Sign In / Sign Out
Navigation for Entire University
Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
Clear Bag Policy
Ceremonies held in Gammage Auditorium and Wells Fargo Arena have adopted the Clear Bag Policy
Graduating this Semester?
Congratulations on taking your next steps toward graduation from ASU!
Graduation, Commencement, Convocation
Graduation is the action of completing your degree requirements.
Commencement and Convocation are ceremonies to celebrate the accomplishment of graduation.
Step 1: Register for your final semester
Step 1: Register for your final semester
Congratulations on taking your next steps toward graduation from ASU!
This section of our website provides you with detailed information about the steps you must take to graduate from ASU. Please follow the links below for all the information you need to successfully register to graduate.
Step 2: Check that you have completed all your degree requirements
Step 2: Check that you have completed all your degree requirements
- Undergraduates: Run your DARS Report to confirm that all requirements are met. If you encounter any discrepancies, make an appointment with a Herberger Institute academic advisor immediately. Summer graduates are eligible to walk in the spring commencement and convocation if they have 11 or fewer hours left to graduate; contact an advisor for more information about walking early.
- Graduates: As a graduate student in the ASU Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, there are certain steps you need to take that ensure a successful, on-time graduation. Please review details concerning the graduation process for ASU here: Graduation Deadlines and Procedures.
Step 3: Check your deadline
Step 3: Check your deadline
To apply for graduation, complete the graduation process by the appropriate deadline.
| If you are completing your degree in: | Your deadline is: |
| Fall | October 1 |
| Spring | February 15 |
| Summer | June 15 |
- You can apply to graduate online or in-person. To apply online, logon to your My ASU account and click the "Graduation" tab in the My Programs and Advising box. Click the "Apply for Graduation" link and follow the instructions on the screen. The graduation fee will be charged to your account. To apply in-person, go to the Student Services Building (SSV) and pay for graduation at the cashier's office. Complete the questionnaire the cashier gives you and take it to the graduation office on the first floor of the Student Services Building (SSV).
- You can apply for graduation the semester prior to or the semester of graduation, but be sure to apply before the deadline to avoid a late charge. The names of students who apply after the deadline will not appear in the ASU commencement program. Note the deadline dates listed on the university calendar. The graduation office will check your DARS report or program of study to make sure that you have completed the requirements for your degree. Undergraduates who will graduate in the summer are eligible to "walk" in spring commencement and convocation if they have 11 or fewer hours left to graduate, but they will not receive their diplomas until all degree requirements have been completed. Students who will "walk" in the spring convocation ceremony but finish their requirements in the summer must apply for a summer graduation and notify their advisor in the Office of Student Success that they plan to participate in the spring ceremony.
- Order your cap, gown and invitations through the ASU Bookstore. More information.
Step 4: Register to attend convocation and commencement
Step 4: Register to attend convocation and commencement
Within 24 hours of applying to graduate, you will receive an RSVP link on your My ASU under the Graduation tab. You will RSVP for the Commencement ceremony and the Herberger Institute Convocation ceremony using this link. The Herberger Institute Fall Convocation ceremony is a ticketed event for guests. Students are allowed up to 6 tickets each. You will be able to select the number of tickets needed when you RSVP. The RSVP link closes on November 18, 2019. It is critical that we receive RSVPs from ALL of our graduates. If you have already RSVP'd but need to change something on your RSVP, you can do this using the same link on your My ASU. If you do not receive an RSVP link, contact the Herberger Institute Office of Student Success at (480) 965-4495.
University Commencement
Commencement is the University-wide ceremony for all graduating students. ASU holds commencement ceremonies in May and December.
Undergraduate Students
Monday, December 16, 2019, 9:00 am
Desert Financial Arena
Graduate Students
Monday, December 16, 2019, 1:30 pm
Desert Financial Arena
Commencement is the official ceremony for the university where your degree is conferred. All Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts graduates are encouraged to attend the ASU Commencement Ceremony. University Commencement Info
Caps and gowns must be worn and are available at the Sun Devil Campus Store or visit Herff Jones. The ASU Grad Fair will take place through October at all campuses at the Sun Devil Bookstore and will provide a chance for students to order their caps and gowns at a discounted price. Check the ASU Grad Fair site for dates. All graduates are required to wear the proper regalia in order to participate in the ceremony as detailed in the ASU graduation website.
Herberger Institute Convocation
Convocations are graduation ceremonies held by ASU's institutes, colleges and schools to recognize graduates. The Herberger Institute holds convocation ceremonies in May and December during the same week as the university commencement ceremonies.
Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts Convocation
Tuesday, December 17, 2019, 9:00 a.m..
Gammage Auditorium
To participate in convocation, graduates are required to RSVP! After you have applied for graduation, look for the "Graduation" tab on your My ASU page for a link to RSVP for the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts Convocation. The RSVP link closes on November 18, 2019. It is critical that we receive RSVPs from ALL of our graduates.
Tickets
Fall convocation for the Herberger Institute IS a ticketed event. Tickets are required for all guests, including infants and small children. Graduates can reserve up to six tickets. They will be availble for pickup the week before graduation ceremonies. For more information, please call 480-965-4495.
