Commencement

UPDATED October 20, 2023

UNC Pembroke will conduct commencement exercises for graduate students on Friday, December 8, and undergraduate students on Saturday, December 9. Both ceremonies will be available via livestream, and a reception for the graduates and their guests will follow each ceremony.

***Please see the links to the right (in menu box) for more information regarding graduate and undergraduate ceremonies.***

Attire

Graduates shall wear university-approved academic regalia to the commencement exercises. Those earning a bachelor’s degree wear a simple black gown with long, pointed sleeves and a square mortarboard. In addition to the black gown and mortarboard, those earning master’s degrees wear a hood trimmed in velvet. Cords, stoles, and sashes for graduation honors, honorary societies, and other university-affiliated organizations may also be worn. Any deviation from these guidelines must be approved by the Office of the Provost.

Special Circumstances

Only students who have completed the requirements for the bachelor’s or master’s degrees may participate in commencement exercises. Requirements for undergraduate students may be found in the Academic Catalog and requirements for graduate students may be found in the Graduate Student Handbook. Undergraduate students who lack no more than three credit hours may make a written request to the Office of the Registrar to participate in a graduation ceremony before all the requirements are met. With the exception of degrees in memoriam, only graduates who are attending commencement exercises will be formally recognized during the ceremony.

Decorum

Graduates are expected to honor the dignity associated with commencement exercises and maintain an appropriate measure of decorum during the graduation ceremony. In addition to wearing appropriate attire, graduates shall refrain from disruptive behavior, which includes but is not limited to, stepping, stomping, hopping, or chanting. Graduates shall process across the stage in a measured, safe, and professional manner. Please be reminded that this is a university event, and all graduates are subject to discipline under the Student Code of Conduct. Transcripts may be held until the adjudication process is complete.