FAQs

Eligible graduates are pre-assigned to the USC Dornsife ceremony that corresponds to their major/department.

Ceremony One will take place at 11:00 A.M. and Ceremony Two will take place at 2:30 P.M. For more information on your designated ceremony time, please click below:

Ceremony One – 11:00 A.M.

Humanities

• American Studies and Ethnicity
• Comparative Literature
• English
• French and Italian
• Interdisciplinary Studies
• Latin American and Iberian Cultures
• Philosophy
• Religion/Archaeology

Natural Sciences and Mathematics

• Biological Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Environmental Studies
• Human Biology
• Mathematics
• Neuroscience
• Quantitative and Computational Biology

Social Sciences

• Anthropology
• Political Science and International Relations
• Linguistics

Ceremony Two – 2:30 P.M.

Humanities

• Art History
• Classics
• East Asian Area Studies
• East Asian Languages and Cultures
• Gender and Sexuality Studies
• History
• Slavic Languages and Literatures

Natural Sciences

• Chemistry
• Cognitive Science
• Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis
• Master of Science in Applied Psychology
• Physics and Astronomy
• Psychology

Social Sciences

• Economics
• Middle East Studies
• Social Sciences
• Sociology
• Spatial Sciences

Students can verify their graduation date by checking their STARS Report on Oasis. Graduation dates will be listed by those who graduated in Fall 2023 or will graduate in Spring or Summer 2024.

If this information is incorrect, please contact Degree Progress at (213) 740-7070 or visit their website.

Students who fall within the eligibility terms of Fall 2023, Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 will receive an email to participate in their Dornsife Ceremony.

Yes, USC Dornsife will require eligible graduates to register to participate in their pre-assigned ceremony. All eligible graduates will received an email with registration information the week of Monday, February 12, 2024.

USC Dornsife ceremony registration closed on Monday, April 8, 2024.

No, graduates do not need to attend to have their degree conferred. Graduates should still register and/or decline participation within MarchingOrder accordingly.

Graduates are pre-assigned to participate in the Dornsife ceremony associated with their first major, as provided by The Office of Academic Records and Registrar.

Due to  limited capacities permitted at each ceremony, students can only register for their assigned ceremony.

Should the pre-assigned Dornsife ceremony time conflict with another academic school’s commencement ceremony time, the graduate will need to choose which ceremony they would like to participate in. The graduate should still register and/or decline participation within MarchingOrder accordingly. Only Dornsife degrees will be announced at Dornsife ceremonies.

Students who are graduating in Fall 2023, Spring 2024 or Summer 2024 will be listed in the 2024 Commencement Program.

Students who are graduating in Fall 2023, Spring 2024 or Summer 2024 will be listed in the 2024 Commencement Program. Students can check the spelling of their name in the Commencement Program online here.

All correction requests must be received no later than 5:00 P.M. on Monday, March 18, 2024, in order to make the printed copy of the 2024 Commencement Program. Correction requests received after this deadline will not appear in the printed program but will appear in the online Commencement Program.

For questions about the Commencement Program, please contact Degree Progress at dpcommbook@usc.edu.

Regalia is available at the University Bookstore. For rental charges and further information regarding regalia, please visit the University Bookstore website.

USC Dornsife recognizes those students who have excelled academically by providing University honor cords to be worn on Commencement Day. All eligible USC Dornsife students have the option of wearing honor cords. To qualify, a student must be eligible to graduate and have a minimum of a 3.5 University GPA at the beginning of Spring 2024 semester. All students who meet the qualifications will receive an email in April with instructions for picking up honor cords in May.

Students who receive departmental honors are listed in the program. Departmental honors are determined by individual department criteria.

For more information about Disability Services at the USC Main Commencement Ceremony, click here.

For the in-person Dornsife ceremonies, should graduates require disability seating or services, please click here to submit a request. Please submit a request by Friday, May 3, 2024.

At the time of Commencement,  status has yet to be determined; therefore, diplomas are not distributed out on Commencement Day. Once a student’s grades have been confirmed, diplomas will be mailed out. Diplomas are generally mailed within 4 to 8 weeks of the conclusion of student’s graduating semester.

If a student needs official verification of their degree before receiving their diploma, please contact the Verification or Transcript Department. After receiving the email notification that their degree has been granted, students may request to pick up their diploma.

If a student requested “Hold for Pick-up”, or if the student’s mailing address is in the 90007 or 90089 zip code, the Degree Progress Department will mail a notice when the diploma is ready for pick up.

Diploma covers are distributed to students at their in-person Academic School Ceremony.

Please fill out the diploma cover request form here, if you cannot attend your in-person ceremony. Diploma covers will be mailed after Commencement. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.

Please fill out the diploma cover request form here. Note that additional diploma covers will be mailed after Commencement. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.

Yes, a student rehearsal will be held the week of commencement on Thursday, May 9, 2024, at 11:00 A.M. on the Allyson Felix Field for graduates participating in the Dornsife ceremonies on Friday, May 10, 2024.  Rehearsal is not mandatory, but encouraged so graduates can learn more about their “day-of” commencement experience.

The Ph.D. Hooding Ceremony does not have a rehearsal.

