Commencement vs Convocation

Commencement ceremonies are the official graduation events for the university. Commencement is open to all graduating students, regardless of what college or school they are graduating from.

During the university’s undergraduate Commencement ceremony, ASU President Michael Crow confers degrees on all ASU bachelor’s degree candidates by schools (not individually). All New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences students will be recognized together. Bachelor’s degree candidates do NOT individually cross the stage at ASU Commencement.

During the university’s graduate Commencement, President Crow confers degrees on all ASU graduate students (master’s and doctoral candidates).

• Master’s degree candidates will be hooded at Graduate Commencement, but will NOT be called individually to cross the stage.
• Doctoral candidates will be hooded at Graduate Commencement, have their names called and cross the stage individually to receive congratulations.

Convocation ceremonies are celebrations of graduating New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences students and their achievements. Convocation is a big event, but it is more intimate and familiar for New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences students than ASU Commencement. Convocation is a high-spirited celebration of our graduating students where faculty and college leadership will be in attendance to recognize our graduates. During Convocation, New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences graduates are individually recognized for their academic achievement, including crossing the stage while their name is read.

Doctoral graduates are not hooded at Convocation. Doctoral graduates who wish to participate in the hooding ceremony should plan to attend ASU Commencement.

Graduates can choose to attend any ceremony. If you have qualified for and applied for graduation, you will graduate with or without participating in graduation events.

However, we encourage you to recognize your achievement by joining in graduation ceremonies!

Family and friends often want to see their graduates cross a stage and hear their names read. For bachelor’s and master’s degree graduates, this means they should plan to participate in the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences Convocation.