Graduation

The Maricopa Community Colleges offer Certificates of Completion as well as Associate Degrees, one of which is conferred on each student who has completed a program of study. These certificates and degrees are:

• Certificate of Completion (Career Program Specified)
• Academic Certificate; General Education Certificate
• Associate in Arts; Associate in Science
• Associate in Business
• Associate in General Studies
• Associate in Applied Science (Career Program Specified)

MCCCD Academic Policies highlight specific details for each type of degree/certificate

All students are required to complete the degree and/or certificate requirements as approved by the MCCCD Governing Board. The college reserves the right to make necessary course and program changes in order to meet current educational standards.

General Graduation Requirements are outlined in MCCCD Academic Regulation 2.3.9 under Section 2.3 (Scholastic Standards)

Students maintaining continuous enrollment at any public Arizona community college or university may graduate according to the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of initial enrollment or according to the requirements of any single catalog in effect during subsequent terms of continuous enrollment. Students may maintain continuous enrollment whether attending a single public community college or university in Arizona or transferring among public institutions in Arizona while pursuing their degrees.

In areas of study in which the subject matter changes rapidly, material in courses taken long before graduation may become obsolete or irrelevant. Coursework that is more than ten years old is applicable to completion of degree requirements at the discretion of the student's major department. Departments may accept such coursework, reject it, or request that the student revalidate its substance.

The ten-year limit on coursework applies except when program accreditation agencies limit the life of coursework to less than ten years. Departments may also require students to satisfy current major requirements rather than major requirements in earlier catalogs, when completing earlier requirements is no longer possible or educationally sound. The college reserves the right to make necessary course and program changes in order to meet current educational standards.

Fill out the Request to Graduate form online. Your signature on the Request to Graduate form gives consent to publish your name in the college commencement program.

Ensure that all credits received at other non-Maricopa colleges are part of your SCC student record. Order official transcripts from non-MCCCD colleges by visiting their websites and following their directions. If prompted to provide a physical address, use:

Scottsdale Community College
Attn: Admissions, Records, and Registration
9000 E. Chaparral Rd
Scottsdale, AZ 85256

Please note: You do not need to request that other Maricopa Community College transcripts be sent to SCC.

Your Advisor will review your graduation request, academic record, and degree completion progress. If all requirements appear to be met, your Advisor will approve your request. However, if your Advisor has any questions or see potential deficiencies, they will contact you for more information or to request you schedule a meeting with them. Your application will not be complete until any deficiencies are fixed and your Advisor approves it.

SCC holds one commencement ceremony annually in May. The Commencement Ceremony date for Summer 2024, Fall 2024, and Spring 2025 semester graduates has not yet been announced. You must apply to graduate by the Spring 2025 deadline to guarantee an invitation to the event. Participation in the ceremony is optional, but you still must apply to graduate to receive your diploma.

In some cases, students who may be graduating the summer after the commencement ceremony may be welcome to participate in the ceremony.

Information about Commencement (i.e., deadlines, cap/gown ordering) will be emailed to your Maricopa Student email account as it becomes available. Deadlines will be important to meet, so please watch your account.

Visit the Commencement page for more information. If you have any questions about participating in the ceremony, please email commencement@scottsdalecc.edu.

Yes, you can. However, please note that, especially in Spring Semester, if you submit your request after the deadline it may impact your ability to participate in the Commencement Ceremony

Yes. You must apply to graduate regardless of ceremony participation. If you do not apply to graduate you will not receive a diploma.

No, there is no charge to apply to graduate. However, there may be a fee to participate in the commencement ceremony.

At the end of the semester, all graduation applications are reviewed to ensure all academic requirements have been met. Once the review is complete, the award will be posted to your account and will be posted on your official transcript. You will receive an email notification via their Maricopa student email account when this is completed. Your diploma(s) will be printed and mailed 6-8 weeks after the end of the semester. Diplomas are mailed to your home address listed on your Student Center. Be sure your home address in your Student Center is current and accurate.