Formal Commencement ceremonies are held at the University of Denver at the end of the spring and summer terms.

Participating in commencement does not constitute official graduation. It is a celebration that signifies the completion of the appropriate degree requirements and has no academic or legal implications.

Commencement Program

The Commencement program lists the names of all graduation candidates who applied at the appropriate time to receive degrees at that specific commencement ceremony. The appearance of a name in the program does not guarantee a student’s graduation at that time unless all degree requirements have been completed.

Spring Commencement

Spring Semester

The Sturm College of Law’s Spring Commencement occurs at the end of the spring semester, normally in mid-May. Students who have completed all graduation requirements during autumn or spring semester of the current academic year are invited to participate in the ceremony.

Spring Quarter

Commencement occurs at the end of the spring quarter, normally in early June. Students who have completed all graduation requirements during autumn, winter, or spring quarters of the current academic year are invited to participate in the ceremony.

Note: Students who have only completed a certificate program are not included in the commencement program or ceremony.

Summer Commencement

Summer Commencement occurs at the end of summer session, normally in mid-August. Students who have completed all graduation requirements during summer session are invited to participate in the ceremony. 

Note: Students who have only completed a certificate program are not included in the commencement program or ceremony.

Request to Participate in Commencement Ceremony for Students not Graduating

Students who have not completed their degrees may request to participate in the Graduate Commencement Ceremony only if the following parameters have been met for each eligible term:

Requirements for Walking in Spring Ceremony

• Submit the Graduate Request to Participate in Commencement Ceremony for Students Not Graduating form (found on this Office of Graduate Education webpage) to the Vice Provost or the Vice Provost's designee no later than two weeks prior to the graduation date.
• File for graduation within the required time frame.
• Eligibility as a candidate for graduation for the subsequent summer quarter.
• Candidate is within five­-credit hours of degree completion, including resolving any incomplete grades.
• Registration for final program requirements in the summer interterm or in summer quarter.
• Complete all non-course degree requirements (e.g., comprehensive examination, practicum, major research paper) two weeks prior to the end of spring quarter. Please note that when a student is registered for an internship course, the internship is considered to be a course-related degree requirement, and the candidate must be within five­-credit hours of degree completion.
• If a thesis or dissertation is required for the degree, complete the defense within the first six weeks of the subsequent summer quarter. The defense date must be on file with the Office of Graduate Studies.

Requirements for Walking in Summer Ceremony

• Submit the Graduate Request to Participate in Commencement Ceremony for Students Not Graduating form (found on this Office of Graduate Education webpage) to the Vice Provost or the Vice Provost's designee no later than two weeks prior to the graduation date.
• File for graduation within the required time frame.
• Eligibility as a candidate for graduation for the subsequent fall quarter.
• Candidate is within five-credit hours of completing the degree, including resolving any incomplete grades.
• Registration for final requirements in or before the subsequent fall quarter.
• Complete all non-course degree requirements (e.g., comprehensive examination, practicum, major research paper) two weeks prior to the end of summer quarter. Please note that when a student is registered for an internship course, the internship is considered to be a course-related degree requirement, and the candidate must be within five­-credit hours of degree completion.
• If a thesis or dissertation is required for the degree, the defense must be complete within the first six weeks of the subsequent fall quarter. The defense date must be on file with the Office of Graduate Education.

Forms requesting to walk in either the Spring or Summer commencement ceremonies should be returned to the appropriate student services office for approval from the unit and the Vice Provost for Research and Graduate Education. Students may be approved to walk in commencement up until two weeks before of the end of the term, but a student’s name may not appear in the commencement program if requests are received only one month prior to the commencement ceremony.

Diplomas

Diplomas are issued eight to ten weeks after the conclusion of the term in which the student graduates. 

Diploma Name Policy

The student name listed on a diploma or certificate must match the official name on file at the University (first name, middle name, last name), with the following exceptions:

• option of first name or initial;
• option of diminutive or alternate form for the first name;
• option of a first name which conforms with the graduate's genuine expression of gender identity;
• omission of the first name when the middle name is used as a salutary name;
• option of middle name or initial;
• omission of the middle name;
• inclusion of former or maiden name(s);
• inclusion of proper capitalization and accentuation of name; and,
• inclusion of Hispanic maternal surnames.

Neither titles nor degrees previously earned will be included as part of a graduate's name on a diploma.