Commencement Ceremonies

The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Commencement ceremony is a festive, colorful, joyous event on Healy Lawn at which all doctoral and master’s students from the Graduate School — including Biomedical Graduate Education (BGE) programs — walk across the stage and are awarded their degrees by the Graduate School Dean and President of Georgetown University. The ceremony takes place annually in mid-May. Participation in the Graduate School Commencement ceremony is for those who are receiving their degree in May 2023, or who have have been awarded their degree in August or December of the prior year (i.e. August 2022 or December 2022).

Only in the case of severe weather (electrical storms, for example) would this ceremony be officially moved indoors. If moved indoors, tickets may be required, with limits on the number of tickets available per student. If an OFFICIAL severe weather call is made and the event is moved indoors, instructions will be sent to all graduating students via email and posted on this website.

Note: Some schools, departments, and programs also have other ceremonies and receptions following this event. Other schools at Georgetown University have their own commencement ceremonies at different times and do not participate in this Graduate School Commencement ceremony (see Other Graduate Ceremonies section below).

Full details regarding the 2023 Graduate Commencement ceremony will be made available in early spring to all graduating students.

Multicultural Celebration

Wednesday, May 17, 2023
3:30 p.m. | Lohrfink Auditorium, Hariri Building

The Multicultural Celebration is held the Wednesday prior to the Graduate School Commencement Ceremony. It is a ceremony for all master’s and doctoral students in all schools at Georgetown to celebrate their multicultural heritage, diversity and achievements.

Doctoral Hooding Ceremony

Thursday, May 18, 2023
9:30-10:30 a.m. | Ceremony: Gaston Hall (Healy Hall, 3rd Floor)
10:30 a.m.-Noon | Reception: Dahlgren Courtyard

The Doctoral Hooding Ceremony, held the Thursday prior to the Graduate School Commencement Ceremony, is a ceremony for doctoral students in all schools at Georgetown University to be recognized and have their doctoral hood put in place by their mentors, advisors, and other members of the Georgetown faculty, including the Dean of the Graduate School. All graduating doctoral students are invited to this formal academic event held in Gaston Hall, located on the third floor of Healy Hall. Academic regalia (cap, gown, hood) is required to participate. The Graduate School Dean hosts a reception for the doctoral students and their mentors in the Dahlgren Courtyard of Healy Hall following the Hooding Ceremony.

Graduate School Commencement Ceremony

Friday, May 19, 2023
9:00-11:45 a.m. | Healy Lawn (rain or shine)
(Severe Weather Site: McDonough Gymnasium)

The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Commencement ceremony is an event at which all doctoral and master’s students from the Graduate School — including Biomedical Graduate Education (BGE) programs — walk across the stage and are awarded their degrees by the Graduate School Dean and President of Georgetown University. This formal academic ceremony takes place on Healy Lawn, rain or shine. Traditionally, tickets have not been required for outdoor ceremonies, and seating is available on a first-come basis beginning at 7:45 a.m. Academic regalia (cap, gown, hood) is required to participate. Only in the case of severe weather would this ceremony be officially moved indoors.

School of Nursing (SON) Ceremony
Thursday, May 18, 2023 at 3 p.m. on Healy Lawn (rain site: McDonough Arena)

McCourt School of Public Policy (MSPP) Ceremony
Thursday, May 18, 2023 at 6 p.m. on Healy Lawn (rain site: McDonough Arena)

McDonough School of Business (MSB) Ceremony
Friday, May 19, 2023 at 3 p.m. on Healy Lawn (rain site: McDonough Arena for Master’s degrees)

School of Health (SOH) Ceremony
Saturday, May 20, 2023 at Noon in Gaston Hall (rain site: McDonough Arena)

Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS) Ceremony
Saturday, May 20, 2023 at 5 p.m. on Healy Lawn (rain site: McDonough Arena at (tbd) for both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees)

Baccalaureate Mass
Sunday, May 21, 2023 at 9 a.m. on Healy Lawn (rain site: McDonough Arena)

Academic regalia is required of all participants at both the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony and the Graduate School Commencement Ceremony. All participants are required to wear appropriate academic regalia (cap, gown and hood) and will not be allowed to participate in the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony or main Commencement Ceremony without the regalia. Information on ordering academic regalia is available from the Graduate School early in the spring semester of each year.

The Georgetown University Bookstore in Leavey Center handles the advance ordering and distribution of academic regalia and may be contacted for further information. See the Academic Regalia section of the Graduate School website for more details.

The Bookstore will host a “Grad Fair” on Friday, March 24 and Saturday, March 25.  They will have a range of sizes of Master’s robes.  It’s a good idea to get your cap and gown taken care of in advance of the rush in May.

Note: Caps and gowns are available for purchase in the University Bookstore Monday through Thursday of the week prior to Commencement, May 15–18.

Many Georgetown Commencement events will be livestreamed for remote viewing. Information on where to find these streamed events (and the recorded archive) will be shared on Georgetown’s website and social media channels prior to these events. A livestream and archive of the Graduate School Commencement Ceremony (and other ceremonies) will be available on the Georgetown University Facebook page.

• Memo to Graduating Students for 2023
• Memo to Doctoral Students about the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony for 2023
• List of Student Lineup Rooms for Commencement for 2023
• Livestream of Graduate Commencement Ceremonies (and archive of the ceremonies)
• Official Georgetown Campus Map
• Campus Sketch Map showing Locations for Graduate School Commencement 2023
• Accessible Shuttle Bus Route Map for Commencement 2023
• Translation of the Latin on your Graduate School Diploma
• Georgetown University Commencement website (for more general information) 

Additional graduation information can be found on the How to Graduate page.