Graduation

1.What is the difference between a degree and a diploma?
A degree is the academic rank or grade earned by completing a specified program of study. A diploma is a paper displaying the name of the degree.

2. Can you tell me what I have left for my certificate/AA/transfer requirements?
For students who have completed 30 units of college course work may request a pre-graduation check and I will give you the missing requirements.
If you would like to discuss and/or have more detail questions about courses you have left to complete your academic goal, please make an appointment to see one of our academic counselors. Please contact the Counseling Center at make an appointment and make sure on the day of your appointment that you bring your student ID as well as all your transcripts from all colleges you have attended if we do not have them on file.

4. What will happen after I submit the graduation petition? 
We complete evaluations in the following order:

• Students with Associate Degree for Transfer (If you have petitioned for AAs as well these won't be evaluated until all ADTs are finished.)

• Students with Associate Degrees (Depending on how many ADTs are submitted, it can take weeks for a response.)

• Then students with Certificates.

Please ensure successful completion of all your in-progress courses. If you do not have in-progress courses, no further action is required unless notified.

If you are required to perform further action or have been denied, you will be notified through your student email and personal email (if any).

All students may check their unofficial transcript for their most updated degree/certificate status. (Certificates of Specialization does not show on transcripts.)

5. When will my degree appear on my transcript?
Your college will review your record and certify your degree following the end of your final term. Your degree will usually be recorded on your academic record approximately 4 weeks after your conferral date.

 6. How do I update my mailing and email address?
You may update your mailing and personal email address by logging on to your MyGWC.com account.

MyGWC / Registration / Update Personal Info / Update Addresses and Phones

 7. May I change the way my name is shown on my diploma?
We use the name we have on file with the Admission and Records.
If you wish to change your name on your diploma, please fill out NAME CHANGE REQUEST form.

8. When is commencement? 
Graduation ceremony, also known as Commencement, takes place every year towards the end of May after the Spring semester to celebrate the previous year’s Summer and Fall graduates, as well as this year’s Spring graduates.

 9. How do I RSVP for commencement? 
Even though commencement is not mandatory, we encourage you to join us in celebrating your success. Beginning of May, the graduation department will contact all students through email with all necessary commencement information.

 10. Will I receive my diploma at commencement? 
No, students will only receive diploma covers at commencement. Your diploma will be mailed out 2 to 3 months after the semester ends. Mailing updates will post on the Graduation channel of the GWC app.

11. If I walk in commencement, does that mean I have been awarded my degree? 
Since commencement takes place during the last week of Spring, all Summer and Fall graduates have been awarded their degree on their GWC official transcript. As for all Spring graduates, since final evaluation happens after commencement, please note that Spring graduates who participate in the ceremony may be denied the degree if they do not meet all necessary requirements during the final evaluation.

 12. Will I receive my diploma if I have a hold on my record?
You may not receive your diploma if you have a past-due account balance.

 13. Why have I not yet received my diploma in the mail?

• There are several reasons why you may not have received your diploma:
• You did not have a current valid address at the time of mailing the diplomas. Once you contact us, we can have it out mailed again as long as there are no holds on your account.
• Your diploma was mailed to your current address and was lost in the mail. If you contact the Graduation Clerk within 90 days from the mailing date, we will be able to replace it for free as long as it is sent to the same address. If you contact us after 90 days of the mailing, you will need to order a replacement diploma and pay a fee for the replacement.
• There is a possibility your diploma may have been returned to the Graduation Clerk as undeliverable. If this is the case, we will be happy to forward it to you at a new address.
• It is also possible the diploma was mailed to an old address and discarded. In this case, you will need to order a replacement diploma and pay a fee for the replacement.
• There may have been a hold on your student account at the time of the mailing.

Students can see the status of their graduation petition at any time by viewing their unofficial transcripts at MyGWC.com. Please do not reach out to us to check on the status as this delays the review process. To view your unofficial transcripts, log-in to MyGWC.com, click on the “My Records” tab on the left navigation bar, then click on “Unofficial Transcripts”. For Transcript Level select “GWC Undergraduate” and for Transcript Type select “Unofficial Transcript”. 

Look for the “Degree Awarded” section, which typically appears near the top of the transcript. If you submitted multiple graduation petitions, you will see multiple curriculums listed. Each certificate and degree will have one of the following status listed:

Applied = Your petition has been received and is waiting to be reviewed.
Pending = Your petition is being reviewed and/or is waiting for final grades to be posted for the current semester for final determination.*
Awarded = The Certificate or Degree listed has been awarded with the Degree Date.
Denied = The Certificate or Degree listed has been denied.

