The College of Charleston offers two commencement ceremonies for its undergraduate candidates—one in December and one in May. Each ceremony is unique and beautiful.

December Ceremony: The December ceremony (sometimes called “mid-year" or "winter" commencement) will take place at the new Carolina First Arena* on campus. Details about the December ceremony can be found on the Senior Information Website during the fall term.

*beginning Dec. 2008 tickets will be allotted and required. See Senior Information website for details.

May Ceremony: The May ceremonies take place outdoors on our beautiful and historic Cistern Yard. There are two ceremonies—one in the morning and one in the afternoon of the same day. Because of the large number of graduates who participate, tickets are required for guest admission. Each graduate is limited to inviting 4 guests to join them on the Cistern Yard. Additional tickets are only available on a limited basis by raffle at several senior events that take place throughout the year. Contact your Senior Class officers for more information. Accommodations are made for additional guests at several satellite locations on campus. Tickets are not required for admission to the satellite locations. Details (including dates/times) about the May ceremony can be found on the Senior Information Website during the spring term.

COMMENCEMENT ELIGIBILITY

Students may participate in either the December or May commencement ceremony following completion of all graduation requirements. Students completing all graduation requirements in one of the Maymester/Summer semesters may participate in the December ceremony of the same year or the May ceremony of the following year. Since ceremony participation is assumed, applicants for graduation who are eligible for commencement do not need to inform our office of their commencement intentions. Students graduating with more than one major (must be in the same term) may choose the major with which they would like to participate and all majors will be noted in the Commencement Program. Graduation candidates and their families can stay up-to-date about commencement information by bookmarking and checking the Senior Information Website often.

Students who fail to apply to graduate will not be on any of our commencement check-lists

Fall Term Graduates: Students who are on track to graduate (i.e. preliminarily cleared) for the fall term will be eligible for participation in the December ceremony. Participation is assumed and encouraged, however it is optional. If a fall graduate does not participate in the December ceremony he/she will automatically be eligible, and on the lists, for the following May ceremony.

Spring Term Graduates: Students who are on track to graduate (i.e. preliminarily cleared) in the spring term will be eligible for participation in the May ceremony. Participation is assumed and encouraged, however it is optional.

Maymester/Summer Term Graduates: Students who graduate in one of the Maymester/Summer terms will be eligible for participation in that same year's December ceremony or the following year's May ceremony. If a Maymester/Summer graduate does not participate in the December ceremony he/she will automatically be eligible, and on the lists, for the following May ceremony. Participation is assumed and encouraged, however it is optional.

Latin Honors Recognition at Commencement: Latin honors recognized at commencement are presumptive and are based on the cumulative GPA that the student has earned in the term prior to the graduation term (i.e. before graduation term grades are posted).

Students who do not meet honors requirements until after all grades are in for their graduation term, will not be recognized for honors in the commencement program. Actual honors earned will be noted on both the transcript and on the diploma once all grades are recorded.

Students who graduate in the fall** and walk in May will have their actual honors earned recognized. Students who are allowed to participate in the ceremony by petition/exception will not be recognized for honors.

**or Maymester/Summer the year prior to the ceremony

EXCEPTIONS TO CEREMONY PARTICIPATION ELIGIBILITY: Occasionally, due to extenuating circumstances, a student may participate in a ceremony before he/she is eligible to do so. The faculty will allow this by Petition if the student meets certain strict requirements. Click here for more information.

OTHER COMMENCEMENT RELATED LINKS

Alumni Relations: Class rings, senior events, ceremony tickets, joining the alumni association, alumni email account

Career Center: Employment and volunteer opportunities; resumé help

CofC Bookstore: Flowers, announcements, diploma frames

Graduation Website: Application for graduation info; Diplomas, Graduation Update form, Diploma Replacement, other graduation information

Media Relations: Hometown newspaper announcement information

Senior Information Website: date/time/place, rehearsal (May), attire, senior events, senior class meetings, ticket raffles, diploma pick-up, photography and more! This is your “one-stop” for the most up-to-date commencement information.

Treasurer's Office: Graduation Fee (payment information and deadlines)

COMMENCEMENT PARTICIPATION DOES NOT EQUAL GRADUATION

Graduation = Completing all requirements for a degree program

There are seven graduation terms
Spring (1), Maymester (2), May Evening (3), Summer I Day (4), Summer Evening (5), Summer II Day (6), Fall (7)
Graduation Application is required

Commencement = Ceremony

There are two - December (aka: Fall/Mid-Year) and May (aka: Spring)
Participation is assumed but is optional—once you apply and are pre-cleared to graduate in the eligible term, your name will be on our commencement lists

Last updated 11/19/2008