Graduation
Congratulations! You did it! If you are a UWW Interdisciplinary Studies student, this page will provide you with information about your commencement ceremonies and instructions for making sure you are cleared for graduation.
Friday, May 16, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. in the Bromery Center for the Arts (AKA Fine Arts Center), UMass Amherst
This is a heartfelt ceremony where UWW Interdisciplinary Studies graduates, their families, faculty, and staff celebrate and acknowledge your individual accomplishments. Each student will cross the stage to receive their commencement medal, and a professional photographer will be on hand to take graduation photos. This event is not meant to replace the main ceremony, and all graduates are encouraged to attend both.
What time do graduates need to arrive?
Plan to arrive at the senior recognition ceremony by time TBA. Expect heavy traffic, and plan for TBA minutes of travel time after arriving in Amherst (TBA campus arrival).
Do I need tickets?
You will need to register for the senior recognition ceremony by Tuesday, April 22, and your guests will need tickets. When you register, you will be able to obtain up to 12 guest tickets. If you would like to invite additional guests, please email @email.
Who can attend?
This is a free event and is open to the public. You can invite anyone you would like. You will see a limit of 12 guest tickets in Tassel, but if you would like to invite additional guests, please email @email.
Do I need to wear a cap and gown?
Yes.
How do I get my cap and gown?
You have several options to obtain your cap and gown, all at no additional charge.
- Option #1: Order your cap and gown online by the April 11 deadline.
- Option #2: Commencement Fair, Wednesday, May 7, time TBA, Campus Center Auditorium
- Option #3: Commencement week pickup, dates and times TBA, Campus Center
How do I get there?
Our senior recognition ceremony will be held in the Bromery Center for the Arts, and the address is 151 Presidents Drive, Amherst, MA 01003. Several roads will have one-way traffic and others will be closed, with further details on access to campus TBA.
Where do I park?
Parking will be directed by the University of Massachusetts Police Department starting at time TBA based on the nearest available parking lots, and there are no assigned lots for the Bromery Center for the Arts, except for accessible parking directly adjacent to the building. If you need disability accommodations for yourself or one of your guests, visit the accessibility page for information and instructions. The deadline to reserve accessible parking for the main ceremony is May 9.
I’m planning on going to the main ceremony after this one. How will I get there?
You can walk, or there are shuttle buses that will take you from the Bromery Center for the Arts to the stadium, as well as from the stadium to your parking area. Given the heavy traffic, driving is strongly discouraged. Regardless of whether you are mostly walking or mostly using the shuttle buses, wear good walking shoes.
What do I do when I get there?
When you arrive, staff will greet you warmly at the graduate registration area. You will receive a program, a nametag, a UWW Academic Achievement cord if applicable, and a very important name card. They will then direct you to the reserved graduate seating area in front of the stage where graduates and faculty will sit together. Your family and friends will sit in the audience.
Are there assigned seats?
No.
What is Tassel?
Tassel is a system used to make sure that every graduate's name is pronounced properly by a professional voice artist. Instructions on how to RSVP for your ceremony and verify your name with Tassel will be shared soon. All graduates will be required to complete the Tassel registration process. The voice artist will record your name, and you will pick up a name card when you check in at the registration area. You will give this card to the emcee when you cross the stage, they will scan the QR code, and the recording of your name will play. The deadline to register with Tassel is Tuesday, April 22.
What is Ultimate Exposures?
Ultimate Exposures does graduation photography for UMass Amherst. They send a photographer to our ceremony to take photos as you walk across the stage. After graduation, you will receive proofs and the option to purchase the photos. The back of your name card contains a QR code that you can use to register with Ultimate Exposures. This makes it quicker and easier for them to send you your proofs.
You may also notice email invitations from Ultimate Exposures for cap and gown portraits. While many students take advantage of this opportunity, it is completely optional.
How will the medal ceremony work?
From the podium, the emcee will give you clear instructions about what to do and where to go. But here's a sneak preview: row by row, starting with the front, the graduates will stand and each graduate will climb the steps onto the stage (please let us know if you need accommodations for this part). You will hand your card to the emcee, who will scan the QR code and announce your name by playing a recording or reading it live. The dean will hand you your commencement medal. A photographer will take a picture of you getting your medal. You will then stand on the stage for a photographer to take a formal commencement photo of just you. Then, you will return to your seat. Everyone will clap and cheer and be happy.
Will food be served?
Complimentary refreshments will be available at a reception after the event, including TBA. You can stop at one of the award-winning dining halls on campus to purchase a full meal.