*Should there be any missing information, if we need further clarification, or if it looks like you are missing requirements for graduation, we will contact you at your student (@student.cccd.edu) email during the review process. If you don’t hear anything from our office, you can assume that everything is going well. Due to the volume of grad petitions received (especially during the Spring semester) please also allow between 3-12 weeks after final grades are posted for final determinations and awarding of degrees.

To earn an Associates Degree, you must (1) complete one option of general education patterns, as well as (2) meet requirements for your chosen Major offered at Golden West College, (3) have at least 60 units toward your degree, meet 12 residency units at GWC, and (4) meet the minimum GPA requirements.

1. Complete one of the following:

OPTION 1 - Career Focus
OPTION 2 - CSU Breadth Requirements
OPTION 3 - IGETC (Intersegmentall General Education Transfer Curriculum) Requirements

2. Complete required major courses with grades C or better.

3. Units and Residency requirements: Students must complete at least 60 degree units. A minimum of 12 units must be taken at Golden West College. At least six of these units must be in courses required for the major.

4. GPA requirements: Students must have a cumulative minimum 2.0 grade point average. All courses required for the Major must be completed with a grade of C or better.

What is an Associate Degree?

The associate degree is typically completed in two years and has two main purposes. It prepares the student to transfer to a four-year university or is intended to prepare the student for immediate employment.

Please Note:

If you began your studies at GWC before FALL 2008 and have maintained continuous enrollment (completion of at least one college course per catalog year), you may be able to graduate under the old requirements. Please contact your counselor in regard to your educational plan.

Minimum of 60 CSU-transferable semester units.

1. Cumulative minimum 2.0 grade point average.
2. Completion of a minimum of 18 semester units in a specific AD-T major. All courses in the major must be completed with a grade of C or better or a P if the course is taken on a pass/no pass basis (title 5 55063).
3. Certified completion of the OPTION 2 2021-2022 CSU General Education Breadth 
   or OPTION 3 2021-2022 IGETC (UC or CSU)

Please consult with a counselor for more information.

What are an Associates of Art for Transfer (AA-T) or Associates of Science for Transfer (AS-T)?

The AA-T or AS-T (also known as AD-T: Associates Degree for Transfer) is intended for students who plan to complete a bachelors degree in a similar major at a California State University (CSU) campus. Students completing these AD-T are guaranteed admission to the CSU system, but not to a particular campus or major.

Students should consult with a counselor in the Transfer Center when planning to complete the degree for more information on university admission and transfer requirements.

General Education (GE) courses introduce students to the fundamental ideas and intellectual activities that scholars across campus—in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences—draw on in their work. Courses in the GE curriculum offer diverse perspectives on how human beings think and feel, solve problems, express ideas, and create and discover new knowledge. These courses also help students acquire the skills essential to university-level learning: they challenge students to assess information critically; frame and deliver reasoned and persuasive arguments orally and in writing; and identify, acquire, and use the knowledge necessary to solve problems. Basically, General Education is required curriculum that makes up the foundation of an undergraduate degree.

Completion of General Education Requirements by one of the following methods:

1. Completion of a minimum of 18 units as listed under Areas A through E, including the Cultural Diversity Requirement. General Education Requirements
2. Completion of a minimum of 39 units of CSU General Education requirements. Students who complete this pattern are also eligible to receive the Certificate of Achievement in CSU General Education Breadth
3. Completion of a minimum of 34 (UC) or 37 (CSU) units of Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) requirements. Students who complete this pattern are also eligible to receive the Certificate of Achievement in IGETC.

Students should consult a GWC counselor in order to select the best pathway to meet their educational goals. For students who intend to transfer, the choice of general education will be specific to both their major and transfer institution.

What is the GE Breadth?
The CSU General Education Breadth is a pattern of courses that community college students can use to satisfy lower division general education requirements for any California State University campus. This agreement describes the coursework that students must take to fulfill the lower division G.E. requirements for the CSU campuses.  CSU GE Breadth Requirements
 
What is the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)?
The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) is a pattern of courses that community college students can use to satisfy lower division general education requirements for any University of California or California State University campus. This agreement describes the coursework that students must take to fulfill the lower division requirements. IGETC Requirements  (Note: On some UC campuses, IGETC is not recommended for some majors.)

