Commencement at Marquette is a symbolic ceremony provided for students, faculty and families in celebration of our students’ accomplishments. Following is the policy regulating official participation in the University Commencement.

1. Marquette offers one Commencement per year. Commencement is held in May, following the spring term.
2. Spring Graduates:
   • Undergraduate/Master's/Health Sciences Professional students: students who are in good standing, meet the appropriate graduation application deadline and complete their degree requirements, including the official recording of any transfer work by the end of the spring term may participate in Commencement held in the same calendar year.
   • Dental students: students who are in good academic standing, meet the appropriate graduation application deadline and complete their degree requirements, including the official recording of any transfer work by the end of the spring term participate in Commencement held in the same calendar year.
   • Doctoral students: candidates must meet the appropriate graduation application deadline, ensure all transfer credit is officially recorded, successfully defend their dissertation, receive approval by their dissertation committee for any required revisions, submit their dissertation to the Graduate School and receive approval of the dissertation format by the Graduate School before the published deadline in order to participate in the Commencement held in the same calendar year.
   • Law students: students who are in good academic standing, meet the appropriate graduation application deadline and complete their degree requirements, including the official recording of any transfer work by the end of the spring term participate in Commencement and are hooded and honored at the Law School May Hooding Ceremony of the same calendar year.
3. Summer and Fall Graduates:
   • Undergraduate/Master's/Health Sciences Professional students: students who are in good academic standing, meet the appropriate graduation application deadline and complete their degree requirements, including the official recording of any transfer work after the May Commencement ceremony of a given calendar year, may participate in the Commencement held in that calendar year, or may choose to participate in the Commencement held in the following calendar year.
   • Dental Students:
     1. Summer graduates: students who are in good academic standing, meet the appropriate graduation application deadline and complete their degree requirements, including the official recording of any transfer work by the end of the summer term may participate in spring Commencement. Such students may also participate in selected May Commencement ceremonies in the School of Dentistry.
     2. Fall graduates: students who are required to enroll in any fall term course in the School of Dentistry are specifically prohibited from participating in any May Commencement ceremony for either Marquette University or the School of Dentistry.
   • Doctoral students: candidates who complete their degree/dissertation requirements (see #2 above) after the May Commencement ceremony of a given calendar year may participate in Commencement held in the following calendar year. Students must indicate their desire to participate in the commencement ceremony on their graduation application.
   • Law students:
     1. Summer graduates: students who are in good academic standing, meet the appropriate graduation application deadline and complete their degree requirements, including the official recording of any transfer work in the the summer term after May Commencement of a given calendar year, may participate in the May Commencement ceremony of that same calendar year and are hooded and honored at a May Hooding Ceremony hosted by the Law School; or may choose to be hooded and honored at a December Hooding Ceremony hosted by the Law School of that same calendar year.
     2. Fall graduates: students who complete their degree requirements in the fall term of a given calendar year may be hooded and honored in the December Hooding Ceremony, hosted by the Law School and may participate in the May Commencement of the following calendar year; or may participate in both the May Commencement and May Hooding Ceremony of the following calendar year.
4. The Commencement program is accurate as of the day it is printed; and, changes will be made to students' academic record despite the information contained therein, if the information changes after final grades and degree audits are completed.
5. Students' names and degrees appear in the Commencement Program in which they officially participate, regardless of the term in which they graduate. Latin Honors, if awarded, are also noted, based on the last grading cycle in which the student was enrolled; however, the final determination of Latin Honors is based on the final grades earned in the term in which the degree is conferred.
6. Degree conferral and Latin Honors are certified by the official Marquette transcript noting the degree completion. Receipt of a diploma, participation in the Commencement ceremony or the names/degrees/honors of students listed in the Commencement Program do not constitute certification of the same. 
7. Any exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Provost.

Commencement Notification

The Office of the President sends one invitation/announcement to the name indicated on the Graduation Application graduating students submit online via the Student Center in CheckMarq. For further information on the university-wide ceremony, contact University Special Events at (414) 288-7431 or visit the Commencement website. College Commencement ceremonies, if occurring, may require tickets. For further information on college ceremonies, contact the appropriate college office.