The Class of 2014 celebrates commencement in the Cistern Yard. Photo courtesy of Karson Photography.
For decades, commencement ceremonies at the College of Charleston have been among the most beautiful and unique in all of American higher education. Starting this spring, several changes will be made that are intended to enhance the graduation experience and to create new options for students.
A third ceremony in the historic Cistern Yard will be added on Friday afternoon, in addition to the two Saturday ceremonies. Beginning this year, a Friday afternoon ceremony will be held in the Cistern Yard, in addition to the two Saturday ceremonies. The Friday ceremony will enable graduate students to experience graduation in Cistern Yard, and will accommodate more students and guests for the May ceremonies.
In addition to the graduate students, the Friday ceremony will include undergraduate students from the School of Education, Health and Human Performance, the School of the Arts, and the School of Professional Studies.
The undergraduate students in the School of Business and School of Sciences and Mathematics will be scheduled for commencement in Cistern Yard on Saturday morning and undergraduate students from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and School of Languages, Cultures and World Affairs will be scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
READ: More information on the May 2015 commencement ceremony.
Beginning this year the College has also modified the rules for participation in the spring commencement ceremony. In the past, students who were not quite finished with their degree requirements at the conclusion of the spring semester were often required to wait another year if they wished to participate in the spring ceremony. Now, any student eligible to apply to graduate in the spring or summer will be able to participate in the May commencement. For example, a student who will complete his or her degree by the end of summer 2015 will apply to graduate in summer 2015, but this student will be eligible to participate in the 2015 May Commencement Ceremony. This change in ceremony eligibility rules will eliminate the petition process and re-focus the attention of our students on successfully completing their degree requirements.
Additionally, the College of Charleston is studying the eventual elimination of December commencement. There WILL be a 2015 December Commencement Ceremony, but a December 2016 ceremony is not guaranteed.
Questions or concerns about the requirements for graduation should be sent via email to graduation@cofc.edu.
