It is important for students to review the Graduate School's instructions and information about graduation as early as possible.

Your graduation date will be the last semester in which you complete all your degree requirements (including internship hours).

Master's Students

At the beginning of the semester in which you will be finishing the degree: 

• Notify the EDP Graduate Coordinator that you will be graduating, so they can verify your coursework in the system and check on your graduation approval status 
• Follow all the steps on the Graduate School's Graduation page: Graduation Deadlines, Submission Instructions

Doctoral Students

At the beginning of the semester in which you will be finishing the degree: 

• Notify the EDP Graduate Coordinator that you will be graduating, so they can verify your coursework in the system and check on your graduation approval status 
• Follow all the steps on the Graduate School's Graduation page: Graduation Deadlines, Submission Instructions
  • If you are graduating in the same semester in which you hold your Dissertation Defense/Final Oral: follow all the steps in the Graduation Deadlines, Submission Instructions.
  • If you are graduating later than the semester in which you hold your Dissertation Defense/Final Oral: follow only the steps in the Graduation Deadlines and Submission Instructions that have to do with holding the Dissertation Defense, and the rest of the instructions during the semester or summer in which you graduate.

Graduation Ceremonies (Commencement)

Navigating graduation can be a bit confusing, as there are several different ceremonies available to attend! Below is a guide to the different graduation ceremonies available this year for EDP graduate students.  Keep your email address updated in UTDirect, as the convocation events teams will be using that to send you information. Note: attendance in any/all ceremonies is optional.

College of Education Commencement Ceremony

• The COE ceremony is held in May each year. This is the ceremony Educational Psychology and College of Education faculty and students typically attend.
• Participating students walk the stage, and PhD students may be hooded by their faculty adviser.
• More info: https://education.utexas.edu/commencement/

Graduate School Ceremony

• The Graduate School also offers a graduation ceremony (one for Master’s students and one for PhD) each May. Students are welcome to attend this ceremony, but please note that it is not highly attended by EDP faculty/students, as they typically attend the COE ceremony instead.
• More info: https://gradschool.utexas.edu/navigating/graduation/convocation

University-Wide Ceremony

• This ceremony is also held in May each year, in the Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium on campus.
• This is the large university-wide ceremony that takes place after the College-level ceremonies, and ends with the lighting of the Tower and fireworks.
• Students do not walk the stage in this ceremony; instead, they are seated by college and recognized as a group by their dean.
• Many of our students attend this in addition to the COE ceremony in the morning.
• More info: https://commencement.utexas.edu/university-wide-commencement-ceremony

Graduation Regalia

Graduation regalia can be purchased or rented through the University Co-op: https://www.universitycoop.com/graduation. If you are unable to purchase/rent regalia, contact the Graduate School’s convocation team at GS.commencement@austin.utexas.edu or reach out to the UT Outpost.