Commencement is one of life’s milestone occasions — and a time to celebrate one’s future.
Traditional Commencement ceremonies occur at the end of the spring and fall terms and degree candidates are invited to participate in the college ceremony in which their degree program falls.
TU’s winter 2020 Commencement ceremonies scheduled for December 2020 will be postponed until spring 2021. All winter graduates are invited to participate in spring 2021 ceremonies. Although the ceremony is delayed, students who have completed their academic requirements will have their degrees conferred on time and will receive their diplomas in late February.
Dear Tigers Class of 2020—
Since the COVID-19 global pandemic began to impact Towson University’s campus in March, the university has placed the health and safety of the TU community first and foremost. When TU was forced to postpone May commencement for you, our 2020 graduates, we aimed to hold an in-person commencement this fall provided federal, state and local guidelines allowed for the event.
On September 1st the State of Maryland announced its move to Phase 3 of its reopening plan. The cap of participants for an outdoor event was set at 250— far fewer than would logistically allow for a ceremony at TU, even if it was held on the field at Unitas Stadium at reduced capacity, as we were planning.
While we celebrated each of you during our Celebration of Graduates week in May, we’re saddened that our in-person commencement this fall for the Class of 2020 cannot occur as planned. It is so very disappointing for our all 2020 graduates, their families and the entire TU community.
Class of 2020, in the coming days we will be reaching out to each of you individually via email to ask if your preference is to have an in-person on-campus commencement when state and local guidelines allow it or, instead, would you prefer we hold a virtual commencement to celebrate you, the Class of 2020.
Again we know how disappointing this is for our graduates and their families but hope you share in our commitment to comply with state and local guidance for the health and safety of everyone.
Commencement is a traditional university ceremony celebrating the accomplishments of our degree candidates. Academic degrees date from the second half of the twelfth century. The present ceremony recognizing scholarly achievement retains all the essential features of its ancient predecessors.
Towson University awards academic degrees at the bachelor’s, master and doctoral levels. The university also awards post-baccalaureate certificates and certificates of advanced study. Degrees are symbolically conferred during Commencement, and candidates completing all degree requirements successfully receive their diplomas four to six weeks after the ceremony.
The doctoral degree is the most advanced earned degree conferred by American institutions. There are two distinct types: the practitioner's degree and the research degree.
The master’s degree is an academic honor bestowed upon candidates who have successfully completed work beyond the bachelor's degree. A thesis and an oral examination are usually required.
The bachelor’s degree represents the completion of a four-year course of college-level study and is the oldest academic degree awarded by American institutions of higher learning. The Maryland State Normal School, which later became Towson University, awarded its first bachelor's degrees in 1866.