Distinction (Latin Honors)
  Latin Honors are awarded automatically to graduates who have completed A MINIMUM OF 64 RAMAPO COLLEGE CREDITS (not including “P” grades) and who have achieved a cumulative grade point average (including “R” grade credits) as follows:
  3.500 – 3.699 cum laude
  3.700 – 3.849 magna cum laude
  3.850 – 4.000 summa cum laude
• Honors Program
  Seniors with questions regarding Honors Program should consult the Honors Program Director, telephone number (201) 684-7110.

Commencement Ceremonies

Ramapo College of New Jersey holds two Commencement Ceremonies (1 Undergraduate Ceremony and 1 Graduate Program Ceremony) per calendar year in May.  January graduates and June and August graduation candidates of that calendar year maybe eligible to process in one of the Undergraduate or Graduate  Commencement Ceremonies.

Undergraduate Ceremony

The Undergraduate Commencement ceremony will be held on Friday, May 17 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The ceremony will begin with the academic processional at 8:45 a.m. Arching and related pre-commencement events will take place on Thursday, May 16 on campus.

Graduate Ceremony

The Graduate Programs Commencement ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 23 on campus in the Arena of the Bill Bradley Sports and Recreation Center. The ceremony will begin with the academic processional at 5:15 p.m.