Graduation

Graduation Ceremonies

Brigham Young University holds one graduation ceremony in April. Students who have or will be graduating within a single academic year (eg. 2023-2024 academic year) are invited to attend the April commencement and convocation ceremony of that academic year. For example, a student who graduates in December 2023. April 2024, June 2024, or August 2024 is invited to participate in the April 2024 convocation ceremony.

Commencement vs. Convocation

Graduation ceremonies consist of two events;     
Commencement: University gathering, which includes all graduating students regardless of what school they graduated from.     
Convocation: Gathering of graduating students by college/school after commencement. During convocation, each graduate is recognized by name and appears on stage

McKay School of Education Convocation Information

Date, Time, and Location of Convocation     
Dates: Thursday, April 25, 2024.     
Start Time: 2:00     
  Graduates to Report: 1:00     
  Guests To Be Seated: 1:45     
Location: Marriott Center     
Livestream Link     
2024 Convocation Page

Request to Walk Form

Standard Graduation Designation

Graduated in:	Walk in:
December	April (the following)
April	April (the current)
June	April (the previous)
August	April (the previous)

Who should submit a request to walk form:

1. Graduates who wish to walk in the McKay School convocation ceremony in the academic year before their declared graduation date must submit a Request to Walk form.
   1. Students graduating in December of the following year can request to walk in the previous April.
   2. You must have an active ecclesiastical endorsement for the graduating academic year, submit your graduation application with the university for the term you are graduating (not requesting to walk), and submit a Request to Walk form by March 15th. to have your name included in the program as a December graduate walking early.
   3. Request to Walk petitions for a year or more in advance will be denied. (This includes April, June, and August of the following year)
2. Graduates who are teaching majors from a college other than the McKay School who wish to walk with the School of Education must submit a Request to Walk form.
3. Graduates from another college who wish to walk with a spouse or other immediate family member from the School of Education must submit a Request to Walk form on or before April 21st. (Non-McKay School graduates will not have their names printed in the convocation program)
4. Students who do not meet any of the criteria outlined above will not be permitted to walk in the convocation ceremony with the McKay School of Education.
5. Please Note: requesting to walk early in the McKay School convocation is a courtesy and is not the same as "graduating early". You are still responsible for completing all of your graduation requirements. You are not recognized as a graduate of the current academic year and are not eligible to attend the university commencement ceremony nor be recognized in the university program. All graduates will officially be recognized by the university and their respective colleges in the academic year they are completing their degrees.

Form:

1. Click here for Request to Walk Form
2. Please bring the completed form to the Education Advisement Center in Room 175 of the David O. McKay Building (MCKB) or email the form to educationadvisement@byu.edu A hard copy of the Request to Walk Form is available in 175 MCKB as well.

Order your Cap and Gown

Visit https://alumni.byu.edu/caps-and-gown

Instructions for Lining Up

Baccalaureate, Master's, and Education Specialist Candidates:

Baccalaureate and Master Candidates should arrive no later than 1 p.m. and go to the southeast corner outside of the Marriott Center. There, graduates will be given a name card and asked to take their place in line. Once the convocation ceremonies begin, an usher will escort the candidates to their seats inside of the Marriott Center. Family and friends will be seated on the south side of the Marriott Center, as directed by the event staff, once they arrive.

At the appropriate time, an usher will direct the candidates to the east tunnel area where a photographer will take pictures before walking across the stage. Please do not wear green under your robes. There is a green screen background for the photographs, and it will cause problems with the background that it inserted in later. After a photo is taken, the candidates are then directed through the northeast tunnel towards the stage where they will form a line at the card reader podium. Candidates will hand their name card to the Reader. As their name has been read, the candidates will walk across the stage to be congratulated by the Dean and colleagues. Once you have received a picture with the Dean & company, you will exit the stage and receive your diploma cover before you return to a new seat. (The official diploma will be mailed to the candidates at a later date). Candidates should not be alarmed when ushered to a different seat than the one they occupied at the beginning of the ceremony. Please do not bring any personal possessions with you.

Doctoral Candidates:

Doctoral candidates should arrive no later than 1:00 p.m. and go to the west tunnel in the lower level of the Marriott Center. There they will receive instructions for the hooding ceremony, have their picture taken, and then be lined up in the east tunnel prior to the start of the ceremony. Doctoral candidates are asked to carry their hood draped over their right arm. The hood should not be worn until after the hooding ceremony, which takes place during the convocation exercises.