Are CSU GE-Breadth and IGETC the same?
No. While similar, there are some key distinctions between the two patterns. IGETC has a foreign language competency requirement that can be met in a variety of ways. Most students will satisfy this requirement with either two years of high school foreign language with grades of C or better, or one semester of foreign language at the college level.

The CSU GE-Breadth requirements include an oral communications course, as well as the graduation requirement of U.S. History, Constitution, and American Ideals. This graduation requirement can be met at the community college and can be included in the general education coursework. 

Which General Education Pattern should I choose?
It depends. If you plan on applying to both the UC and CSU, then the IGETC is an appropriate pattern as it meets the requirements for both systems. If you are only seeking transfer to the CSU, then you can follow the CSU GE-Breadth requirements.

Check what requirements you have completed on your unofficial transcript:

1. Log-in to your MyGWC portal.
2. Click on My Records on the left navigation bar.
3. Click on Unofficial Transcripts under Transcripts.
4. Transcripts Level: All Levels // Transcripts Type: Unofficial Transcripts // Click Submit
5. Click on Transcripts Totals. This will take you to the bottom of the page where you will find the completed requirements for the GE Breadth and/or IGETC. 

Can a course be used to satisfy both General Education and Major requirements?
Yes. A single course can meet the requirement for both general education and major requirements. See a Counselor for exceptions.

Can a course be used to satisfy more than one GE Category?
No. While a course may appear in more than one general education category, it can only be used to satisfy the requirement in one area.

Can I use Advanced Placement scores for IGETC or CSU Breadth?
Yes. Official Advanced Placement scores must be received from College Board for these to be used in either general education pattern. In most instances, scores of 3 or better will be granted course/subject or unit credit. See GWC Catalog for a listing of AP tests, scores, and approved credit.

Can I use coursework from any college to meet the IGETC or CSU GE Breadth requirements?
Yes. A community college can include courses from regionally accredited colleges and universities to meet IGETC requirements if the coursework is evaluated and deemed to be equivalent to that of the community college course.

Is there a GPA requirement for the CSU Breadth and/or the IGETC Pattern?
Yes. IGETC coursework must be completed with a grade of C or better. Grades of Pass or Credit will be accepted when a passing grade is equivalent to a C or better. C- and D grades are not acceptable.

 The CSU GE Breadth requirements stipulate that grades of C or better must be achieved in areas A and B4, as well as coursework in 30 of the 39 units of the general education pattern. Grades of Pass or Credit will be accepted when a passing grade is equivalent to a C or better.

Golden West College offers two types of certificate awards in career programs designed to prepare the graduate to enter a particular field of employment.

Certificate of Achievement: Requires 12 or more units in a state approved program. Certificates of Achievement are not automatically awarded. A petition must be filed in Admissions & Records at the beginning of the semester in which the student will be completing the final requirements. Petitioning periods are listed below.

Certificate of Specialization: Approved programs of less than 18 units. Certificates of Specialization are not awarded automatically. A petition must be filed in Admissions & Records at the beginning of the semester in which the student will be completing the final requirements. Petitioning periods are listed below. Certificates of Specialization are not printed on official academic transcripts.

A list of career programs and requirements can be found in the Degrees and Program Section of the Golden West catalog. Check with a counselor to determine the requirements for completion.

Official transcripts from all other institutions you have attended must be submitted to the Admissions & Records before petitioning to graduate for a degree or certificate. You do not need to submit official transcripts from Orange Coast College or Coastline Community College.

Official transcripts from other institutions must be submitted in a sealed envelope. Students may personally hand in their transcripts, have it sent directly from the institutions, or if the other institutions permit, students may have e-transcripts emailed to gwctranscripts@gwc.cccd.edu.

Transcripts submitted to Golden West College are evaluated for every lower division, degree applicable course completed with a grade of A, B, C, D, F, CR or P. These courses, units, and grades earned are applied as appropriate to the student's GWC goal and used for educational planning purposes. Transcript evaluations are completed in conjunction with scheduled counseling appointments or by completing an online request if no counseling appointment is scheduled.  Courses with W, NC or NP notations are not reviewed or applied. Students must request copies of official sealed transcripts be sent to Admissions and Records from each college attended before an evaluation can be performed.

