Graduate Student Services

New student orientation

We’re excited to welcome and onboard our new students.  For students beginning in the fall and summer, we will host orientation during the month of August. All Ivy graduate students will be invited to an orientation the week before classes begin (exact dates will be communicated in mid-summer).

For students beginning in the spring term, we will host an orientation session for all Ivy graduate students the week prior to the spring start of the term (exact dates will be communicated).

Individual programs may coordinate additional meetings for you to meet directly with your Director of Graduate Education (DOGE) or advisor. Watch for communication from them regarding these details.

For any questions regarding new student orientation, please contact busgrad@iastate.edu.

Courses and Registration

Students register for classes one semester at a time, in consultation with their academic advisor. The  schedule of classes  is available online, and students register for classes in  AccessPlus, the university’s student records system. For all the details and deadlines, visit the  registration page. View Graduate Business current course offerings.

You can register for classes on AccessPlus.

• Specialty master’s students will work with their DOGE or academic advisor for assistance registering.

• You will receive a date and time that you will be able to begin registration for each semester. If you have any problems registering, please contact Lacy Greenfield at lacyg@iastate.edu. Your class schedule will be posted on AccessPlus, too.

• For MBA students, the MBA staff will register you for the first semester of your core classes. After your first semester, you will be responsible for registering for classes in a timely manner.

As you approach graduation, there are important steps you’ll need to follow. Students are encouraged to complete these steps as early in the semester as possible. See full details on the Graduate College’s graduation process.

1) Program of Study Committee (POSC), due semester prior to graduation

• POSC form is available in AccessPlus > Student > Grad Stdnt Status > My POSC Form.
• POSC must be approved by the Graduate College no later than the end of the term before your graduation term. For example, if you plan to graduate in May 2023 (end of spring semester), plan to work on this over Thanksgiving break.

2) Once POSC is approved, apply for graduation, due semester prior to graduation

• Apply for graduation (regardless of whether or not you will attend the in-person ceremony) through AccessPlus at the “Grad Stdnt Status” page.

3) Are you a Masters of Information Systems (MSIS) major? If yes, go to Step 4. All other majors, skip to Step 6.

4) Schedule your final oral exam with your committee and once scheduled, submit a request for final oral examination to the Graduate College; it will vary each semester, a request must be submitted three weeks prior (no late requests will be accepted.)

• Contact the Ivy College of Business graduate programs office for assistance scheduling a room ivygrad@iastate.edu
• Submit the final oral Online Examination Request form to the Graduate College at least three weeks prior to your scheduled exam. Students who do not meet this deadline will have their graduation cancelled by the Graduate College.
• If you are unable to attend your final oral examination in-person, you will need to complete the final oral Examination with Student at a Distance form.

5) Submit your creative component to ISU Digital Repository

• Create an account in the ISU Digital Repository
• Submit your creative component to the Graduate College via the Creative Component Submission form.
• The Graduate College requires all students to submit their creative component, but they do not review the contents. Meaning, if your committee has approved your final oral exam/graduation, this is what determines if you have successfully completed the program.

6) Final Steps

• Information about the commencement ceremony
• Graduation checklist (where you want your diploma sent, transcript information, etc.)

As an Ivy graduate student you have a lot to celebrate! We know you’ve put in many hours of study and we are so proud of you! Invite your family, friends and cheering section to join you. At the Ivy College of Business convocation, hosted at Hilton Coliseum, your Ivy faculty and staff will be there to congratulate you and your peers.

During the 60-75 minute ceremony, you’ll sit with other students in your program, cross the stage as your name is read, have your picture taken, and receive a small gift. Seating is unlimited at Hilton and tickets are not required for admission. You’ll be invited to RSVP through email two or three weeks prior to convocation.

Diplomas are not handed out at the Ivy College of Business convocation ceremony, but rather can be:

• Picked up by the graduate in 214 Enrollment Services, or
• Mailed to you two to three weeks after graduation. Learn more here.

Want more celebration? Consider attending the university graduate college ceremony. If you are a concurrent undergraduate/graduate student you may also attend your undergraduate program’s convocation event. There are many options for you to select from, but please RSVP so that event coordinators know to expect you. Approximately six weeks after the start of the semester, the “diploma/ceremony” option under “graduation” on AccessPlus will become available. At this time, you will be able to sign up for the ceremony, the college convocation, as well as the diploma delivery option.

Students who graduate in the summer have the option to attend the spring or the fall ceremony. Make sure you apply for summer since that is when you will complete all degree requirements. If you choose to walk in the spring, the “diploma/ceremony” option will be available in March. If you choose to walk in the fall ceremony, that option will be available in mid-June.

Graduates must wear full regalia for university ceremonies. You can rent or purchase your regalia at the University Bookstore.
Watch a quick tutorial on how to wear your regalia.

Ivy graduate students will wear the following regalia:

• Masters gown
• Drab masters hood
• Cap
• Black tassel

Learn more about graduation at the university’s graduation FAQ page.