Graduation Basics
On this page, you will find information on Graduation Terminology, Graduation Protocol, and Important Details to discuss with your guests.
Graduation Terminology
Commencement
Commencement is the-all Northwestern ceremony where the graduating class is commemorated as a whole. During the ceremony, student, faculty and guest speakers will address graduates and their families. No one crosses the stage at this ceremony and no names are read. All faculty and students wear regalia to participate. Commencement is held once a year in June, and all PhD, Graduate, and Undergraduate students who earn their degree during the academic year or who are participating in their school convocation during the June ceremonies are invited to order tickets.
Convocations
Convocations at Northwestern are hosted by individual schools. Students cross the stage and hear their names read at these ceremonies. School-wide convocations are ticketed events.
Some Master’s programs do not participate in a school-wide ceremony and hold their own departmental ceremonies instead, including the School of Communication Master’s programs and the TGS/Feinberg Master’s programs. Many of these ceremonies do not require tickets. These ceremonies are not coordinated through the Graduation office and you will receive specific information from your program with ceremony details.
Celebrations
Celebrations are events surrounding Commencement and Convocations that seek to recognize aspects of our graduates’ identities and Northwestern experience.
Baccalaureate
Baccalaureate is a multifaith and multicultural celebration honoring a diversity of spiritualities, philosophies, and cultures at Northwestern. All are welcome.
Graduation Protocol
Regalia
Purple “souvenir regalia” is custom designed for Northwestern Bachelor’s and Master’s graduates, featuring the University crest. Graduates must wear the Northwestern regalia to participate in Commencement and school-wide convocations.
Bachelor’s degree regalia includes a souvenir stole. Advanced degree candidates wear hoods. The lining of the Northwestern hood is purple and gold, and the color of the velvet border of the hood indicates the academic area.
Bachelor’s and Master’s souvenir regalia is purchased and kept by the graduate. There is no rental option for these regalia levels because it is significantly more expensive than the souvenir regalia.
PhD graduates wear the formal rental robes. PhD rental robes may only be picked up at the bookstore in the week before Graduation Weekend; there is no shipping option due to the cost of the gowns.
Graduates who are pursuing a career in academia and would like to own their gown may choose to purchase “fine regalia” from our vendor, Oak Hall. These custom-order gowns are made to your measurements and cost approximately $1000, including the hood, tam, and tassel. Fine regalia gowns require a 10-12 week ordering lead time from the ceremony date. Please see the Regalia page for the order link.
Dual Degree, Double Major, and BS/MS or BA/MA
Dual Degree students are receiving two full Bachelor’s degrees, usually over the course of five years and through special programs that they have been admitted to by the schools. Dual Degree students attend convocation ceremonies for both schools where they are receiving a degree.
Combined Bachelor (BA or BS) and Masters (MA or MS) Programs are when students complete both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in a combined program where both degrees are awarded at the same time. Students completing a combined bachelor/master’s program should wear master’s regalia to all ceremonies. Graduates in the McCormick BS/MS program attend the Undergraduate ceremony with their cohort but wear the Master’s regalia to signify the second degree; both degrees are recognized together in the Undergraduate ceremony. Graduates in a combined program across two schools will be invited to the corresponding Bachelor and Master’s ceremonies for those schools.
Double Majors have completed a concentration of coursework in another major or program but are only receiving one degree. Double majors only attend the ceremony for their “home school”, since that is the school awarding their degree.
Names
Ceremony Name
Your school will collect the name that you want read when you cross the stage for your convocation. They will reach out to you when it's time to provide this information.
Diploma Name
The name for your diploma is collected by the Registrar's Office through the petition to graduate and stored in CAESAR. To input or change your diploma name .
Commencement Program Name
Your Commencement Program Name will match your Diploma Name. However, if you would like a different name to appear in the Commencement Program, .
Important Details to Discuss with your Guests
- Who is coming?
- Do they need wheelchair seating or other accessibility accommodations?
- Are you planning on renting a car or using other transportation?
- Which University-wide events do you want to attend (Celebrations, CIC Events, Receptions)?
Have other graduation questions? Check out our FAQ page or contact the Graduation Office at graduation@northwestern.edu.