This page will provide important information to graduates and guests about the Engineering School Commencement Ceremonies and Events for spring commencements.
STUDENTS
Arrival Time
Students participating in the Engineering School's Commencement Ceremony should report to the Xfinity Center's Small Gym (Pavilion) in regalia, one hour prior to the ceremony for line up.
Security
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT ALL GRADUATES ARRIVE ON TIME!! Security measures, such as wanding or bag checks, may be in place for entrance into XFINITY. Backpacks and bags larger than 8"x11"x12" are prohibited. Having to go through security will slow you down and delay your entrance. Please be sure to allow enough time for this potential delay.
Visit the Xfinity Center Guidelines for additional information about the Xfinity Center.
Personal Items
Students should leave coats, purses, etc. with family members--we are not responsible for lost items.
GUESTS
Arrival Times
Family and friends should arrive no sooner than 60 minutes prior to the start of the processionals as there are other graduation ceremonies scheduled in Xfinity Center prior to the Engineering School's Commencement Ceremony. Tickets are not required.
Items Allowed & Security Procedures
Take a few minutes to review the Xfinity Center Guidelines for items allowed and security procedures for the facility during commencement ceremonies.
Doctoral Students
Be sure to make prior arrangements with your advisor to be hooded during the Engineering School Commencement Ceremony. If your advisor is not available, you can ask another member of your committee or a favorite faculty member to hood you, or your Department Chair can hood you. Inquiries regarding commencement ceremony participation should be directed to your department.
All Students Graduating
Be sure to arrive one hour before the ceremony to lineup for the processional. Upon entering the Pavilion (room 0601/Auxiliary Gym) at the XFINITY Center look for Check-In/Registration tables.
Each graduate should:
- Obtain announcement card from the Check-In/Registration tables in the Pavilion Room
- Complete the survey on the back of the card
- Find the sign with your degree/major and lineup
- Hold the card and give to the person reading your name on stage
Doctoral Students
Can pick up their diplomas from the Diploma Services after the commencement ceremony. The Diploma Services is located on the first floor of the Mitchell Building. The Diploma Services will not be open the day of commencement but will open for regular office hours the following business day.
Master of Science and Master of Engineering
Diplomas will be mailed to those who have completed all graduation requirements approximately six weeks after graduation.
Undergraduate students
Diplomas will be mailed to those who have completed all graduation requirements approximately six weeks after graduation.
Eligibility for Ph.D Candidates & Master's Students
Information regarding graduation procedures are available on the Graduate School page. Inquiries regarding commencement ceremony participation should be directed to your departmental graduate advisor.
Eligibility for Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate students completing all degree requirements during the spring or the fall semester are eligible to participate in the Clark School graduation ceremony.
- Students completing degree requirements during the spring, summer and fall are eligible to participate in the Clark School graduation ceremony for the spring semester.
A complete timeline regarding the undergraduate graduation process and required paperwork is available at Undergraduate Advising and Academic Support: Graduation.
HONORS
Latin honors at the time of commencement are tentative. The final determination will be made when all grades are submitted for all semesters. To view GPA cutoffs and review the university policy, visit the Office of the Registrar website.
Undergraduate students earning Latin Honors (Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude or Cum Laude) will be notified and receive a tassel from the college.
Detail information about Latin and Engineering Honors cutoff and eligibility can be found in the links below.
CORDS & MEDALS
Students receiving departmental honors chords, stoles, or special medals must contact the department offering the specific award.
GradImages, the university’s official photographer, will take photographs of each graduate participating in the campuswide commencement ceremony prior to the procession and at the Clark School graduation ceremony as they cross the platform. While there is no obligation to purchase the prints, the graduate will receive color proofs emailed approximately two weeks after commencement. In order to receive the proofs, be sure to complete the company’s address card distributed in the line-up area prior to the procession.
Graduating students are responsible for obtaining their own graduation regalia. Regalia is required in order to participate in the Engineering School Commencement Ceremony.
ON CAMPUS (UNIVERSITY BOOK CENTER)
Academic regalia is available for purchase from the University Book Center (UBC). The UBC will continue to provide regalia services up until commencement. Along with full regalia packages, UBC will stock individual pieces, including the tassel, stole, and hood.
GRADUATE SALUTE
The University Book Center will host a Graduate Salute event on mid-November. The event will provide an opportunity to purchase regalia, order announcements, and class rings. Custom Doctorial regalia fittings will be available. Special pricing on diploma frames.
GRAD FAIR
The University Book Center will host a Graduation Fair on March 8 & 9, 2023, from 10:30 AM – 4:30 PM. The event will include regalia fittings and purchasing. Candidates will have an opportunity to order announcements & class rings. There will be pecial pricing on diploma frames. A professional photographer available.
ORDER ONLINE (OAK HALL CAP & GOWN)
Regalia will be available to order online directly from our vendor Oak Hall for a limited time. Visit the University Book Center for ordering and additional information.
- Doctoral Degree Candidates:
The most elaborate regalia on display at Commencement are worn by those receiving a doctoral degree. A doctor's gown is a much fuller gown and is decorated with velvet lapels and three chevrons sewn onto the sleeves of the gown that designate the recipient as a “doctor.” In place of the mortarboard, doctoral students wear a tam, a velvet hat with a tassel attached that is much less rigid in construction and a hood (Doctor of Philosophy – Dark Blue Velvet). Doctoral regalia may be purchased or rented.
