If your Degree Progress report indicates all requirements for your degree will be completed by the end of the semester, you are eligible for graduation. The deadline to self-apply for graduation this semester will be sometime Mid-November. Please check back November 1 for exact date.

To Apply for Graduation

1. Log into your myMadisonCollege student account
2. Under the Academic Record menu on the left hand side, click on Apply for/View Graduation (see image below)
3. Follow the remaining steps presented
4. Pay the $20 graduation fee (beginning Monday, November 13, 2017)
5. Complete the Graduate Card, which you will receive when you pay the graduation fee
6. Check your name for accuracy - if it should appear differently on your diploma, complete a Name Change Form
7. Verify your address in your myMadisonCollege student account to ensure receipt of your diploma
8. Turn your Graduate Card into the Student Life office or regional campus office (beginning Monday, November 13, 2017). If you will be participating in the ceremony you will obtain your cap, gown, announcements and graduation instructions. If you are NOT attending you will receive your Madison College diploma cover and tassel.

Once grades are posted at the end of the term, your course and program requirement completion will be verified by the college. If all requirements are fulfilled, your degree will be marked complete and your graduation status will be assigned to your record. You will then be eligible to receive your diploma by mail, if your $20 graduation fee has been paid.

If you miss the application deadline and our records show that you are at 100 percent completion of your requirements at the end of the semester, you can check your myMadisonCollege student account to see if the college was able to apply on your behalf. To check, follow the same steps listed above. If you are finishing, and your records still do not indicate a graduation applied status, please contact Advising Services to evaluate your situation.

If you are completing your degree in summer, you are automatically included in the following semester's midyear ceremony (held in December). However, you may participate in the spring ceremony (held in May) by a request to Advising Services.

The $20 graduation fee is an administrative fee that all graduates pay regardless of whether they will be attending the ceremony. This fee covers cost of processing your diploma as well as the diploma cover, tassel, cap and gown if attending the ceremony. 

If you want to participate in the ceremony, you must pay your graduation fee between November 13 and December 13, 2017 (the day before the ceremony). Otherwise, the fee is accepted year round. However, you will need to send an email to EnrollmentServices@madisoncollege.edu to prompt the mailing of your diploma.

Local Students

Graduates can pay the fee at the Enrollment/Payment Center in the Gateway on the Truax campus, room D116 in the Enrollment Center at the Downtown campus, main office of South and West campus or at your regional campus office.

Out-of-State/Online Students

Graduates who are unable to pay in person can send a check to Madison College, with student ID number and "Graduation Fee" noted on the check, mail it to:

Madison College
Attn: Student Financials
1701 Wright Street
Madison, WI 53704 

If you plan on attending the ceremony, please call (608) 243-4164 to have the graduate card filled out over the phone.

If you have applied for graduation, paid the graduation fee and would like to participate in the commencement ceremony, turn your Graduate Card in to the Student Life office or regional campus office (beginning Monday, November 13, 2017) By doing so you will obtain your:

• Cap, gown and tassel
• Announcements
• Ceremony participation instructions

Use the Graduation Checklist to make sure you have completed all the necessary steps before the commencement ceremony.

If you have a FERPA hold on your student record, but would like your name displayed in the commencement program, you will need to request to have the FERPA hold removed.

If you are an online or out-of-state student and plan to attend the ceremony, but are unable to pick up your graduation items in person, contact the Student Life office at (608) 243-4164 for further details.

If you are not completing your degree this term, but would like to participate in the ceremony (walking only), please contact an Academic Advisor. If you would like to have your name printed in the program, you must notify an advisor by November 22, 2017.

If the ceremony needs to be canceled for any reason, a WolfPack Alert will be sent. Please be sure to sign up for these alerts prior to the ceremony. You can also check the Madison College website for information.

Pictures at the Ceremony

Empire Photography has been photographing our commencement ceremonies for many years. Each graduate is photographed as they receive their diploma and a solo portrait is also taken after they exit the stage. Proofs will be sent to graduates and their families within 48 hours of the ceremony. Preregister your email address to quickly receive your complimentary proofs of this once-in-a-lifetime moment at your college commencement. If you have any questions, please email Empire Photography at customerservice@empirephotos.com.

Pictures may be taken by guests from the designated photo areas while graduates are receiving their diploma or following the ceremony.

