Graduation and Commencement

Commencement 2024: Sunday, May 5th. Ceremony begins at 3:00pm at the Cintas Center.

Cincinnati State’s 2024 Commencement exercises will take place Sunday, May 5th from 3:00 – 5:30p.m. at the Cintas Center on the campus of Xavier University. 


“Intent to Participate” eform

Graduates (and pending graduates) planning to participate in the ceremony must submit the Intent to Participate in Commencement Ceremony eForm by Friday, April 12th!

Degree program and approved certificate recipients from the past academic year will be recognized:

  • Summer 2023 & Fall 2023
  • Spring 2024
  • Summer 2024
    • students already registered for their last required program classes

Tickets

Tickets are required by the Cintas Center for all guests over the age of two (2) – graduates do not need a ticket. Each graduate is allowed ten (10) guest tickets. Tickets are free and for general admission. If extra tickets become available, an announcement will be made a few days prior to the event.

Ticket Pickup Information:

Clifton Campus:

Offices of the Registrar & Financial Aid

ATLC, room 105 (next to the cafeteria)

  • Saturday, April 20
    • 10:00am – 2:00pm
  • Monday – Friday, April 22 – 26 and April 29 – May 3
    • 8:00am – 4:30pm
  • Wednesday, April 24 & May 1
    • 8:00am – 6:00pm

Middletown Campus:

Johnston Hall, #112

4200 N. University Blvd.

Middletown, Ohio 45042

  • Monday – Friday, April 22 – 26 and April 29 – May 3
    • 9:00am – 4:00pm

West Campus:

Cincinnati West Airport

10030 West Road

Harrison, Ohio 45030

  • Monday – Thursday, April 22 – 25 and April 29 – May 2
    • 8:00am – 4:00pm

“Grad Finale” Event

The Office of Student Activities will host the graduation celebration on Wednesday, April 3rd at 11am and 4pm on the Clifton campus.

  • Enjoy snacks and freebies
  • Buy a cap and gown
  • Order Announcements and class rings from Jostens
  • Record your Grad Shout-Out
  • Snap photos against the CState background

Caps and Gowns

The Follett bookstore on Clifton campus has caps and gowns available for purchase now. Online ordering is not available at this time, but items can be shipped.

A cap/gown/tassel set is $52.

The stoles pictured below are sold separately for $40 each.


Cintas Center

Cincinnati State is fortunate to be able to have commencement exercises at Xavier University’s Cintas Center.

The Cintas Center has its own set of policies and requirements that all must follow.

Please note for all graduates and guests:

  • No bags, including camera bags, will be permitted except for clear bags and small clutch purses.
  • No broadcast style cameras will be allowed in the arena.
  • Balloons, air horns and noisemakers are not permitted.

If you are a graduate with a permanent or temporary disability and will need assistance during the ceremony please contact the Office of the Registrar at ro@cincinnatistate.edu by Friday, May 3, 2024.

FAQ

What is graduation and Commencement?

Graduation is defined as completing all credits necessary within an academic program to earn a Cincinnati State bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree, or certificate.

Commencement, also known as the graduation ceremony, is the event where graduates are recognized for their academic accomplishments in front of family and friends. Participating in the Commencement ceremony does not automatically mean a student has earned a degree or certificate.

What gpa is required to graduate with honors?

Honors are awarded to degree program graduates with high academic achievement, as follows:

Cum Laude:
3.500-3.799

Magna Cum Laude:
3.800-3.899

Summa Cum Laude:
3.900-4.000

Honors designations in the printed program at the commencement ceremony are projected based on cumulative GPA calculations made at the end of the Fall semester. The student’s GPA at the conclusion of their degree requirements will determine the final honors designation.

What are the requirements for graduation?

In order to earn a bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree, or certificate from Cincinnati State, you must:

  • Complete course requirements according to your program’s degree audit curriculum as published in the College Catalog.
  • Attain at least a 2.0 cumulative and program grade point average (gpa).
  • Completion is defined as earning the grade A, B, C, D, or S for any course. An earned D may not count toward graduation, depending on program and/or division policies.

What is the award certification process?

Students are graduated at the end of the semester in which they complete all requirements for a degree or certificate. A student cannot reverse their graduated status after it has been conferred by the Office of the Registrar.

If a student does not wish to graduate, for any reason, he/she/they may opt out for the current semester. The student will automatically be placed in the group of those eligible for graduation at the end of the next semester.

When will I receive my diploma?

Diplomas and certificates are mailed to students approximately six (6) weeks after the last day of the graduation semester. They are not given out at the Commencement ceremony. Diplomas and certificates are held by the Office of the Registrar for any graduate with a past due fee balance to the college. *Transcripts are not held for a past due fee balance. 

Which certificates are eligible to participate in the Commencement ceremony?

Students earning a certificate which requires 24 or more credits may participate in commencement if all certificate requirements will be completed during or before the semester immediately preceding commencement.

2023-2024 Catalog list: 

  • Accounting (30 cr)
  • Addiction Studies (32 cr)
  • Automotive Service Technician (30 cr)
  • Aviation Mechanics Airframe (62 cr)
  • Aviation Mechanics Powerplant (58 cr)
  • Banking & Financial Services (30 cr)
  • Bookkeeping (31 cr)
  • Brewing & Beverage Laboratory (24 cr)
  • Brewing Sales & Marketing (24 cr)
  • Business Pathways (30 cr)
  • Chemical Technology Operator (30 cr)
  • Coding Specialist (35 cr)
  • Computer Applications (31 cr)
  • Computer Network Administration (31 cr)
  • Deaf Studies (24 cr)
  • Dietary Management – Pathway I (34 cr)
  • Emergency Medical Technician – Paramedic (40 cr)
  • Engineering Technology Transfer (49 cr)
  • Entrepreneurship (30 cr)
  • Environmental Safety & Security (31 cr)
  • Fire Service (31 cr)
  • Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (24 cr)
  • Landscape Design (37 cr)
  • Land Surveying (34 cr)
  • Law & Paralegal Studies (27 cr)
  • Leadership (31 cr)
  • Medical Assistant (32 cr)
  • Ohio Transfer Module (36 cr)
  • Paralegal (30 cr)
  • Personal Fitness Trainer (29 cr)
  • Practical Nursing (39 cr)
  • Real Estate (31 cr)
  • Surgical Technology First Assistant (26 cr)
  • Sustainable Agriculture Management (36 cr)
  • Web & Multimedia Design (24 cr)
  • Welding (31 cr)