The university will hold its graduate commencement ceremony for students receiving Master’s Degrees, Sixth Year Professional Diplomas, and Doctoral Degrees.
To help ensure the health and safety of our graduating seniors, faculty and staff Commencement ceremonies scheduled for May 21 and 22 will be cancelled or postponed. We are working to find alternate ways of celebrating this wonderful accomplishment. Please check this website for updates in early May.
The afternoon commencement will be held at 2 p.m. for the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Health & Human Services. The evening commencement will be held at 7 p.m. for the School of Business and the College of Education, including Library Science.
Thursday, May 21, 2020, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts
501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT 06515
Commencement Guide
For all of the details regarding commencement, please review the commencement guide (pdf).
For Students
Please read important information about tickets and participating in commencement. If you foresee yourself completing your degree or diploma requirements this May 2020 and would like to participate in the commencement ceremony, you must complete both the Application for Graduate Degree and Registration to Participate in the Graduate Ceremony forms.
Eligible Commencement Participants
Students eligible to participate in commencement must have completed their degree or diploma requirements in the Fall 2019 or Spring 2020 semesters. Students who are completing their final six (6) credits of coursework towards their degree during Summer Session 2020 are also eligible to participate in graduate commencement.
Application for Graduate Degree
The awarding of a master's degree, sixth year diploma, or a doctorate degree is not an automatic process. If you foresee yourself completing your degree or diploma requirements this May 2020, you must complete the Application for Graduate Degree form. Late registration details are also included by following the link below:
Application for Graduate Degree
Register To Participate in the Graduate Ceremony
Please take a few moments to carefully complete the Registration to Participate in the Graduate Ceremony form.
The John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts has limited seating, and as such, only those students who register for commencement will receive tickets for their guests. The number of guest tickets will be determined by the number of students who plan to attend; however, it is expected that each participant will receive a maximum of four (4) tickets.
Academic Regalia
Candidates for Graduate Degrees and Sixth Year Diplomas must wear appropriate academic regalia (Master’s and Doctoral Degree students wear cap, tassel, gown, and hood; Sixth Year Diploma students wear cap, tassel, gown, hood, and stole). Regalia can be purchased through the Campus Barnes and Noble Bookstore, located in the lower level of the Adanti Student Center.
Note: Academic regalia will be available for purchase through the campus bookstore by April 30th (three weeks before the commencement ceremony). Students receiving a Master’s Degree or Sixth Year Diploma must purchase their academic regalia at least 2-3 weeks in advance of the ceremony. No academic regalia will be available for purchase on the day of commencement.
Sixth Year Diploma candidates may wear the master’s level academic regalia they wore at previous graduate level commencements, but they still need to purchase the special Sixth Year Diploma stole. Students who are not attired in the appropriate academic regalia will not be allowed to participate in the commencement ceremony. Please contact the SCSU bookstore at (203) 392-5270 for more information about how to order regalia.
Academic Procession for the Ceremony
The afternoon commencement procession will begin promptly at 2 p.m. for the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Health & Human Services. Therefore, you must report by 12:30 p.m. to the Engleman Hall rotunda to check in and receive a name card. There will be a line position number on that card indicating where you will be in the procession.
The evening commencement procession will begin promptly at 7 p.m. for the School of Business and the College of Education, including Library Science. Therefore, you must report by 5:30 p.m. to the Engleman Hall rotunda to check in and receive a name card. There will be a line position number on that card indicating where you will be in the procession.
Master’s and Doctoral Degree candidates wear their caps, tassels, and gowns in the procession, but carry their hoods over their right arm for the procession. The hood will be invested on you when you are called on stage during the ceremony.
Sixth Year Diploma candidates wear their caps, tassels, gowns, and hoods in the procession, but carry their stoles over their right arm for the procession. The stole will be invested on you when you are called on stage during the ceremony.
Services for Persons with Disabilities
The University will provide special services for persons with disabilities. These services include interpreters and large-type printed materials. A limited number of accessible wheelchair locations in Lyman are available. Please call (203) 392-6828 (Voice) or (203) 392-6131 (TDD), if you wish to use any of these services. Also, persons with State handicapped parking stickers on their cars may use the faculty/staff lot behind the Lyman Center.
Guest Tickets
All seating in the John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts is ticketed. Only those who register for commencement will receive tickets for their guests. It is anticipated that each participant will receive a maximum of four (4) tickets. Please be sure to bring your student ID when you collect your tickets. If you are unable to collect your tickets in-person, a friend or relative may collect them for you provided that they submit written permission from you along with a photocopy of both your driver’s license and student ID.
Ticket distribution: Pick up tickets in the office of Graduate and Professional Studies located on the 4th floor of the Buley Library, Suite 444. Tickets will be distributed on Monday, April 20 – Friday, April 24th and on Monday, April 27th, 2020.
Hours: Monday – Thursday (8:30AM – 7:00PM) / Friday (8:30AM – 4:00PM)
Those tickets not picked up by April 27th will be distributed to other students seeking additional tickets for the ceremony. Students who request additional tickets will be notified by email regarding the distribution date. Please RSVP to pick up your tickets.
Not Participating?
If your plans have changed and you will not be participating in the ceremony, please contact Graduate and Professional Studies by phone: (203) 392-5240; by fax: (203) 392-5235; or email: GPSInfo@SouthernCT.edu.
Live Stream
Commencement will be streamed on Facebook and YouTube.