We are required to carefully scrutinize general education courses in the areas of written and oral communication, critical thinking and composition, and mathematics and quantitative reasoning that represent the following areas:

For California State University General Education Certification:

• CSU GE Area A2 – Written Communication
• CSU GE Area A3 – Critical Thinking
• CSU GE Area B4 – Mathematics / Quantitative Reasoning

For Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum Certification:

• IGETC Area 1A – English Composition
• IGETC Area 1B – Critical Thinking – English Composition*
• IGETC Area 2 – Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning

Application of courses from private or out-of-state colleges and universities is often denied because course descriptions are insufficient and do not confirm required course elements (e.g., 5,000 written words, critical thinking, inductive/deductive reasoning, etc.).

COURSE SUBSTITUTIONS

What is a course substitution?
If you believe a course taken at GWC or at another institution should be used to substitute for a requirement within a major or certificate, you may file a Course Substitution Form. This form must be completed prior or concurrent to petitioning for graduation. Course Substitution Forms must be complete with Instructors signature and a signature from either the chair or Dean of the department being petitioned. You will need to submit any necessary official transcript and/or course descriptions and/or course syllabus with the course substitution. Incomplete forms will not be processed.

Please contact counseling for assist if submitting the form.

Please Note: The Course Substitution Form may not be used for courses being used toward an AD-T. Students attempting to fulfill AD-T requirements with coursework from other colleges or institutions must speak with a Transfer Center counselor for evaluation.

For more detailed information please visit the Golden West College Catalog’s Policies and Regulations

Types of honors:

The Honors List distinctions are automatically added to a student's transcript when that student fulfills certain GPA criteria (see below). There are no applications to fill out, and no fees to pay for these honors. These semester distinctions are not, however, sufficient to entitle students to the privilege of graduation with honors.

• Dean's List Notation:The student completes 12 or more units of GWC coursework with letter grades and earns a semester GPA of 3.50-3.99.
• Honors List Notation:The student completes 6 - 11.9 units of GWC coursework with letter grades and earns a semester GPA of 3.75-4.0.
• President's List Notation:The student completes 12 or more units of GWC coursework with letter grades and earns a semester GPA of 4.0.

Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society
Eligibility for membership in the Sigma Pi Chapter at Golden West College is based on completing 12 or more graded college units at GWC, with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. Membership is renewable each semester. Chapter dues and grade verification are required. Permanent membership is awarded to students completing 60 transferable units from any California Community College, with two semesters of membership, and a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or better. Permanent members receive recognition on their GWC transcript and diploma and at the state level.

Students must apply for membership during the first ten weeks of the fall or spring semester. AGS membership application forms, dues and grade verifications should be submitted to the GWC Bursars Office.

Please visit the Alpha Gamma Sigma webpage here.

Eligibility for Graduation with Honors:

• Meet all graduation requirements.
• A 3.5 cumulative grade point average and a minimum of 48 units in courses evaluated with letter grades.
  
  *Spring grades will not be used in computing the grade point average for the graduation ceremony but will be used in determining the final grade point average for the diploma.

The GPA on your transcript, MyGWC or DegreeWorks is not necessarily your final GPA for graduating with honors.

A cumulative "honors GPA" is calculated by combining all college work attempted at Golden West College, as well as all college coursework attempted at any other institutions a student attended.

Graduating with Honors will be noted both on students' diplomas and transcripts.

Certificates are not eligible for Graduating with Honors.

Recognition for Graduation with Honors:
Associate Degree and Associates Degree for Transfer students, who graduated with honors in Summer, Fall, and students who have potential honors for Spring, will receive gold honors cords to wear at the May commencement ceremony. In addition, the names of students receiving honors will appear in the Commencement Program. Students only receive an honor cord if the participate in the Commencement. The week of Commencement, honor students who RSVP’d will get an email regarding pick-up of the cords at the GWC bookstore.

Note to spring graduates / potential honors:
The May commencement ceremony occurs prior to the deadline for spring semester final grades. Final grades will be verified prior to noting final graduation honors on the diploma or the official transcript.

When calculating honors for our Spring graduation candidates, who plan to walk in the commencement ceremony, Graduation Services assumes that students will receive "A's" in all of their in progress coursework; thus allowing each student to be recognized for the potential highest level of honors they can attain. These are potential honors.

These potential honors will be used to award gold honors cords at the commencement ceremony, and be listed in the official commencement program.

