Commencement

Commencement Ceremonies

Graduating MSSE students are invited to attend both the University-wide Commencement and the College of Chemistry Commencement ceremony. Students will not "walk" at the University-wide ceremony, but will "walk" at the College of Chemistry ceremony. Both ceremonies are held in person, and the University-wide Commencement is typically live-streamed (more details to come about streamed options for both ceremonies). Information about each will be sent to eligible students via email and updated here as it becomes available. Please refer to the Commencement web pages linked below for the most up-to-date information. Click on the headings below to learn more.

MSSE Regalia

Regalia requirements vary by ceremony. Students are responsible for providing their own regalia. Caps and gowns may be purchased from the Cal Student Store. For more information regarding caps and gowns, graduation announcements and ordering yearbooks, please visit their website or store at 2495 Bancroft Way.

Graduation regalia may also be found at the following locations:

Fall Rush Berkeley
Herff Jones
Amazon

Watch short videos on how to wear academic regalia on the Berkeley Engineering YouTube channel.

Hood Color

The color of the satin lining reflects the University’s official colors. The title of the degree to be awarded (not the subject studied) governs the color of the velvet border. MSSE's hood color is GOLD. If ordering from Herff Jones, the corresponding color is "Golden Yellow."

College of Chemistry Commencement

Monday, May 19th, 2025 at 2:00pm
Zellerbach Auditorium

RSVP by March 14th, 2025

Degree candidates must arrive by 12:30 p.m. and are required to wear a cap and gown at the ceremony. Please refer to the CoC Commencement website for more information. All guests must have a ticket to enter Zellerbach Auditorium. Tickets are available for students to pick up in advance (the amount may vary each year, there is a limit of 3 and priced at $5.00 each in Spring 2025). Each graduating student that signs up to participate in the ceremony may pick up tickets in person at the College of Chemistry Ticket Distribution in April. Detailed instructions will be sent via email.

University-Wide Commencement

Saturday, May 17th, 2025, at 10:30 AM
California Memorial Stadium

Registration will open Mid-March. Please refer to the UC Berkeley Commencement website for more information.The ceremony will be live-streamed on commencement.berkeley.edu. The ceremony lasts about two hours and includes a keynote speaker, a student speaker, and the official conferring of degrees by the Chancellor. Regalia is optional, and you may purchase it at the Cal Student Store. You can also dress in business casual or cocktail attire. Stoles, leis, and other meaningful items are welcomed. The university does not provide these items for the campus wide ceremony. The spring ceremony is too large to call out every graduate’s name.

Page updated

Report abuse