Convocation Ceremony Instructions
All graduates need to arrive no later than 8:00 a.m. at the Music Building lobby with their caps and gowns. Upon your arrival you will be given your reader card and be directed where to line-up for the procession. Please be on time, as we will be lining up by school and then processing as a group to the Gammage Auditorium by 8:45 a.m. The ceremony is expected to end by 10:30 a.m. Graduating students will be seated in the front of the auditorium. University commencement and convocation ceremonies are special events for all involved. Please show respect for all who have come to share in the experience.
Guests: Family and friends will not be allowed in the graduate line up area and should proceed to the Gammage Auditorium. Tickets ARE required for entry.
Caps, Gowns and Regalia
Caps and gowns must be worn and are available at the Sun Devil Campus Store or available to purchase online at Herff Jones. The ASU Grad Fair will take place through October at all campuses at the Sun Devil Bookstore and will provide the only chance for students to order their caps and gowns at a discounted price. Check the ASU Grad Fair site for dates. Caps, Gowns and Regalia are all available to purchase through the Sun Devil Campus Store up until graduation. They will be available to purchase online through mid April. All graduates are required to wear the proper regalia in order to participate in the ceremony as detailed on the ASU graduation website.
Honors Designations
If you are eligible for honor cords, you can pick them up at any registrar’s office on your campus. To find the registrar’s office for your campus please click here. Academic recognition is granted to undergraduate candidates only. Students must complete 56 or more hours of in-resident work at ASU's Tempe, West, Polytechnic and Downtown Phoenix campuses in addition to having the appropriate grade point average. For questions about the grading system, please see the Academic Senate and Assembly's Plus/Minus Grades Overview (PDF).
Master’s candidates are hooded at the Herberger Convocation ceremony. You must indicate your faculty hooder when you completed your RSVP. We have confirmed with all faculty members and will contact you if we learn that a faculty member cannot attend the ceremony (in which case, you will need to find another hooder). When the hooding ritual is announced, you hand your hood to your committee chairperson, who places the hood over your head. You then walk across the stage where your name is announced and you are congratulated.
Doctoral recipients are also recognized at the Herberger Institute Convocation ceremony where their name is announced when they walk across the stage to be congratulated. Doctoral candidates should wear proper academic regalia, including hoods, to both ceremonies.
Parking and Transit
Convocation parking is available at no cost to students and guests in Lot 3 outside the Gammage Auditorium. Regular fees will be collected at meters and visitor lots. Disabled parking and a drop-off site for elderly guests will be available. Click here for campus parking locations.
For detailed information on traffic and construction, please visit the City of Tempe website.
Parking - Tempe Campus Interactive Map
Tempe Street Closures and Restrictions Site
Clear Bag Policy
The university has instituted a “Clear Bag Policy” for all Graduation venues. Please familiarize yourself with this policy as there will be no admission for those that do not follow this policy. Guidelines can be found at http://www.thesundevils.com/news/2016/7/26/tickets-clear-bag-policy.aspx.
Sign Language Interpreter/ Closed Captioning
There will be a sign language interpreter and closed captioning at the event.
Grad Images Photography Information
Grad Images Photography is the official photographer of ASU commencement events. There is a pre-registration system, which allows you to provide your email and mailing address information before the ceremony. You can also add information for up to six family members. Pre-register now.
Announcements
Personalized graduation announcements may be purchased online through Herff Jones.
Flowers
Leis and bouquets will be sold at convocation. Students and guests are encouraged to pre-order for pick up before the ceremony so they can wear their leis on stage and in pictures.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Click the link above to find answers for some of the most frequently asked questions about graduation. Here are the answers for two we get often:
Difference between Commencement and Convocation
Many students wonder, what the difference is between Commencement and Convocation, and how they are different from graduation? Graduation is the action of completing your degree requirements. Commencement and Convocation are ceremonies to celebrate the accomplishment of graduation.
- Commencement is the University-wide ceremony for all graduating students and ASU holds commencement ceremonies in May and December.
- Convocations are graduation ceremonies held by ASU's institutes, colleges and schools to recognize graduates. The Herberger Institute holds convocation ceremonies in May and December during the same week as the university commencement ceremonies.
Your Diploma
Diplomas are mailed approximately 10-12 weeks after the degree conferral date. Your diploma from ASU will include your name and the degree you have earned. The concentration is not included on your diploma, but is included on your transcript. For instance, students earning a Bachelor of Arts in Art degree with a concentration in Art History will receive a diploma that states, "Bachelor of Arts in Art" and students earning a Master of Music in Performance with a concentration in orchestral instruments will receive a diploma that states, "Master of Music in Performance." Your transcript will show your degree concentration which you also can list on your resume.
Still have a question?
- Questions about graduation may be directed to the Graduation Office: 480-965-3256
- Questions about the University Commencement ceremonies may be directed to the Office of University Ceremonies: 480-965-3565
- Questions about the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts Convocation ceremony may be directed to the Office of Student Success: 480-965-4495