Degree Conferral
Lesley University holds one commencement ceremony in May of each year. Degrees are conferred four times each year in August, November, February, and May.
Graduation is not automatic. Students who complete their course of study and expect to graduate must file a declaration of intent to graduate via LOIS by the deadline stated for each conferral.
Responsibility for meeting the requirements for graduation rests primarily with the student. The individual student should become acquainted with the various requirements of general education, liberal arts, and his/her professional program. Before filing the online intent form, students should review their audit with their advisor and/or program director to determine that they have satisfactorily completed all degree requirements needed for graduation.
The Declaration of Intent to Graduate form will be moved to the next conferral period only once if requirements are not completed. No additional deferrals will be permitted; a new Declaration of Intent must be submitted and a new fee will be billed to the student's account.
Students must file online by the published conferral deadlines, regardless of whether or not they intend to participate in the May commencement ceremony. All students who complete degree programs during the August, November, and February conferral dates are invited to participate in the following May commencement ceremony. All financial obligations, including fines for overdue library materials, must be met prior to graduation.
Students who complete degree programs between conferral dates may request a Requirements Completed Transcript. See "Request a Transcript" on the Transcript web page at lesley.edu/transcripts. A Requirements Completed Transcript is an official transcript with a date verifying that all degree requirements are met. The statement on the transcript will serve as official confirmation of degree completion prior to the next conferral date. Requirements Completed Transcripts are acceptable to the Massachusetts Bureau of Teacher Certification and by most other state departments of education and school systems.
Latin Honors at Graduation
Latin Honors for official transcripts, diplomas, and reader cards at the May Commencement Ceremony are based off of the final semester cumulative G.P.A. standings. However, the Commencement Programs are printed before May degree candidate’s final semester grades have been received from the faculty. Therefore the Latin Honor status for the Commencement Program is determined based on 45 residency credits for CLAS students and 60 credits for LA+D students and the cumulative grade point average at the end of the last Fall or penultimate semester. Dual degree students who will receive their diploma with their master’s degree will receive Latin Honors at that time.
CLAS: To graduate with honors a student must have met the residency requirement outlined above and must have achieved the following*:
| Summa Cum Laude |
top 5% of graduating class |
| Magna Cum Laude |
the next 10% (85%-94th percentile) |
| Cum Laude |
the next 15% (70th-84th percentile) |
LA+D: To graduate with honors a student must have met the residency requirement outlined and must have achieved the following minimum cumulative grade point average:
| Summa Cum Laude
|
3.8 |
| Magna Cum Laude
|
3.6 |
| Cum Laude
|
3.4 |
Only undergraduate students receiving degrees will be recognized for Latin Honors. All degree requirements must be fulfilled to be recognized for Latin Honors.
*This policy will go into effect starting with the graduating class of May 2018
Request to Participate in Commencement Ceremonies with Outstanding Credits
In order to participate in May commencement exercises, students must complete all degree requirements of their programs and fulfill all financial obligations to the University. In very limited circumstances and only with the approval of a petition by the Dean of the College of Liberal and Sciences, a CLAS student with at least 114 credits, may participate in commencement with "march only" status.