CSU Registrar's Office

Do you have a general question about graduation or commencement? Send an e-mail or call the Office of the Registrar at 843-863-8060. They will help you out or direct you to the right place!
	Graduation Information & Forms
Graduation Announcements & Rings Diploma Graduation Application Transcripts Graduation Requirements Chapel Credits Academic Requirements
COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY- MAY 5, 2012
There will be a formal commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 5 at the North Charleston Coliseum for 2011-2012 graduates. Participants must report by 9 a.m. to the North Charleston Coliseum with caps and gowns to check in. At the time of check in, you will receive your name card and honor cord (if applicable) before getting in line for the processional. Please do not bring any personal items; there is no place for secure storage. There will be parking attendants who can direct you to the appropriate entrance area. If you stated on your graduation application that you were going to participate and you are no longer planning on attending, please notify the Registrar’s Office by email dmills@csuniv.edu as soon as possible. Graduation Rehearsal Rehearsal will be Friday, May 4 at 1:30 p.m. in the Lightsey Chapel. The rehearsal will last approximately 90 minutes and is mandatory. Special instructions will be given regarding parking and entrance to the coliseum during rehearsal 2012 GRADUATION EVENTS Graduation Luncheon The Office of Alumni Affairs will host a graduation luncheon to honor our graduating students. The event is Friday, May 4 at noon in the CSU Cafeteria. Graduation Rehearsal will follow the luncheon. RSVP and other information about the luncheon will be sent to you from Alumni Affairs. If you have any questions concerning the luncheon you may email Beth Boyle at bboyle@csuniv.edu. Attire Female students are to wear dark slacks, dresses, or skirts and dark dress shoes (no flip-flops). Male students are to wear dark slacks, white shirt with tie, and dark dress shoes and socks. Honor cords will be issued at the Coliseum the morning of graduation. Seating Seating will be on a first-come basis. No tickets are required for this event. Please do not try to reserve large blocks of seats. Special Accommodations If you have a guest who needs special assistance, parking, etc. you will need to use the Tony Way Blvd to enter the Coliseum. You can use the drop-off area or just proceed to LOT A for the Disable Parking. Your guest will enter the coliseum on the South Plaza side. There will be signs to guide you to the correct entrance. Graduation Decorum Graduation is a University function. We want the Commencement ceremony to be a dignified conclusion to the educational program you have completed. Please inform your guests that outbursts of yelling, whistling, cheering, or applause are not acceptable during the reading of graduates’ names. In fact, this type of display is very rude, diminishes the audience’s ability to hear all the names, and reflects poorly on the people who do it. Also, stage displays such as dancing, jumping, or other gymnastics while receiving your diploma are not appropriate. Thanks for your help with this matter. Professional Photographs Individual photographs will be available for purchase from a professional photographer who will photograph each graduate on stage during the ceremony. Information will be mailed to you following the ceremony. Professional DVDs A commencement DVD will be available for purchase from IVS Video. The price is $19.95 plus shipping if preordered and $25.00 plus shipping after the ceremony. You may call 843-577-0609 for more information. Please direct additional questions to Darla Mills, assistant registrar, at 843-863-8064 or dmills@csuniv.edu.
