Preparing to Graduate

Welcome to the home stretch of your undergraduate career! 

The top 9 things to remember as you approach graduation – from a Music point of view.

1. Don’t wait till the last minute!

Add this statement to every section below. Graduation is not the time to procrastinate. Missing a small detail in one of these areas during your senior year can result in late fees, labor-intensive workarounds for both you and the University, and in some cases, late degree conferral. Review the Academic Calendar and note all deadlines associated with degree conferral.

Academic Calendar

2. Check your transcript against the degree requirements

The Department will check through your transcripts at various times throughout the year. However, you know your experiences best. Review the degree requirements from the Music section of the University Bulletin, and be sure you’ve planned to take the courses necessary to graduate. Music has limited course offerings each year, and a few of our courses are only offered once a year, making planning in advance a necessity—especially if you’re a double major, or have any type of multiple program requirement.

Particular attention should be paid to: your program requirements [Major(s) or Minor(s)], your degree listing [BA-MUSIC with subplan in Composition], your GER or WTWD requirements, and your Cumulative Unit count (180 for single and double majors, or 225 for dual degree students).

If any questions come up, please email or schedule a meeting with the UG Student Services Officer, rleigh [at] stanford.edu (Rowen Leigh)

Music Section of the Stanford Bulletin

rleigh [at] stanford.edu (subject: Degree%20Requirement%20Question) (Email the UG Student Services Officer)

3. Schedule your senior recital (if applicable) at least one quarter in advance

If you are planning on having a senior recital, please review our RECITALS AT A GLANCE planning guide. Remember that your lesson instructor must book your date for you, and there are rules and deadlines associated with posters, programs, and receptions. If your recital is tied to a concentration or Performance Certificate completion, your recital must be scheduled by April 1 (at the very latest) and completed by May 31. 

Recitals at a glance

rleigh [at] stanford.edu (subject: Degree%20Requirement%20Question) (Email the UG Student Services Officer)

4. Apply to Graduate

You must let the University know that you are planning on completing your degree by submitting an application to graduate via Axess. You must apply to graduate in the quarter in which you are actually graduating. The deadlines are fairly early, so please remember to apply to graduate within the first weeks of the quarter!

Axess

Registrar's Office Graduation Site

5. Pay your fees and return your keys

All your student fees must be paid BEFORE you receive your diploma. If you have any outstanding charges on your student account, be sure to pay them BEFORE week 9. If you have rented a Music locker, be sure to clear out all items before you leave campus. If you have rented any keys to practice rooms (piano, harpsichord, organ, harp, guzheng, etc), remember to return your keys and get your deposit back!

Student Services Center

Submit a Helpt Ticket

6. Submit your Multiple Major Minor Form

Students with any type of multiple program (double major, major-minor, major-minor-minor, etc) are not allowed to double count any courses for multiple programs. Be sure that you aren’t overlapping any degree requirements. This form is an eform in Axess. Students with one major and/or no minor do not need to submit this form.

7. Order, Purchase or Rent a Cap and Gown

The bookstore places orders for specific sizes late in winter quarter or early in spring quarter. To guarantee yourself a cap and gown, remember to place your order well ahead of time. After the initial set of orders, the bookstore will only keep a select stock of caps and gowns, and may not have special sizes. Undergraduates will just need a regular black cap and gown with red Stanford stoll.

Stanford Bookstore

8. RSVP to attend your Departmental Diploma Ceremony

Please let rleigh [at] stanford.edu (subject: Music%20Commencement%20Diploma%20Ceremony) (Rowen), the Undergraduate Student Services Officer, know whether or not you will be attending our diploma ceremony and how many people you will be bringing with you. We also need to know whether or not any member in your party has dietary restrictions or ADA disability needs (hearing, accesibility, vision, etc). FINAL RSVP NUMBERS ARE ALWAYS DUE BY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.

rleigh [at] stanford.edu (subject: Commencement%20RSVP) (E-mail Your RSVP Now!)

9. Use your resources

We are here to help! Senior year can be confusing, with lots of realities to deal with in addition to school work.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

Stanford Career Education (BEAM)