Graduation

Location: Admissions and Records Office, Red Mountain Building 319
Phone: 775-673-7042
Fax: 775-673-7028
Website: http://admissions.tmcc.edu

Graduation Information

For the most current graduation information see the Admissions and Records website.

Graduation Candidates

The Admissions and Records Office will automatically review your progress toward the completion of your degree for the degree that you have currently declared. We highly recommend that you meet with an Academic Advisor prior to your last semester in order to review your records and ensure all graduation requirements will be met.

You will receive an email approximately 4–6 weeks after the beginning of the semester indicating your eligibility to graduate.  You will have the opportunity to “opt out” of the auto-grad process if you do NOT wish to receive your degree in the current semester. If you do not receive the auto-grad email and feel that you should be eligible to graduate with your declared degree, please contact Academic Advisement to request a Grad Check appointment. 

Graduation Applicants

The following information is for students who wish to apply for graduation for a degree other than what he/she is declared, is a senior-level TMCC High School student, or a Summer graduate who wants their information included in the Commencement program. In addition, if a student record was NOT picked up by the AutoGrad process for their declared degree then they will need to complete the online graduation application.

Students who need to apply for graduation may submit a separate application for graduation for each degree or certificate of achievement they may earn. Students may earn multiple degrees/certificates subsequently or simultaneously, provided that they satisfy the requirements for each degree.

Summer Graduation Applicants: Students who will complete their requirements to graduate in the Summer session, MUST complete the online graduation application by the April 1 deadline if you want your name and degree information included in the Commencement program.

Graduation Requirements

Students must satisfy all of the following requirements to earn a degree or Certificate of Achievement at TMCC:

  1. Be a Graduation Candidate (auto-graduation application) or a Graduation Applicant (submit a separate, completed Application for Graduation to the Admissions and Records Office for each degree or certificate of achievement earned).  Priority Deadline dates for filing these applications are:
Fall Semester November 1
Spring Semester April 1
Summer Session June 1


If the first of the month falls on a weekend, the deadline will be the following Monday. Applications for Spring and Summer must be received by April 1 in order for graduates' names to be printed in the Commencement program. 

2. Complete 15 semester, degree-applicable units "in residence" for Associate degrees and Certificates of Achievement or complete 30 semester, degree applicable units "in residence" for Bachelor degrees.  This means that a student must complete a minimum of 15 or 30 degree-applicable units at TMCC. Units awarded for challenge examinations, military training, continuing education units, proprietary schools, Peace Officers Standard Training, American Institute of Banking, and Advanced American Red Cross are not considered "in residence" units. 

3. Truckee Meadows Community College graduation GPA: In order to graduate, students are required to have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 at TMCC. Grade-point averages earned at other post-secondary institutions are not reflected in the TMCC cumulative GPA. Specific degree programs may require a higher GPA and other post-secondary grades; students should consult with their advisor if they have questions. 

4.  Meet all financial and library obligations to the Nevada System of Higher Education. If a student has any outstanding debt, they may pay it at the Cashier’s Office. Library obligations can be cleared through the Elizabeth Sturm Library.

5. Complete the curriculum requirements for the degree, emphasis, or certificate according to their Choice of Catalog for Graduation (Matriculation, Degree Declaration, First Offered, Graduation).    

Choice of Catalog for Graduation

Students may graduate under one of the following catalogs:

  • Matriculation: The catalog in effect the year that a student initially attends a class at TMCC.  Educational Programs Inspiring the community (EPIC), and Career and Technical Education (CTE) College Credit classes do not apply towards initial attendance/enrollment for matriculation.
  • Degree Declaration: The catalog in effect the year a student officially declares a degree, emphasis, or certificate with the Admissions and Records Office.
  • First Offered: If a degree, emphasis or certificate is offered for the first time after a student has matriculated, they may follow the catalog requirements for the year the degree is first offered.
  • Graduation: The catalog in effect the year that a student will graduate.  Nursing, Radiologic Technician, Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene, and Veterinary Nursing programs require students to graduate under the course catalog year they were accepted into the program.  If students interrupt their college studies for more than two consecutive semesters, including the Summer session, the College encourages them to meet the requirements of the course catalog year under which they will complete the requirements for the degree, emphasis, or certificate. 

The catalog selected may not be more than 6 years old for Certificates of Achievement or Associates degrees and 10 years old for Bachelor’s degrees. Students may not use a combination of course catalogs for graduation. Summer session is included in the previous course catalog year, i.e., Summer 2023 would be under the 2022-2023 course catalog. For specific details, please see a TMCC Academic Advisor.

Transferring in Units Towards Graduation

Students wishing to apply units earned at other institutions must submit an official transcript showing the posted grades to the Admissions and Records Office and complete the Credit Evaluation for Transfer Student form.  Transcripts showing courses "in progress" may not be used towards graduation. For additional information and transfer credit unit limits refer to the "Transfer Credit Policy on the Evaluation of Previous Training and Education" section of the catalog.

Skills Certificates

Students do not need to complete a graduation application to receive a "Skills Certificate". The Skills Certificate designation will automatically appear on your transcript, below the semester that you completed the requirements to receive it. Diplomas are not generated for Skills Certificates earned and students are not eligible to participate in the Commencement Ceremony.

Commencement

All graduating students are encouraged to participate in Commencement, which is held at the close of the Spring semester each year. At that time, all degrees and certificates of achievement are conferred upon the Fall, Spring, and Summer graduates for the year. Diplomas are not handed out at Commencement. Please see the Commencement website for additional information.

TMCC is pleased to provide the following information regarding our institution's graduation/completion and transfer-out rates. The information is provided in compliance with the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. The rates reflect the graduation, completion and transfer-out status of students who enrolled during the Fall 2015 semester and for whom 150% of the normal time-to-completion has elapsed.

During the fall semester of 2015, 753 first-time, full-time, certificate or degree-seeking students entered TMCC.  After 6 years, 26% of these students had graduated from our institution or completed their programs and 14% had transferred to other higher education institutions.

Questions related to this report should be directed to:

Institutional Research Office
775-673-8239

While reviewing this information, please bear in mind:

·         Graduation and transfer-out rates are based on 6 years of attendance that equates to 150% of our longest program.

·         Graduation (and transfer-out) rates do not include students who left the school to serve in the armed forces, on official church missions, or in the foreign service of the federal government. Students who died or were totally and permanently disabled are also excluded.

·         The majority of TMCC's students are not full-time (In Fall 2022, only 29% enrolled in 12 or more units per semester), and graduation is not the only measure of success for all of our students.