FALL 2009 GRADUATION APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Intent to Graduate Form
Graduation Application
Graduation with a Minor form

Graduation Application packets are due to the front desk in LFSCB 126 on or before Friday, September 4. Please read all the instructions below. The graduation application packet must include the following:
        - Dept. of Biology Intent to Graduate form (attached)
        - Graduation Application (attached)
        - Graduation with a Minor form (attached, if applicable)
        - Native Language Waiver (if applicable) -
             http://www.has.vcu.edu/wld/placement/placement-nativesp.html
        - eServices transcript (printed from eServices)
        - Completed Curriculum Worksheet -
             http://www.has.vcu.edu/bio/undergraduate/requirements.html

1) Complete the "Intent to Graduate" Survey through eServices.
1. Go to e-Services: http://www.vcu.edu/
2. Login to MyVCU
3. Select the e-Services/VCU Self Service link
4. Select the Personal Information Tab
5. Select Answer Survey
6. Complete the Intent to Graduate Survey. (Yes, it's really, really short! That's really all there is!)

By completing these steps, you will have a) notified the Office of Records and Registration of your intent to graduate and b) gathered pertinent information for your graduation application package. You will then be required to complete the graduation package and provide it to the appropriate dean’s office. The link to the graduation package is on the survey site listed in the steps above.

Please note that initiating the e-Services graduation checkout will prohibit future registration. If you initiate the e-Services graduation checkout procedure by mistake (i.e. by clicking on the Survey Complete button) or too early in your academic career, please contact the Graduation Office (828-1917) or the Graduate School (Graduate Students only, 828-6916) immediately so that the action can be rescinded and the registration restriction removed.

2) Complete the Intent to Graduate form (attached).

3) Complete the graduation application using these instructions:
Directions for completing the Graduation Application:

· Complete Part A.
    o Student Number: Your V number
    o Name: Your first and last name
    o School: College of Humanities and Sciences
    o Major: Biology
    o Degree: Bachelor of Science
    o Double major: Only complete this if you have a 2nd major
    o Minor: Only complete if you are graduating with a minor
    o Concentration: Only complete if you are graduating with a concentration (i.e. pre-medicine, pre-pharmacy, etc.)
    o Permanent mailing address: Fill in your Street, Apt, City, State, Zip Code, and telephone number. This is where your diploma will be mailed.
    o Preferred email address: VCU or another email address. You might be contacted about your graduation status at this email address.
    o Area of Teacher Certification: leave blank
    o Effective bulletin: The academic year you started taking courses at VCU (ex: 2005-2006)
    o Degree requirements to be completed by: (This continues over from the previous column) 2009 December (the semester you will be completing degree requirements.
    o Diploma name: Print exactly how you want your name to be printed on your diploma.
    o Hometown City/State: Indicate your hometown City/State
    o Do not mail my diploma: Check this box if you wish to pick up your diploma directly from the graduation office. If you do not check the box, your diploma will be mailed to the permanent address you indicated previously.

· Complete Part B
    o Section I
        § Fill in the current term (Fall) and year (2009)
        § List the courses you are currently taking. For courses required for graduation, please place a “checkmark” in the left column next to the course. Be sure to fill in the number of credits for each course. Please leave the “grade” column blank. Fill in the total credits you’re taking this semester at the bottom of Section I (where it’s asked for).
    o Only list courses in Section II if you have received an “Incomplete” in past semesters that has not yet been resolved.
    o Please do not complete Sections III, IV, or V.
    o For Section VI, please check Box A or B and also Box C or D.

· Complete Part C, signing and dating the application.

4) Complete the Graduation with a Minor form, if applicable.
Fill in all the courses applicable to your minor along with the semester you took them, credits, and grades. The form MUST be signed by the Department issuing the minor. Chemistry Minor forms must be signed in Oliver Hall 3041. Psychology minor forms are signed at 806 W Franklin Street. Please contact the Department of your minor for other subject areas. When you turn the form as part of your graduation packet, it must already be approved by the minor department.

5) Be sure your language requirement is fulfilled.
If you're depending on the Native Language Requirement or the High School Language Waiver, be sure you've done your part. The Native Language Waiver must be submitted with your graduation application unless you've already turned it in to Kristin. Information about this process can be found here: http://www.has.vcu.edu/wld/placement/placement-nativesp.html. For the High School Language Waiver, be sure you submitted the form to the University College. The language placement must show on your transcript in order to be applicable. Forms for this are available in LFSCB 126.

6) Print your unofficial Academic Transcript from eServices.

7) Complete a Curriculum Worksheet for the year you began studying at VCU.
Curriculum worksheets can be found here: http://www.has.vcu.edu/bio/undergraduate/requirements.html. Please do not submit the Approved Lists for General Education requirements. You must complete the worksheet with courses, credits, and grades. VCU has removed the Computer Literacy Requirement from graduation and degree requirements. You do not need to meet this requirement no matter what year you began at VCU.

8) Assemble the graduation packet and staple/paper-clip the packet in the top left hand corner. Submit the packet by Friday, September 4, 2009 to the front desk in LFSCB 126.

As a warning, it could take nearly 3 weeks for you to receive notification that your application has been reviewed. Please do not contact me about your application unless you feel there might be a problem or complication. I will contact you if there are any materials missing or if any degree requirements have not been fulfilled. Additionally, I will contact you if your graduation application is approved and forwarded to the Dean's office. If, at any point during the semester, you need to cancel graduation (withdrawing from a course, etc.), please let me know.