Professional pictures will be taken by Grad Images during the ceremony. Please visit their website after the ceremony to view graduate photos. For questions, please contact their Customer Service line at 1-800-261-2576.

The ceremony will last approximately two and half (2.5) hours, but may be shorter or longer depending on the total number of graduates participating. As a courtesy to fellow graduates, we kindly ask gradates to participate in the full duration of the ceremony.

All USC Dornsife Departments hold a reception for graduates and their families. Click here for a list of reception locations.

Tickets will be required to access campus and all commencement events taking place on May 8-11, 2024. Graduating students will be able to reserve, free of charge, tickets for themselves and up to eight named guests. Tickets will not be transferrable. There will be an appeal process if more tickets are needed. We will begin reserving tickets early next week.

The ceremony will last approximately two and half (2.5) hours, but may be shorter or longer depending on the total number of graduates participating.

The Office of International Services at USC does not produce letters of invitation for the purpose of inviting students’ family members to visit the United States. These letters are not required by the United States Consular Offices in order for family members to obtain visitor visas.

As a courtesy to our students, we are providing a letter template for students who wish to write their own letter to invite family members to the United States. If you choose to write your own letter, it should only serve to invite primary family members parents, grandparents and siblings. Again, this letter is not required, and the template is a courtesy only. Along with the letter, should you choose to write it, you should include a photocopy of your most recent I-20.

The Office of International Services at USC is in Royal Parking Structure, Suite 101. Contact information: (213) 740-2666 or ois@usc.edu

For more information about Disability Services at the USC Main Commencement Ceremony, click here.

For the in-person Dornsife ceremonies, should you or your guests require disability seating or services, please click here to submit a request. The deadline to submit a request is Friday, May 3, 2024.

Guests will be required to check-in.

We recommend guests come prepared with comfortable shoes, a hat and sunscreen for sun protection, water, and light snacks.

All items are to be kept in a clear bag per the clear bag policy. USC’s Clear Bag Policy, familiar to those who have attended USC Athletics games, restricts the types and sizes of bags allowed when entering the campus for commencement related activities. The following exceptions apply:

• One clear bag made of plastic, vinyl, or PVC, not exceeding 12” x 6” x 12”, or a one-gallon clear plastic storage bag (e.g., Ziploc bag).
• In addition to the clear bag, guests may carry a small clutch bag or purse, approximately hand-sized, with or without a handle or strap.
• Medically necessary items may be allowed after proper inspection.

Prohibited bags include, but are not limited to, purses larger than a clutch bag, coolers, briefcases, backpacks, fanny packs, cinch bags, luggage, oversized seat cushions with pockets or metal structures, computer bags and camera bags.

Yes, USC is committed to promoting a healthy, safe, and comfortable environment for all students, faculty, staff and visitors. Both Direct and secondhand smoke exposure is a cause of various health problems and diseases. Even for healthy non-smokers, there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke has been shown to cause cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and other harmful effects on children. Smoking also puts the university at risk of incurring institutional costs associated with fire damage, cleaning and maintenance, health care, and medical insurance. Therefore, smoking is strictly prohibited in all indoor and outdoor USC Properties, including within vehicles parked on the premises.

Yes, only service animals are welcome to ceremonies. The University of Southern California permits the presence of trained Service Animals assisting individuals with disabilities on its campus in areas open to the public, consistent with the provisions of this policy and applicable law.  A Service Animal is generally permitted to be on University property in any place where the animal’s handler is permitted to be, although there are specific locations and activities on University property where all animals are prohibited for health and safety reasons.  Such prohibited areas may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Research and teaching laboratories
• Other research facilities where the animal may compromise the integrity of research
• Certain clinical/sterile environments
• Certain food preparation areas
• Mechanical rooms/custodial closets
• Areas where protective clothing is necessary
• Areas where there is a danger to the animal

Exceptions to restricted areas may be granted on a case-by-case basis by the ADA/504 Coordinator, or the Office of Student Accessibility Services, upon consultation with the department/program chair responsible for the restricted area, as appropriate.

A Service Animal must have a harness, leash, or tether unless the handler’s disability precludes use of tethers, or the tether would interfere with the Service Animal’s ability to safely perform its work or tasks. In these cases, the Service Animal must be under the control of the handler (i.e., voice commands, hand signals, or other effective means).  Members of the University community and visitors are prohibited from interfering in any way with a Service Animal or the duties it performs.

The Academic School Ceremony is an opportunity to celebrate as a cohort, hear remarks from a distinguished keynote speaker and walk across the stage.

USC Dornsife Ceremonies will be live streamed! Please be sure to check our website on event day for more information and access to the webcast.

For more information, please visit the University Commencement Website here.

Virtual programs will be available online and accessible via QR code on Commencement day. Guests will have the option to print from home, should they wish to have a paper copy after the event.

For more information on parking, please visit https://commencement.usc.edu/guests/transportation/.

Please note that traffic is expected to be heavy, so allow plenty of time to locate parking, go through security and make your way to the ceremony site.

For the safety of our guests, strollers and balloons are not allowed in the venue seating area. All items must be checked in on-site on the Allyson Felix Field.