Honors and Awards

Academic Honor Awards

• Candidates for Academic High Honor Awards must attain an overall major grade point average of 3.75.
• Graduating students become eligible in two-year programs by achieving a 3.75 GPA after completing 75 percent of the total program credit requirements.
• Graduating students in one-year programs become eligible by achieving a 3.75 GPA after completing 50 percent of the total program requirements.

Candidates are designated on the graduation program and wear a white cord at the graduation ceremony. Final determination for awarding of Graduation Academic Honors is made at the time of program completion and includes the graduates maintaining a 3.75 GPA in the program. Students who achieve this program GPA will have a special designation included on their diploma.

Special Service Awards

Students demonstrating extraordinary service to fellow students and the college are nominated for the Special Service Award. These nominees will have demonstrated leadership in student government, clubs and/or participated voluntarily in college-sponsored educational or recreational activities. Selected students will be designated on the graduation program and will wear a gold cord at the graduation ceremony. A Special Service Certificate will be mailed after the graduation ceremony.

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society

Graduating students who are members of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society for two-year colleges wear gold stoles and tassels at the graduation ceremony. Membership is by invitation only and students must maintain a cumulative 3.5 grade point average.

Military Veterans Service Awards

Madison College honors its graduating military veterans by presenting them with special red, white and blue cords to wear during the commencement ceremony. Please join us in thanking them for their dedicated service to our country.

Commencement Ceremony Videos

Anyone who is unable to attend the commencement ceremony can watch a live broadcast by clicking on the link that will be posted at the top of this webpage. If you have a slow internet connection or have problems viewing the primary link, please use the backup video broadcast link. After choosing the link, you will be presented with either the video page or a page recommending you download software. Note that this will only be live on a computer and not on any mobile device or in the Chrome browser.

If you are not able to watch the commencement ceremony live, an on-demand video will be posted approximately one hour after the end of the ceremony.

If you prefer to own a copy of the video, a DVD of the ceremony can be purchased for $15. Simply complete the DVD Order Form (PDF, 53KB) and mail it along with payment to the address listed. 

PAST COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY VIDEOS

2016 Spring Commencement video

2016 Midyear Commencement video

Associate degrees or diplomas are issued when you:

• Complete the required curriculum both in hours of attendance and in terms of achievement
• Have obtained satisfactory achievement (C or 2.0 grade point average) in their major field subjects
• Have maintained an overall C or 2.0 grade point average in the program and;
• Are recommended by the department instructors and the dean/chairperson of the division

Twenty-five percent requirement: At least 25 percent of the credit requirements necessary for obtaining a diploma/degree in any program must be taken at Madison College. In some situations, a higher percentage of core courses are required to be taken in residence. Check with the division office for information.

Verify Your Status

You should run your Degree Progress report (previously called an advisement report), to verify you have completed, are in progress with, or are registered for all course requirements. You can view your Degree Progress report by logging into your myMadisonCollege student center, navigate to Academic Record, select Degree Progress and then click on your degree career. If all courses are satisfied or in progress, you can apply for graduation.

Degrees/Diplomas

Associate degrees/diplomas are mailed six to eight weeks after the semester or summer session ends and graduation is confirmed by your school office. If you receive incompletes or have other deficiencies on your records, your associate degree, diploma or certificate will be sent at the end of the semester during which all obligations have been satisfied. If you had terminated your attendance for a semester or more, you may be required to meet the current graduation requirements of the program in which you re-enrolled.

Additional Degree/Diploma

Only one diploma/degree may be awarded at a semester commencement. To obtain an additional diploma/degree, you must:

• Meet all of the requirements of the second diploma/degree
• Meet Madison College graduation requirements
• Acquire a minimum of 25 percent of the second degree/diploma credit requirements of new, additional credits in residence (for example, if the second program has 64 credits, a minimum of 16 credits must be taken in residency while meeting the requirements above.

Any exceptions to these policies shall be approved in writing by the dean of the school in which the program or second degree/diploma is offered (refer to the Credit for Prior Learning page).

Certificates

Certificates are not included in the commencement ceremony, with some exceptions. The certificate credential is not a degree, therefore, you complete a certificate, not graduate from it. 

You must apply and be admitted to a certificate in order to be awarded a certificate. At least 50 percent of the credit requirements necessary for obtaining a certificate must be taken at Madison College. Certificates are mailed six to eight weeks after the semester or summer session ends (either after the course work has been completed, or the term admitted if courses were completed prior to application/admission to the certificate).

If you have terminated your attendance and have been discontinued, you will be required to re-apply to the certificate, and must meet the current requirements of the certificate.