Diplomas

2023 Spring Diplomas

Congratulations to everyone who is completing a degree this Spring!

Diplomas for Spring graduates are generally  printed and mailed in late July. If you want to review and potentially update your diploma address (DA), you can do so via Web4U. 


If you have incomplete or in-progress coursework, your degree cannot be awarded until all requirements are complete. Late-issued diplomas generally are sent 5-10 business days after the degree is updated from Pending to Awarded.

Please note: Participation in Commencement does not guarantee that you have completed your degree and truly graduated. Only when all program requirements are satisfactorily completed is your degree awarded.

Diplomas are not given out at the commencement ceremony but are mailed six to eight weeks after the close of the quarter to the diploma address that you indicated on your degree application.

Your diploma will be mailed to the address you posted on your degree application. Changing a mailing or permanent address does NOT change the diploma address. If your diploma mailing address has changed, please update your diploma mailing address via the Web4U Address Change Form.

The name that appears on your diploma is the name you indicated at the time of degree application. A change of your official name with the University that is completed subsequent to filing your degree application does not change your name on your diploma. If you have a degree application on file in the Registrar’s Office and wish to change the name on your diploma, you must contact Degree Evaluation at 360-650-3985 or by email prior to the end of your graduation quarter.

Pending graduates are also contacted by email to verify their diploma name.

All Western diplomas are currently 8.5" x 11".

Original diplomas issued fall 2021–present are inscribed with the university name, graduate name, degree title, major(s), any applicable academic honor (cum laude or magna cum laude), and date of award (always the last Friday of the quarter).

The Honors College seal is affixed to diplomas of students who complete the requirements of the honors program.

Academic minors are not listed on diplomas, but are recorded on official transcripts.

Original diplomas issued prior to fall 2021 list both the university name and the academic college associate with the degree program. They are inscribed with the graduate's name, degree title, any applicable honor, and date of award. Major information was not included on original diplomas issued prior to fall 2021.

Replacement diplomas are issued in the current format, regardless of original issue term. Replacement copies list current president and board chair information, but are dated to reflect the original term of award. Replacement copies carry a notation indicating that they replace an original document.

For in-person commencement ceremonies, diploma covers are included with the cap/gown purchase and distributed at the in-person ceremony. If you do not plan to attend an in-person commencement, you can purchase a cover from the Western Associated Students Bookstore. 

Certificates can be earned at Western in a variety of departments. Further information can be found at the following link: https://registrar.wwu.edu/certificate-information

Please note, WWU does not issue Teaching Certificates. These are issued by the state. You can find more information about the process through the Woodring College of Education Certification Office.

Certificate of Achievement applications and replacement forms can be found under the Student Resources tab on this website.

If you have further questions, you can call 360-650-3432.

Western issues one diploma for each type of degree awarded.

Type of Degrees

Western’s undergraduate and graduate programs lead to the following degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Arts in Education, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Arts, Master of Business Administration, Master of Education, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Music, Master in Teaching, Master of Science, Master of Professional Accounting, and Clinical Doctorate.

Baccalaureate Degrees with Two Majors

Students with two majors that would result in the same type of degree (for example, a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Arts in business) will receive one diploma that lists the one degree type and both majors.

More than One Baccalaureate Degree

A student may earn from Western only one of each type of degree offered (BA, BS, BAE, BFA, BMus, BSN).

If you have two majors that would result in two different types of degrees, for example a Bachelor of Arts from the College of Business and Economics and a Bachelor of Science from the College of Science and Engineering, you will receive two diplomas – one for the BA and one for the BS.

Replacement or Duplicate Diplomas

You may order a replacement diploma for $45 by filling out the Diploma Replacement Form.

NOTE: Replacement diplomas will bear the signatures of the current university President and Chair of the Board of Trustees. Any copy issued after the original will have the words "Replacing the original document issued by Western Washington University" printed at the bottom.

Paying for your replacement diploma:

  • You may pay the $45 online with a credit card. To do this, please email your completed and signed form to registrars.office@wwu.edu. Your account will be billed and you will be sent an email about paying online. Please note that there is a small convenience fee applied to online transactions.
  • You may pay the replacement fee in person at the WWU Student Business Office (located on the first floor of Old Main).
  • You may mail in a check for $45 made out to WWU with your Diploma Replacement Form.

Obtaining an Apostille

Definition: An apostille (pronounced "uh-pos-till") is a stamp or seal verifying the authenticity of an official document. Only 50 countries recognize an apostille so please research if the receiving country is part of the 1961 Hauge Convention. In the U.S., apostilles are issued by the Secretary of State for the state in which the document was issued.

To obtain an apostille for your WWU diploma, you must:

  • Verify your document needs an apostille by ensuring the receiving country was part of the 1961 Hague Convention – if not, you may need a Certificate of Authenticity (also issued by the WA Secretary of State's Office) or you may need a notarized document.
  • If your original diploma has left our office, you will need to order a replacement copy (see above). We will contact you if there are any questions about your order. Once the order is placed and the payment is complete, we will send your diploma to the address provided.
  • You will need to get the diploma to the WA Secretary of State’s office for the apostille. For information on obtaining an apostille, please visit the WA Secretary of State's website on apostilles.

Who Should I Contact About Diplomas?

WWU Registrar's Office
Email: Registrar.Office@wwu.edu | Phone: (360) 650-3432