Graduation and Convocation

Convocation 2026

Friday, May 8
Schottenstein Center
11 a.m. (registration and lineup start at 10 a.m.)

Photos from the most recent pre-ceremony celebration and convocation ceremony.

 

About Convocation and Commencement

As you near the end of your studies, you should begin to think about applying to graduate, commencement and convocation. The Office of Student Affairs and Success has developed summaries and answers to frequently asked questions to guide you. We hope this information provides clarity to the graduation process and the graduation and convocation ceremonies.

“Commencement” and “graduation” are typically used to describe the same ceremony—during which students receive diplomas and PhD students are hooded. The university president presides over this ceremony and there is usually a keynote speaker. 

“Convocation” is a ceremony hosted by the College of Nursing (CON) to celebrate and recognize the accomplishments of graduates from CON degree programs. 

Students should wear graduation regalia to both ceremonies. 

 

Convocation

Presided over by the dean of the College of Nursing, convocation is a formal ceremony that celebrates the achievements of our graduates. All students attending in person will have their name announced. Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Doctor of Nursing Education (DNE) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) students will be called to the stage and hooded, while master’s and undergraduate students will have their names announced as they cross the stage. Convocation also includes the presentation of College of Nursing awards. Family and guests of graduates are welcome to attend.

Visit the convocation page for more detailed information about what to expect at convocation and how to prepare.

 

Commencement

Commencement is the university-wide graduation ceremony and what most people think of as “graduation.” Presided over by the president of The Ohio State University, this ceremony is when diplomas are officially distributed to graduates and features a keynote speaker. 

Per university policy, only PhD candidates are hooded and have their names announced during commencement. The university does not announce the names of graduates from the DNP, DNE, master’s or undergraduate programs at this event. All questions related to commencement must be directed to the university. 

Master's and doctoral level students technically graduate from the Graduate School, as opposed to the College of Nursing. The Graduate School, therefore, communicates information related to the graduation ceremony (including line-up), graduation rehearsal date and time, and regalia information that includes the color of the gown, cap and hood and the ordering process. An email containing this information is typically sent to eligible students by the Graduate School 2-3 months prior to the Commencement ceremony. You can reach out directly to the Graduate School with any questions you may have or if you did not receive the email notification at Grad-SchoolGraduationServices@osu.edu.

 

Attire

Convocation and commencement are formal ceremonies and graduation regalia should be worn to both. Students who arrive at convocation without regalia will not be permitted to participate in the ceremony.   

Undergraduate, master’s and PhD caps and gowns may be purchased or rented online, from the Ohio State Bookstore or other campus area bookstores. Information about regalia specific to each program can be found below.

Master's and Post-Master

Wear a black robe with a gold-colored velvet stole highlighted with scarlet fabric underneath and a mortarboard with a black tassel.

PhD

Wear a scarlet robe with gray accents on the sleeves and a velvet panel down the front. The hood PhD graduates receive is blue on one side and red/scarlet underneath and a doctoral tam with a gray tassel.

DNP

Wear a scarlet robe with gray accents on the sleeves and a velvet panel down the front. The hood is an apricot-colored velvet with a scarlet and gray interior and a black doctoral tam with a gray tassel.

DNE

Wear a scarlet robe with gray accents on the sleeves and a velvet panel down the front. The hood is an apricot-colored velvet with a scarlet and gray interior and a black doctoral tam with a gray tassel.

Undergraduates

Wear a black robe with a black mortarboard and an apricot-colored tassel.

 

FAQ

Undergraduate Students

Who wears cords at graduation?

• Students who earned Latin Honors: Scarlet and gray
• Students who completed Banding Together for Wellness: White
• Students who were involved with Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI): Purple 
• BSN with Honors Research Distinction students: Powder blue

Will my minor be on my diploma?

No. Minors and certificates are designated on transcripts, but are not listed on diplomas.  

Can I lose Latin honors in my final semester or drop down a level?

No. Latin honors are assigned after Autumn term of a student’s final year. Spring term grades do allow a student to rise up to the next highest honor level, if applicable, but a student will not lose Latin honors or move down an honor level due to final term GPA. 

Latin honors status will not be printed in the convocation program. Latin honors status is not finalized until the end of the semester and programs must be sent to print by mid-Spring semester. 

Are there different cords for different levels of Latin honors?

No. All students receiving any level of Latin honors receive the same scarlet and gray cord.

What are the GPA cutoffs for Latin honors? Is there any rounding?

The Latin honors GPA requirements are below. There is no rounding. In addition to the GPA requirement, students are only eligible for Latin honors if they have completed 60 or more credits at The Ohio State University.

• cum laude: (3.5-3.69)
• magna cum laude: (3.70-3.89)
• summa cum laude: (3.90+)

How many Ohio State credit hours are needed in order to be eligible for Latin honors?

Per University rules, students must have completed at least 60 credit hours at Ohio State in order to be eligible for Latin honors.

What is Research Distinction? Is it the same as Honors Research Distinction?

Students who wish to complete undergraduate research may participate in the Research Distinction Option. The Research Distinction Option recognizes students who complete a minimum of six credits hours in Nursing 4999 and an independent research project culminating in a thesis. Students completing the Research Distinction Option will graduate with “Research Distinction.” These students did not complete the BSN Honors Research Program.

The Honors Research Distinction is specific to students in the BSN Honors Research Program. Students in the Honors Program who complete their projects and thesis will graduate with “Honors Research Distinction in Nursing” from the College of Nursing, the highest distinction an undergraduate student can attain at The Ohio State University.

When and how do I apply for graduation?

A student can apply for graduation as soon as he/she receive an email from his/her advisor with the information to do so. The deadline to apply for graduation is the 10th Friday of the student’s final semester. This is a firm university deadline and there are no exceptions.

Students can visit this link to apply once he/she has received the necessary information via email. 

How do I know if I’m on track to graduate?

If a student is not sure if he/she is on track to graduate, he/she should make an appointment to speak with his/her academic advisor. If the student is enrolled in his/her final semester of courses he/she can confirm progress using his/her degree audit. He/she should see “All requirements complete, some courses in progress” at the top of the audit. Students need to meet the 120-credit hour requirement and fulfill all parts of his/her degree audit.

What if I can’t attend Commencement?

Students unable to attend the commencement ceremony need to complete a Commencement Excused Form and return it to the College of Nursing. The deadline to submit this form is the 10th Friday of the semester.

I graduate next semester, what should I do now to prepare?

• Run your degree audit to make sure you are completing all requirements. Questions about items on the degree audit can be directed to your academic advisor. 
• Apply to graduate at go.osu.edu/nursingapptograd.
• Verify name and degree accuracy as it is on file with the College of Nursing here.
• Update your permanent address in BuckeyeLink.
• Check your Ohio State email regularly and monitor your spam folder. Even if you forward your email messages, make sure you are checking your @osu.edu email directly to ensure you are not missing important information due to forwarding issues.  
• In your final semester, look into the proper graduation regalia and what you need to do to rent or purchase.

Graduate Students

Do graduate students receive Latin honor cords?

The Graduate School does not award Latin honors. This honor is given only to undergraduate students.

Will my specialization be on my diploma?

No. Specializations are designated on transcripts, but are not listed on diplomas.

Why does my application still say “Pending”?

If the designation/status = Pending, it is awaiting action by someone in the College of Nursing (usually an advisor). Once the designation/status = PendingGS, it is awaiting final processing by the Graduate School and all College of Nursing approvals have been completed. This may not happen until much later in the term.