Graduation Information | Western Technical College

Current Students

Graduation Information

graduationWestern is excited to host an in-person Commencement Ceremony, or graduation, to honor graduates who have earned an associate degree or technical diploma. For details, check out the Graduation Ceremony Details menu item below, which includes links to FAQs and other important documents.

If you are close to graduation, you are encouraged to check your academic plan, found on MyWestern under Self-service, to ensure you have completed your degree requirements. If you notice any potential issues, contact your College Advisor.

To be eligible for graduation, you must meet the following criteria:

An associate degree is awarded when you have completed the curriculum requirements of the Wisconsin Technical College System and completed the following program requirements:

  • A minimum of 60 credits with a cumulative GPA of 2.0
  • All required program course grades (including General Studies and electives) applied toward graduation must be recorded as a "C or better" or as "Pass" (in the case of Pass/Fail) grades
  • You must taken at least 25 percent of the credits at Western.

A technical diploma is awarded when you have completed the curriculum requirements of the Wisconsin Technical College System and completed the following program requirements:

  • All required program course grades (including General Studies) applied toward graduation must be recorded as a "C or better" or as "Pass" (in the case of Pass/Fail) grades
  • You must have taken at least 25 percent of the credits at Western.

You do not need to apply or pay a separate fee to graduate. You are automatically eligible based on credits completed.

Graduation Ceremony Details

Graduates of Fall 2022, Spring 2023, and Summer 2023 will be honored in a ceremony:

Saturday, April 22, 2023
2:00 p.m.
La Crosse Center
300 Harborview Plaza
La Crosse, WI

For more information on the ceremony, see the following documents:

Have questions? Contact Eric Jacobson at jacobsone@westerntc.edu or 608-785-9291.

Graduation Photographer

Professional photographers from Grad Images will be photographing graduates at the Graduation Ceremony. All graduates will be photographed receiving their diplomas and as they leave the stage.

Pre-register for your graduation ceremony photos and get 20% off. You may visit the Grad Images website at www.gradimages.com and click on Registration. Enter your email address and up to six email addresses of family and friends who would like to share in your accomplishment by viewing and ordering your photos. By submitting your information early, you can be assured that photo samples will be quickly and conveniently provided to you and others registered to receive your photo proofs as soon as they are available after the event.

Having a professional photographer on site allows you and your family and friends to enjoy the event without worrying about having to take photos. We encourage your family and friends to remain seated during the event. Grad Images guarantees complete satisfaction with your photograph package or you will receive a full refund, no questions asked. For more information call 800-261-2576 or email giservice@gradimages.net.

Alumni Association

Graduates automatically join the Western Alumni Association and are eligible for all the benefits of this organization. See the Alumni Association web page for more information, and don’t forget to update your contact information to receive ongoing updates from your alma mater!

Graduate Follow-up Survey

Approximately six months after graduation, you will receive a mailing, email, and possibly a phone call from the college asking you to complete a Graduate Follow-up Survey. This will provide us with important employment information that we are required to provide to the State of Wisconsin and our accrediting agencies. We encourage you to participate in the survey, it can help Western receive funding to improve our programs and experiences!

For questions about graduation requirements contact: