PhD Hooding Ceremony - USC Viterbi

Viterbi School of Engineering

Commencement 2024

Contact Us

For all inquiries regarding Viterbi Commencement Satellite ceremonies please contact viterbi.commencement@vase.usc.edu. Make sure to include your USC ID, department and major in your communication.

Viterbi PhD Hooding Information

Doctoral students will be hooded by their Dissertation Committee Chair during the ceremony. If the Dissertation Committee Chair is not present, graduates will be hooded by their Department Chair.
7:30am-8:00 am: Student check-in.
8:00am-8:30am: Students and guests enter the venue, students will sit in assigned seats, guests will have general seating.
8:30am-10:30am: Ceremony
Reception with light refreshments following the ceremony at Associates Park, behind Bovard Auditorium.

PhD Hoods are dark blue.
All students place their rental orders for cap and gown online.
Graduates must be wearing robes and caps in order to enter the venue. Graduates are advised to bring their doctoral hood with the button unfastened.
Tassels should be worn on the right side of the cap.

Wednesday, May 8th
10:30am -12:30pm

Associates Park North and South
3551 Trousdale Pkwy, Los Angeles, CA 90089
The event will take place behind Bovard Auditorium

Department Receptions

For Graduates

Tickets will be required for the Viterbi School of Engineering commencement ceremony. More details to come.

Any graduate who has indicated Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Summer 2024 graduation terms will be invited to register for the Viterbi Commencement Ceremony through Marching Order.

Graduates can check their STARS Report for their grad terms and update them through My USC OASIS. For questions related to the grad term, please get in touch with your department academic advisor. The contact information is below.

Students have the option to purchase or rent their regalia. See below for more information.

Rent Regalia

For cap and gown (regalia) purchase information, please visit the USC Bookstore website

Rent Regalia. Students who rent regalia may keep the cap and tassel. The gown and hood should be returned immediately following the ceremony at the drop location near the ceremony or at the USC Bookstore.

Purchase Regalia

For cap and gown (regalia) purchase information, please visit the USC Bookstore website

Purchase Regalia

Grad Packs

Grad Packs are a convenient one stop shop of the most popular graduation items. Most Graduation Packages include USC Custom Gown/Hood Rental with Souvenir Cap & USC Tassel, Announcement Essentials plus a 2024 Keychain Tassel and a Diploma frame. To learn more about Grad Packs, please visit USC Grad Packs.

Special instructions for master’s degree and doctoral students: please be very clear when you inform the staff what degree you are earning, to make sure you get the right color trim on your hood. Please see below and review the color key for regalia for additional details.

The 2024 Commencement Program includes students who graduated in Fall 2023 or will graduate in Spring or Summer 2024. Please check to confirm how your name will appear in the Commencement Program Book. All correction requests must be received by Degree Progress no later than 5pm on Monday, March 18th in order to make the printed copy of the 2024 Commencement Program. Commencement Programs Books will be available online and on campus May 10, 2024.

Typically, your @usc.edu student account will be disabled six (6) months after your conferred degree date. If you are still using your @usc.edu email account, please note that USC will require you to have DUO 2-factor authentication activated by January 20, 2022. Please visit the USC ITS department page for more information on this requirement, as well as a guide on how to activate DUO 2-factor authentication. For additional information and assistance, please contact the USC ITS department via email or call (213) 740-5555.

For Guests

Bovard Auditorium seats about 1000 guests. Please note there is only general seating for guests and it is first come first served. Keep this in mind when inviting guests. Graduates will have assigned seating

General Admission

Tickets will be required for the Viterbi School of Engineering commencement ceremony. More details to come.

ADA Accommodation(s)/Effective Communication

When graduates register their guests, they should note if any guest(s) require a Sign Language Interpreter for the ceremony or need accommodations for limited mobility, impaired hearing and more. Due to the venue’s space limitations, only one guest may accompany the guest in the ADA effective communication seating area.

Wheelchair Access

When graduates register their guests, they should note if any guest(s) require wheelchair seating for the duration of the ceremony. Due to the venue’s space limitations, only one guest may accompany the guest in the wheelchair seating area. Upon arrival at the wheelchair seating area, please check-in with staff with your ticket ready.

Once the procession begins, standing in aisles inside the main auditorium is prohibited due to fire codes, and will be monitored by a fire marshal. A photographer will take pictures of graduates as they proceed to the stage and while on stage. We ask that all guests remain seated during the ceremony. Guests may not congregate in the aisles or open spaces due to fire codes. Large video screens are available and will make it easier for families and friends to see graduates as they process to the stage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Additional Information

Step 1: Submit your Application for Graduation

Verify that you are graduating!
- Students can verify their graduation date by checking their STARS Report on OASIS. Graduation dates will be listed by semester – fall 2023, spring 2024, and summer 2024. If this information is incorrect, please contact your department advisor.

Step 2: Register to participate in your Viterbi Commencement ceremony via Marching Order

Submit your registration to participate in your respective graduation ceremony
- Marching Order is the online student Commencement registration platform.
- Graduates will receive an official email from Marching Order with instructions on registering to participate in your graduation ceremony starting on January 31, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Visa Letters

Frequently Asked Questions

Marching Order

USC Commencement Quick Links

Commencement FAQS

Check out the Frequently Asked Questions for the Class of 2024.

Checklist for Graduates

Plan ahead to ensure a memorable commencement experience!

Disability Information

Learn more about USC's wheelchair loans and accessabile vehicle entrances.

Regalia Information

All graduates are expected to ear their degree-specific regalia at all commencement ceremonies, buy or rent from the USC Bookstore.

Parent & Guest Information

Share this information with your guests to ensure a smooth, memorable experience.

Contact Us

For all inquiries regarding Viterbi Commencement Satellite ceremonies.