Commencement Ceremony Attendance

University-Wide Commencement Ceremony: The formal ceremony for both May and January graduates is held in May. Attendees must purchase traditional graduation attire (caps and gowns) for $55 in May from the university supplier. Additional information will be provided in February. Because of the scale of the program, only the names of PhD candidates are read; the names of other graduating students are not read. Each graduating student can invite up to three guests to attend the ceremony. The names of students who petition for May graduation after the final petition deadline will not appear in the University Commencement Program.

See the university's Commencement website for more details.

Undergraduate students who are within 9 credits of completing their requirements and will complete all outstanding credits in the summer term following Commencement may participate in the ceremony.

Graduate students must complete all degree requirements in the semester before Commencement to participate in the ceremony.

Divisional Recognition Ceremonies: Individual programs also hold smaller, more personalized ceremonies exclusively for their graduates. Students are typically recognized by name at these ceremonies. Traditional graduation attire (caps and gowns) is not worn at these ceremonies except at Lang's ceremony. See the university's Commencement website for more information about these ceremonies.