Graduation
Take These Steps to Obtain your Degree or Certificate
Are you ready to graduate? We’ll take you through the process, from applying for graduation to receiving your diploma. See how to submit your graduation application below.
Carteret’s Registrar’s Office also identifies potential graduation candidates during the semester. The college will email you if you have been identified in this process. If you have not heard from the Registrar’s Office and believe you have completed all of your degree requirements, please complete the graduation application to have your records reviewed.
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***Spring 2027 Commencement Announcement***
Carteret Community College is pleased to announce an exciting change for Spring 2027 Commencement. For the first time, the College will hold two commencement ceremonies on Friday, May 14, 2027, to accommodate our growing number of graduates.
Holding two ceremonies will allow us to better celebrate each graduate while providing additional opportunities for family members, friends, and community supporters to attend and share in this important milestone.
Graduates will participate in a ceremony based on their program of study: The Registrar’s Office will notify each graduate of their assigned ceremony time prior to commencement.
Please refer to the program listings below for specific ceremony assignments.
The Applied Science programs listed below are assigned to participate in the 11:00 a.m. ceremony on Friday, May 14, 2027:
- Aquaculture
- Automotive Systems Technology
- Baking and Pastry
- Boat Manufacturing
- Business Administration
- Cosmetology
- Criminal Justice
- Culinary
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
- Esthetics
- Food Service Technology
- General Occupation Technology
- Horticulture
- Hospitality Management
- Information Management
- Landscape Technology
- Marine Propulsion
- Medical Office Administration
- Office Management
- Paralegal Technology
- Photographic Technology
- Welding
The University Transfer and Health Science programs listed below are assigned to participate in the 4:00 p.m. ceremony on Friday, May 14, 2027:
- Associate in Arts
- Associate in Science
- Associate in Engineering
- Associate in Fine Arts: Visual Arts
- Associate in Arts: Teacher Preparation
- Associate in Science: Teacher Preparation
- Associate Degree Nursing
- Medical Assisting
- Radiography
- Respiratory Therapy
- Social & Human Services
Steps to Graduation
If you are a 2027 spring or summer completer you must Apply for Graduation by April 23, 2027 to be eligible to walk in the May 14, 2027 graduation ceremony.
NOTE- December 2026 graduates MAY walk in the graduation ceremony on May 14, 2027 by completing the Fall 2026 Completion Application, which can be obtained at the Registrar’s Office. Completed forms are due by April 23, 2027 and may be emailed to [email protected] or hand delivered to the Registrar Office in the McGee Building, Office 105.
Applications received after the deadline are processed for the following semester.
Graduation Deadlines
| If you plan to graduate in… | Your graduation application is due by… |
| December | December 4 |
| May | April 23 |
To be eligible for graduation with your associate degree, diploma, or certificate, you must:
- Complete all required coursework
- Earn a 2.0 major GPA both in the program and overall
- Complete a minimum of 25% of the program of study’s total semester hours at Carteret.
If you are a 2027 spring or summer completer you must complete the graduation application by April 23, 2027 to be eligible to walk in the May 14, 2027 graduation ceremony.
To apply for graduation follow the steps below:
- Login and Apply through Carteret Compass
- Click on the Graduation Overview tab under Academics
- Select your program and answer the questions
- Students are required to complete the graduation survey under the Graduation Overview tab
Congratulations, you have successfully applied for graduation!
The Registrar’s Office will audit your record and alert you to the findings. You will receive an email that indicates one of the following degree statuses:
| Status | Explanation |
| All requirements met | You have completed all requirements necessary to graduate. |
| Pending requirements | Upon successfully completing your current enrollment, you will complete all requirements necessary to graduate. |
| Not all requirements have been met | You must complete additional courses in order to graduate. |
Carteret holds a commencement ceremony in May. Students who graduate in December the semester prior are invited to the May ceremony by completing the Fall Completion Application, which can be acquired from the Registrar’s Office.
Please review the commencement webpage for important details.
Diplomas may be picked up fifteen (15) business days after the semester ends from the Registrar’s Office in McGee Room 105. Diplomas that are not picked up within sixty (60) days will be mailed to the graduate’s address on file.
Important: Confirm and update your mailing address through Carteret Compass.