Commencement Information

The Blacksburg Spring 2013 Graduate Commencement Ceremony will be held at 8:30am on Friday, May 17, 2013 in Cassell Coliseum.

The National Capital Region 2013 Graduate Commencement Ceremony will be held at 1:30pm on Sunday, May 19, 2013 at the Center for the Arts, Fairfax, VA.

All graduate degree candidates must confirm their plans to attend Commencement by May 1, 2013. Questions pertaining to eligibility to participate should be directed to the Graduate School at 540-231-8636.

Please visit http://www.vt.edu/commencement/ for additional University Commencement information.

Application for Degree (AFD)
Diplomas
Participation in Commencement
Guests and Seating
Degree Conferring Dates
How to Select the Proper Hood Color
Spring 2013 Commencement Bulletin

Application for Degree (AFD)

Graduation and the commencement ceremony is a long awaited and joyous time for students, families, and friends. To participate, it is important that, in addition to taking your final exam and, if required, submitting your final paper, thesis, or dissertation, you submit an Application for Degree (AFD) through Hokie SPA. Doing so will trigger the printing of your name in the commencement bulletin and your student account will be charged $25. Please note that if your student record is marked "confidential," then your name will NOT appear in the Commencement Bulletin. To verify and update the status of your record, please go to HokieSPA -> HokiePLUS -> Confidentiality Options. In the event that you do not graduate in the expected term, you must submit a new AFD for the new term in which you plan to graduate.

The Application for Degree must be submitted by the following deadlines in order to have your name published in the Commencement Bulletin:

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Diplomas

Doctoral candidates participating in the commencement ceremony will receive their diplomas on stage. All other doctoral candidates and master's degree and certificate recipients will receive their diplomas by mail.

Diplomas are 11 inches by 14 inches with the exception of BMES diplomas, which are 13.5 inches by 15.5 inches.

Participation in Commencement - Spring 2013 Commencement Bulletin

All graduate degree candidates must confirm their plans to attend Commencement by May 1, 2013. Questions pertaining to eligibility to participate should be directed to the Graduate School at 540-231-8636. Complete completion details.

Doctoral candidates who will have met all requirements for graduation by May 10, 2013, are eligible to participate in Commencement. Doctoral candidates should report to the Spring Road side of Cassell Coliseum. From there, follow the signage to the lower level and check-in area. Check-in will begin at 7:00 a.m. and end at 8:00 a.m.

Major professors participating in the hooding ceremony should report to the Spring Road side of Cassell Coliseum. From there, follow the signage to the lower level and check-in area. Please check in upon arrival so that your name may be read. Check-in will begin at 7:45 a.m. and end at 8:00 a.m.

Master’s, education specialist, and certificate candidates who are eligible to participate in Commencement should report to Cassell Coliseum, between 7:00 a.m.and 8:00 a.m. and follow the signage to the check-in location in Gym 213.

Faculty participation is encouraged. Please report to the Spring Road side of Cassell Coliseum. From there, follow the signage to the lower level and check-in area.

There is no limit to the number of guests that you may invite, and no tickets are required for this ceremony. Formal commencement invitations are not provided due to budget constraints. Individuals who wish to send personalized invitations for their guests can order them at most local print shops and bookstores.

International Invitations to Commencement: International students with a pending or awarded graduate degree from Virginia Tech may login to HokieSPA and under their Degree Menu request the International Invitation to Commencement:

• select from a list of degrees earned or will earn
• the system will generate the International Invitation to Commencement per guest (no limit) as a PDF for printing or saving to the user's desktop
• make the request at any time of day and have the letter immediately available

Processional begins at 8:15 a.m. ; anyone who hasn't checked in by 8:00 a.m. will not be allowed in the processional.

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Guests and Seating

Families and guests are urged to arrive in time to be seated at least 15 minutes before the ceremony begins. Security procedures will subject all packages, bags, purses, and so on, to search prior to entry to the coliseum. Please avoid bringing such items to the coliseum.

Accessible seating for persons with impaired mobility is available at Cassell Coliseum, as is accessible parking. A sign language interpreter will be provided for the University and Graduate School ceremonies. Interpreters for individual college ceremonies are arranged by request with a two-week notice through the office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD). For additional information concerning accessibility, wheelchair seating, and disability accommodations, contact SSD at www.ssd.vt.edu or call 540/231-0858 or TTY 540/231-0853. “Special Needs” (impaired mobility) parking passes are available (not required if you have a state-issued DMV handicap tag) for pickup by students at 250 South Main Street, Suite 300, prior to the commencement ceremony.

Degree-Conferring Dates

In addition to the traditional twice-a-year commencement, two additional "Degree-Conferring Dates" have been established each year. These dates appear on the diploma for qualified graduates. The added degree-conferring dates fall on the last day of final examinations of First Summer Term and Second Summer Term. For a full list of Degree-Conferring Dates, see our Dates & Deadlines page. No commencement ceremonies are conducted during the summer. Students who complete degree requirements at these times may attend the next commencement, but they are requested to notify the Graduate School. All degrees conferred between commencements are listed in the commencement program.

Diplomas for graduates will be mailed directly to the student. For information on how to change the name that will appear on your diploma, see the Name Change Instructions page.

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How to Select the Proper Hood Color
The colors for the edging of hoods for master's students are determined by the college and discipline granting the degree, as listed in the table below. The tassels of caps for Master's students are black.

The hoods for the Doctor of Philosophy will be edged with dark blue. Doctoral gowns are faced with black velvet with three bars across the sleeves. Tassels for doctoral students are gold.

For more information on academic regalia, please contact the Virginia Tech Bookstore .

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