You are here
Candidate Information
Commencement is a celebration of all you have achieved here at MassArt! There is a lot for you to do leading up to Commencement on May 18, so please refer to the following information as you prepare to graduate.
Steps to graduation
- All fees and other financial obligations to the College must be paid in order to receive a diploma or transcript.
- Graduation is authorized after your passing grades are received in all required courses; you are able to view any outstanding holds on MassArt Self Service. If your hold begins with the letter 'O' and you cannot see your balance due on Student Self Service, contact the Bursar's Office at bursar@massart.edu.
- Contact the library at library@massart.edu about lost library items.
- If you borrowed a federal student loan while attending MassArt, you must complete loan exit counseling on-line at studentaid.gov/exit-counseling prior to graduating. Please contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance at financialaid@massart.edu if you have any questions about this requirement.
- Transcripts with degrees posted will be available 8-10 weeks after Commencement.
Accessibility
Candidates who require ADA accommodations for the ceremony should report their needs to the Office of College and Visiting Events at commencement@massart.edu (or by calling 617.879.7934) no later than April 15, 2023, as certain arrangements have significant lead times. We do our best to meet all requests.
Caps and Gowns
All candidates are encouraged, but not required, to wear cap and gown at our ceremony. Cap and gown sets will be available for purchase in the MassArt/MCPHS Bookstore beginning Monday, May 2.
Bachelors cap and gown sets retail for $40.00 and Masters cap and gown sets retail for $45.00. Certificate recipients should select the Bachelors set when purchasing. No student wishing to wear a cap and gown at Commencement will be denied one due to inability to pay; please contact commencement@massart.edu for assistance.
Commencement Day
ARRIVing and LINING UP
Candidates must report to the Student line-up tent at 12:00pm. The tent is accessed via the designated student entrance. Appropriate signage and Commencement event staff will direct you where you need to go. You must stay in this area until the beginning of the ceremony.
Please do not bring purses or other non-essential items with you in line, as you are not permitted to carry them in the procession.
THE ProcessionAL
Commencement event staff will organize the candidate procession. When you arrive, report to the staff member located by the sign for your major; dual majors are located at the end. You will be given a card with your name and department/degree on it. It is very important that you not lose this card. When you are directed to do so you will line up in front of your major section. Masters candidates line up in front of Bachelors candidates and have their own section and staff person from the Graduate Office. Certificate candidates line up behind Bachelors candidates and will also have their own section and staff person.
Candidates will be escorted single file into the venue by a Commencement staff member. Once in the seating area, you will file in to the end of the row as quickly as possible and remain standing until instructed to sit by the President onstage.
Conferring of Degrees
For the conferring of degrees, candidates will rise one row at a time as directed and exit your row of seating to the left. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR NAME CARD. When you reach the stairs to the stage, you must give your name card to the staff member collecting them. Then, when your name is announced, you will cross the stage and shake hands with the President and members of the Platform Party before exiting the stage. Once off stage, you will receive your proxy diploma and cover; diplomas will be mailed late summer 2023.
Post-Commencement Celebrations
After the ceremony, you have fulfilled your requirements for the day and are free to continue celebrating with family and friends in your own way.
COVID-19 PLANNING
The College expects to hold its 2023 Commencement ceremony with no COVID-19-related restrictions in place. As with all aspects of the pandemic, we will continue to monitor COVID-19 and be responsive to changes in conditions as warranted. Being responsive means that our mitigation strategies and safety protocols could be modified if the data or conditions change at the College, local, or state level, or if imposed by our ceremony venue. This includes but is not limited to masking, capacity restrictions, limitations on number of student guests, physical distancing, and vaccination and/or testing requirements. We encourage candidates, family members, and guests to plan accordingly. We greatly appreciate your understanding in this matter.
If you have any questions, please contact commencement@massart.edu.