Graduation Application Application for Graduation by the following date. Deadline to Apply for 2013 graduation: Summer 2012 May 31st Fall 2012 August 22nd
If you submit your application for Graduation after the date listed above, you must pay a $25.00 late fee. Students who are planning on graduation must fill out the application and mail, fax to 843-863-8023 or hand carry the form to the Office of the Registrar in the Strom Thurmond Center. Apply early to make sure you are in the correct courses to complete your degree. When the Office of the Registrar receives your Application for Graduation, we will verify that you have registered for all of your remaining graduation requirements. You will then receive an email, sent to your CSU email account, indicating your application has been accepted as submitted, or there is a question concerning the information you provided. It is imperative you respond immediately if we notify you of a problem with your Application for Graduation. Most problems are easily resolved when addressed promptly. There is a $115.00 graduation fee that may be paid online or at the Business office. A graduation fee is mandatory for all graduates. The fee covers the cost of your diploma, cover, cap and gown, tassel and hood or honors cord, when applicable. We will not issue a refund if you choose not to march in the spring commencement. If you do not graduate in the term you have applied for, it is your responsibility to resubmit or update your application for graduation again. There is a $25.00 fee to reapply. Graduation with Honors Graduation honors will be based on GPA for coursework completed at Charleston Southern University. Residency requirements for graduation honors shall be 60 semester hours. The graduation honors and required cumulative GPR are as follows: Summa Cum Laude (3.90 - 4.00); Magna Cum Laude (3.75 - 3.89); Cum Laude (3.50 - 3.74). This applies to bachelor degree recipients only. Honors are reflected on the student’s transcript and the diploma. CSU does not round up for GPA purposes. There are no honors for Graduate programs. Honor Cords and Hoods Honor cords and hoods will be issued the morning of commencement. Multiple Majors At commencement you will be seated and recognized by academic department and degree. If you earn degrees or majors in two different departments, you must indicate the degree/major for which you wish to be recognized in commencement on your Application for Graduation.
GRADUATION ANNOUNCEMENTS, RINGS
To purchase graduation announcements please visit the University Bookstore or call at 843-863-8017. Jostens provides beautiful custom Announcements and Thank-you cards to upcoming graduates. Jostens will be available to take orders at the Graduation Fair in March 2012. If you are unable to attend on this date, orders can be placed on line at www.jostens.com. The Class of 2006 designed the Official Charleston Southern University Ring. It is available exclusively to Alumni and enrolled students that have completed 60 credit hours and have achieved junior status. Orders can be placed at the bookstore or at www.balfour.com . Stop by the bookstore to view this symbolic representation of Charleston Southern values. Balfour will be available to take orders at the Graduation Fair in March, 2012 in the University Bookstore.
DIPLOMA
Conferring Degrees will be conferred at the end of summer II, fall and spring semester. It is important to apply for graduation during the term you are going to meet your academic requirements. Duplicate Diploma A student who has graduated from Baptist College or Charleston Southern University may request a duplicate diploma. Please fill out the Request for Duplicate Diploma Form. There is a fifty dollar fee that may be paid online or at the Business office. Diplomas take 6-8 weeks to be received. Request Duplicate Diploma Framing The University Bookstore provides six attractive options to display and protect your diploma. All feature distinctive solid woods in a cherry or black finish with an archival quality matt with silkscreen lettering, and the University logo. Each frame is also available in a dual 28x16 picture frame depicting the Lightsey Chapel. Frames can be ordered through our website, www.csuniv.bncollege.com, and are also in stock in the bookstore. Multiple Degrees and Multiple Majors Degrees, not majors, are listed on your diploma. You will only receive one diploma at commencement. For information about receiving a second degree from CSU please see Policy R-28. Pick Up If you are not participating in the spring commencement your diplomas will be available for pick up in the Office of the Registrar beginning May 7, 2012. You will need to bring a picture ID. Diplomas can be mailed at the student's request. Please allow up to six weeks.
Transcripts
Requesting If you need a transcript to be sent to an employer or graduate school or desire one yourself, complete a transcript request form, or stop by the Office of the Registrar. Please bring the name and address of the intended recipient of your transcript. There is a five dollar charge per transcript and you can pay it online. To request a transcript after leaving the University, send your request in writing to the Office of the Registrar, Charleston Southern University, P O Box 118087, Charleston SC 29423. You may also fax your request to them at 843-863-8023. Please allow three to five Business days to process your request. Content Your transcript will not reflect your degree until after final grades are submitted and the Registrar verifies that you have met degree requirements. In addition to the courses you took and grades you earned in each, your transcript includes the date your degree was earned, major(s), minors you have earned including the total number of credits earned, your final cumulative GPA and the honors(if applicable) .