However, once final grades are posted, the final honors GPA will be calculated. Final grades will influence a student's honors GPA (should the student receive anything other than "A's"). Final honors will be reflected on the student's diploma and official transcripts.

Golden West College issues a new catalog each year. The information published in the catalog is in effect for the academic year beginning with the fall semester and concluding with the summer session. The courses required for a specific degree or certificate, or general education may change from one catalog to the next and, therefore, may change during the period of time that a student attends the college. Catalog rights, established when a student first takes classes at the college, protect the student from being held for additional requirements that may be added to a later catalog. For the purposes of meeting graduation or certificate requirements, students may elect to meet the requirements of either:

• The catalog that was in effect at the time they began taking courses at Golden West College.
• Any catalog that was in effect during the student’s continuous enrollment.
• The catalog that is in effect at the time they file an application for a degree or certificate.

It is the responsibility of the student to indicate, at the time the graduation petition is submitted, which catalog they elect to follow. If a student does not petition to graduate and loses their catalog rights, they will need to meet the graduation requirements of the year in which they are applying.

Students maintain catalog rights by maintaining continuous enrollment at Golden West College, by receiving a letter grade of A, B, C, D, F, P, NP, W, MW, I or EW on their transcripts for at least one semester each calendar year. Absence due to an approved educational leave or for attendance at another accredited institution of higher learning shall not be considered an interruption in attendance, if the absence does not exceed two years. Documented Military Withdrawal (MW) or Excused Withdrawal (EW) will not be considered an interruption of enrollment.

Catalog rights may be superseded when

1. A program in which an outside agency or licensing body requires that students complete specific courses within an established time frame or
2. Vocational program requirements change to comply with industry standards.

For more detailed information please visit the Golden West College Catalog’s Policies and Regulations

Graduates can visit the Golden West College Bookstore on campus or the website to purchase regalia and other commemorative graduation items before the ceremony as a keepsake for their hard work and achievement at Golden West College. Graduates in Special Programs should contact your program’s office for instructions on acquiring regalia.

To purchase regalia, which includes a cap with tassel and gown:

https://goldenwestcollege.bncollege.com/

Prices are as follows:

Sizes and Special orders should be placed no later than April 15, 2022, as it is a 30-day lead time. 

After this date, sizes will be limited to what is available on hand. The last day to pick up your cap and gown will be on graduation day at 12:00 p.m.

Questions, please contact the bookstore no later than April 15, 2022.

​If you've already graduated from Golden West College and you'd like to order a duplicate copy of your diploma or certificate of achievement, please submit a Duplicate Diploma Order Form using one of the links below. There is a $20.00 charge per replacement document.

 For information regarding Duplicate Diplomas orders you may contact the Graduation Clerk, Christy Banales at cbanales@gwc.cccd.edu.

Still have access to your GWC login, then use this order link: Current Student

No longer have access to your GWC login, then use this order link: Former Students

You can also show proof of degree by ordering official transcripts. Official transcript orders can be placed at: www.goldenwestcollege.edu/records/

Helpful Links:
The California Community Colleges Chancellors Office:
https://www.cccco.edu/About-Us/Chancellors-Office

The California State University: https://www2.calstate.edu/apply/transfer/Pages/ccc-associate-degree-for-transfer.aspx

What type of verification do you need?

Letters of Pending Graduation
If you need to verify your cleared graduation status due to an upcoming promotion board appearance, school admission, or other work-related circumstance, you may request a "pending graduation letter" as long as you have already submitted your Graduation Petition Form. A Letter of Pending Graduation is accepted for most employment and/or promotion board purposes as confirmation of an upcoming graduation.

Note: Letters of Pending Graduation are not intended for students whose degree has already been conferred. Students that need verification of a degree previously earned should submit an Enrollment Verification Request, or visit the National Student Clearinghouse at, http://www.studentclearinghouse.org/

Letter of Invitation (foreign visa purposes only)
Students with international guests may request a formal invitation to their commencement ceremony. The invitation will state the student’s name, when their ceremony is, and that all invited family and friends are welcome. This letter is intended only as helpful supplemental information. We cannot guarantee how U.S. consulates will approach each individual situation.

Note: It is recommended that you also provide your invitees with an Enrollment Verification to accompany this letter. Provide each of your prospective guests with a copy of your invitation letter and Enrollment Verification to present as part of their request for a visitor’s visa.

Graduation Letter Requests Form