****Doctoral Candidates who are undecided or pending defense are strongly encouraged to pre order. Payment is deferred until regalia is picked-up.
- Master of Science & Master of Engineering & Master of Professional Studies in Technology Entrepreneurship: Master’s degree students wear a modified gown with longer sleeves, the mortarboard with an attached UMCP black tassel, custom UMCP red stole, and a hood. The Gold Hood color represents your specific degree or discipline. Be sure to provide the name of the degree you are earning.
- Master of Engineering: Master’s degree students wear a modified gown with longer sleeves, the mortarboard with an attached UMCP black tassel, custom UMCP red stole, and a hood. The Orange Hood color represents your specific degree or discipline. Be sure to provide the name of the degree you are earning.
If you are not sure, be sure to reach out to your department graduate coordinator.
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Bachelor’s Degree Candidates
For those earning a bachelor’s degree, a black gown and mortarboard are worn. A black tassel with a custom UMCP medallion is attached. A custom UMCP red stole completes the regalia for bachelor’s degree candidates. Be sure to indicate that you will be completing a Bachelor of Science degree. (Bachelor Hoods are no longer required)
- Active duty U.S. military personnel are allowed to wear their dress uniform instead of regalia if they prefer.
University Book Center
Stamp Student Union Bldg.
Visit OneTerp.com for more information.
Placement of Honor Cords and Medals
• Honor cords and medals are placed on top of the stole.
Engineeering School
Tickets are not required for graduates or guests to attend the Spring Engineering School Commencement Ceremonies
Campus-wide
Tickets are required for all graduates and their guests. Additional information can be found on the Campuswide Commencement website.
As a new tradition the University of Maryland will no longer host winter commencement ceremonies, academic units will hold celebratory events to honor our graduates. Additional information will be posted to the website once available.
Students graduating within the same academic year will be invite to participate in the Spring Commencement Ceremony, be sure to check the Engineering School Commencement website periodically for more information.
The University or the Engineering School does not issue invitation letters for guests to visit the U.S. to attend commencement ceremonies. These letters are not required by the embassy to issue a B2 visa, which is designated for tourist activities such as sightseeing, visiting friends and relatives, and obtaining medical treatment.
The graduating student should submit a copy of their I-20 or DS-2019 to the relative applying for the tourist visa. Students can also send a Enrollment Verification along with the copy of your passport. The Enrollment Verification can be requested from the Office of the Registrar, under Verifications - Current Students.
Closed-Captioning
Th Engineering School's Commecement Ceremonies are closed-captioned.
Sign Language Interpretation
If you have guests attending the Engineering School Commencement Ceremony who will need sign language interpretation be sure to contact the Disability Support Service at 301-314-7209 or dhhs@umd.edu to make arrangements. The ceremony will be closed captioned. If you will be utilizing this service, please email engr-commencement@umd.edu providing your information.
Live Stream
Family and friends can watch our commencement live stream.
The Xfinity Center is designed with parking, restrooms, water fountains, ATMs, and seating areas accessible to guests with disabilities. Power-assisted doors and closed captioning are also provided.
Parking and Shuttles
Parking in all surface and pay lots is free and available first come, first serve on commencement days.
Parking for guests with disabilities is available at the Xfinity Center in Lot 4, 6 (Terrapin Trail Garage), 9, and 11 surrounding the Xfinity Center. No special permit is required for the Clark School ceremony.
The University of Maryland does not have wheelchairs available. If you have difficulty walking long distances, consider renting a wheelchair from an off-campus vendor. If you require accessible transportation for a disabled guest the day of commencement, please make arrangements by calling dispatch services at 301-314-0318.
Entrances
Entrances for guests with disabilities are available at four locations:
- Gate C: Southeast corner of the arena on the Ground Level
- Gate D: Northeast corner of the arena on the Ground Level
- Gate E: Southwest corner of the arena on the Concourse Level
- Gate F: Northwest corner of the arena on the Concourse Level (Student Entrance)
Seating
Section 105 and 110 inside Xfinity is reserved for elderly or disable guest seating. Ushers can direct you to these sections once inside the building. Due to limited space, the university recommends that only the person with the disability and one other guest sit in the accessible seating. Additional members of your party should sit in regular seating areas. You do not need to reserve seating for special needs guests.
Restrooms
Each of the 37 restrooms located conveniently throughout Xfinity Center are ADA compliant and accessible to our guests with disabilities. Xfinity Center has four private bathrooms designed for use by persons with disabilities:
- Top of Sections 105 and 110 on the Plaza Level (Level 2).
- Behind Sections 122 and 217 on the Concourse Level (Level 3).
Future Dates
There is a range of dates posted on the University Commencement website or the University of Maryland Academic Calendar. We are acutely aware that families and friends are anxious and excited to make their reservations based on the individual ceremony schedules. Unfortunately, the University has not approved a schedule for publication because those schedules could change prior to release.
We do not know when the dates will be released but as soon as they are, they will be posted on the University Commencement website and then on the Engineering School's Commencement website.
We appreciate your patience in this process!
Important information about the Engineering School Commencement Ceremony for Faculty and Staff.