At the start of the conferring of degrees, the Doctoral candidates will be moved in a line through from the main floor through the east tunnel to the northeast tunnel to the card reader podium. Once his or her name is read, the Doctoral candidate will move to a set location on the stage to be hooded. (Doctoral candidates are asked not to wear their cap when being hooded.) Once hooded, the Doctoral candidate will have a picture taken & congratulated by university officials. They will then exit the stage as directed where they will receive their diploma cover. They will then be ushered to their original seat on the floor.

We ask Doctoral candidates to view the following hooding video in preparations for Convocation.     
EdD/PhD Hooding Video

Instructions for Walking Across the Stage

Baccalaureate, Master's, and Education Specialist Candidates:     
At the appropriate time, the usher will tell you to move out of your seat and guide you onto the stage. Your name will be read as you walk across the stage to receive your diploma cover from university officials. You will then walk off stage and return to a seat (not necessarily the same seat as before). An usher will direct you as you leave the stage.     

Doctoral Candidates: You will be seated on the front row, and at the appropriate time the usher will tell you to move out of your seat and guide you onto the stage. When it is your turn the reader will announce your name. As your name is read, you will walk up the ramp onto the stage to be hooded, then walk across the stage to receive your diploma cover from university officials. You will then return to your seat on the front row. Please do not wear your cap when being hooded.

Dress Requirements

• Graduation is a dress-up event. Graduates should dress in their “Sunday best” with men wearing dress shirts and ties and women wearing dresses or slacks & a blouse. Please ensure dresses are knee length to mid-calf length. Long dresses that show under the gown should not be worn. Graduates should wear appropriate dress shoes.
• Graduates should leave all personal belongings (purses, cameras, etc.) with a guest. Graduates will not have permanent seats on which to leave personal items, and personal items should not be carried while crossing the stage.
• Please do not wear green. Photos of the graduates are taken with a green screen as a backdrop.
• To order your cap and gown, go to http://colleges.herffjones.com/college/_byu     
  Note: The above link is only active during specific periods of time.     
  Note: Education Specialist Robes are the same as the robes for the Master of Education candidates

Tassels

Graduates should wear the tassel on the left side of the cap throughout the exercises except when crossing the stage. At that time you may move the tassel to you right side to give a clear view of your face to the audience and photographer.

Tassel and Hood trim colors are as follows:

BS degree	Gold
BA degree	White
MS degree	Gold
MA degree	White
MEd/EdS degree	Light blue
EdD/PhD degree	Gold(short)

Caps

The cap should be worn on the top of your head with the mortar board parallel to the floor. Please do not wear the cap on the back of your head or at an angle.

Name Cards

If you would like your name read differently from the way it appears on your graduation application on MyBYU, please call the Education Advisement Center at (801) 422-3426 and tell the office staff how you would like your name announced. For example, if the name on your application is your full name, "Jane Ilene Walker Doe," and you want your name announced as "Jane Walker Doe," you need to call and request the change. Calls must be received no later than Monday before graduation.

If your name is often mispronounced, please call the Education Advisement Center and tell the secretaries the proper pronunciation of your name. Calls must be received no later than the Monday before graduation.

Photography

A professional photographer will take pictures as graduates shake hands with university administrators. The photographers will make the photos available to each graduate. There is no obligation to buy the photograph.

If friends or family members would like to take a picture as the graduate crosses the stage, the best place to sit is on the south balcony. Guests may not come onto the graduate seating floor to take pictures.

Guests

• No tickets are required for guests to attend the convocation ceremony.
• Guests must be seated by 1:45 p.m., at which time seats may no longer be saved. Family members may not sit in empty graduates seating; only graduates and faculty are allowed in this area. Seating for individuals with wheelchair, walker, or special need will be provided in designated areas.
• Ushers will be at the doors to assist with seating and distribution of programs.
• If a guest will need special arrangements due to an accessibility need, please contact the event staff at the Marriott Center at (801) 422-6022.
• If a graduate will need special arrangements due to an accessibility need, please contact the Education Advisement Center at (801) 422-3426.
• We ask guests to withhold applause until each group is finished and an invitation to applaud is given. To maintain a professional and dignified atmosphere, guests should not whistle or make disruptive noises during the convocation ceremony.
• At the conclusion of the convocation ceremonies, graduates will be ushered out of the Marriott Center through the same tunnel they entered. They will be directed to meet up with their guests on the north side of the Marriott Center, as there will be another college convocation staging on the south side of the building.

Parking

It is strongly recommended that guest park in one of the lots on the northside of the Marriott Center. These lots will be open to graduates and guests throughout the day for commencement and convocation ceremonies.

Students and guests are asked to leave campus immediately after the convocation ceremony to free parking spaces for those attending subsequent ceremonies. Please plan to take pictures around campus before the ceremony or on a different day.