Commencement Ceremonies

Commencement ceremonies are held at the conclusion of the Fall and the Spring terms.

• Because commencement exercises are meaningful experiences in the academic lives of students, all students are encouraged to participate when possible.
• Students must settle all accounts in order to be eligible to participate in commencement exercises. UMHB may restrict students from participating in commencement for failure to make complete payment of student accounts.
• A student may be excused from commencement exercises and be permitted to graduate in absentia with approval from the Registrar’s Office. Students desiring to graduate in absentia should submit a written request to the Registrar’s Office not less than two weeks prior to the commencement exercise.
• Diplomas will be mailed within four weeks of the commencement exercise to the address provided on the application for degree.
• Students lacking a maximum of seven (7) semester hours toward degree completion (as confirmed by the Registrar’s Office) may petition the Provost for permission to participate in commencement exercises. Participation in commencement exercises is not equivalent to graduation. Students granted permission by the Provost to “walk” in the ceremony are not official graduates. They will not receive diplomas nor will their degrees be posted to their transcripts until all their degree requirements have been completed.
• Students may petition the Provost for permission to delay participation in commencement exercises if students are unable to participate in the ceremony immediately following their degree completion.