Candidates participate in Commencement ceremonies upon the completion of all degree requirements.
Candidates participate in Commencement ceremonies upon the completion of all degree requirements.
Graduation - is the academic conferral of your degree after your program is complete and all requirements are verified as having been met. You must be approved to graduate by a specified deadline before participating in Commencement.
Commencement - is the ceremony which celebrates the completion, or anticipated completion, of
your degree. Participation in Commencement does not guarantee that your degree will be awarded.
While Graduation is a function of the Registrar's Office, Commencement is overseen by the Office of the Provost.
The first step for participating in a future Commencement ceremony is being approved for graduation. Additional steps will be provided in late summer.
You must complete all of your degree requirements in order to apply for graduation and participate in Commencement. You must submit an official Graduation Application through the “Student Dashboard.” The deadline and instructions for applying can be found on Applying to Graduate.
You must be approved for graduation by the Graduation Office to participate in a Commencement ceremony.
If you have questions about your graduation status please contact the Graduation Office at 410-704-2095 or graduation AT_TOWSON.
Please note, electronic correspondence regarding Commencement is sent only to degree candidate TU email accounts. Degree candidates are responsible for information sent to them via their TU email.
If you are a candidate with a disability who will require accommodation at the ceremony, please specify this when completing your Commencement registration form. Additionally please communicate the specifics of your request to adarequest AT_TOWSON.
No. Candidates who complete double majors will be assigned to one ceremony to participate in Commencement. To provide space for all degree candidates who are eligible to attend a Commencement ceremony, undergraduate candidates completing double majors are not permitted to participate in two ceremonies. If you would prefer to attend the alternate major/college’s ceremony, please contact the Commencement office.
Upon entrance to Towson Center, where the candidate robing room is located and you will check in, Safe Management (security staff contracted by the university) will conduct bag checks, handheld metal detection and related security inspections to ensure the safety of all degree candidates, guests, faculty and staff.
Bag Checks
Degree candidates are strongly discouraged from bringing any bags, coats, or other personal items to the robing area. However, degree candidates are permitted to take a small cross-body bag into the robing room (this must be worn under the gown during the ceremony) and processional. This bag may not exceed 10 x 10 x 2 inches. Any bags that exceed these measurements must be checked in the bag-check area, which is located near the degree candidate robing area.
ID Checks
Upon entering the degree candidate robing area, degree candidates should first check-in with the volunteers located against the back wall to receive their name card Please note: a TU student ID or another official form of identification must be presented to receive a card and participate in the ceremony. As a reminder, only students who have been approved to graduate and registered for Commencement will be permitted to participate in a ceremony.
Behavioral Expectations
A number of TU staff members will be closely monitoring the activities in the robing area to ensure a safe and memorable commencement for all degree candidates. Candidates who exhibit signs of physical impairment due to the influence of drugs, alcohol, or other substances will not be allowed to participate in the ceremony.
Please note: Any violation of the Student Code of Conduct, fraudulent activity, misrepresentation of information, or ineligibility to participate in Commencement may result in disciplinary action through the TU Office of Student Accountability and Restorative Practices and/or inability to participate in the ceremony.
The deadlines to apply for graduation are well-publicized by the Graduation Office. While graduation applications are processed after the deadline, only those degree candidates who apply prior to the stated deadline(s) are guaranteed to have their names published in the Commencement program due to the lengthy proofing and printing processes.
Diplomas will be mailed to your permanent address on file. Please be sure to go to your Student Dashboard to ensure that the permanent address on file is accurate. You may check with the Graduation Office for information about the diploma mailing schedules.
Please be advised that fraudulent activity or misrepresentation of information or
eligibility to participate in Commencement may result in disciplinary action through
the TU Office of Student Accountability and Restorative Practices.