Are children welcome?
Always!
Will the event be livestreamed for those who can’t attend?
Yes, UWW Interdisciplinary Studies will stream the event, with link TBA. No account is required to watch the livestream.
How long is the ceremony?
The senior recognition ceremony typically lasts about 45 minutes, with another 45 minutes set aside for the reception after.
How can I become the student speaker?
Email your 4–5 minute written speech to @email by Wednesday, April 2 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. If you are selected as a finalist, you will be asked to submit a video of yourself delivering your speech. For more information, contact Jonah Carlson, chair of the speaker selection committee, at @email.
I fulfilled the requirements for graduation at the end of December 2024. When is my commencement?
Because you will be on the January 2025 graduate list, your commencement ceremonies are in May 2025.
I’m not graduating until September 2025. When is my commencement?
The May commencement ceremonies are for all students who have graduated in 2025 or anticipate graduating at any time in 2025. So, if you think you’re graduating in 2025, your commencement ceremonies are this May.
I graduated in September 2024. Can I still come to the commencement ceremonies in May 2025?
Yes, but because your commencement ceremony was officially in May 2024, please let us know that you’re coming by emailing @email by March 28 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time, so that we can make sure you are recognized in the commencement book.
How do I know if I’m graduating in 2025?
SPIRE contains your expected date of graduation. However, it is your responsibility to keep this up to date. If you have any questions about whether and when you are graduating, contact your academic advisor.
Is there anything I need to do to be able to receive my diploma?
Yes. Review the Graduation Checklist carefully. If you do not follow these instructions, you may not be able to officially graduate. Each year, there are students who do not receive diplomas because they did not follow instructions.
How can I make sure I'm in the commemorative commencement book?
If you want to be recognized in the UMass Amherst commencement book and you have not received an email from UWW Interdis. Commencement about commencement by March 21, please email us at @email by March 28 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time to ensure that your name is in the book.
How can I make sure I'm not in the commemorative commencement book?
If you have received an email from UWW Interdis. Commencement confirming your name for the UMass Amherst commencement book, and do not wish to be listed, please email us at @email by March 28 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time to ensure that your name is not in the book.
If I’m listed in the commemorative commencement book, does this mean I’ve graduated?
No. Fulfilling the requirements for receiving a diploma from UMass Amherst is different from attending the commencement ceremonies and being listed in the commencement book. Review the Graduation Checklist carefully.
If I attend the commencement ceremonies, does this mean I’ve graduated?
Your official date of graduation is not determined by the date of commencement, but by when you have been determined by the UMass Amherst Registrar to have satisfied all of the requirements for graduation and have submitted any necessary paperwork, cleared all outstanding balances, etc.
I need to stay overnight. What do you suggest?
Visit the UMass Amherst commencement website for information about lodging.
How do I get disability accommodations for myself or one of my guests?
Visit the accessibility page for information and instructions. The deadline to request a sign language interpreter is April 18, and the deadline to reserve accessible parking for the main ceremony is May 9. Our senior recognition ceremony will have live projected supertitles. If you have additional accessibility needs that are not addressed on the accessibility page, please email us at @email.
I'm a veteran. How do I get my stole?
Contact the Veteran Resource Center at 413-545-0939 or @email.
Which ceremony should I attend?
We support you in attending whichever ceremony or ceremonies you would like to attend. You have worked hard to get where you are. Savor this moment with your family, friends and community.
Will my faculty advisor be there?
Every year, our faculty do their best to attend, and they sit with the graduates!
- March 28: Deadline to get your name into or out of the UMass Amherst commencement book (9 a.m. Eastern Time)
- April 2: Deadline to apply to be the student speaker at the UWW Interdisciplinary Studies Senior Recognition Ceremony (11:59 p.m. Eastern Time)
- April 11: Deadline to order your cap and gown online
- April 18: Deadline to request a sign language interpreter
- April 22: Deadline to register with Tassel
- May 9: Deadline to reserve accessible parking for the main ceremony
- May 16: Graduation!
Friday, May 16, 2025 at 5:00 p.m., rain or shine, McGuirk Alumni Stadium, UMass Amherst
This celebratory event is the university’s official graduation ceremony, attended by thousands each year. UWW Interdisciplinary Studies graduates sit together with the department’s faculty. The Commencement Wind Ensemble plays, and the chancellor, student speaker, and keynote speakers present their remarks. Degrees are formally conferred by asking students to stand as a group by school/college or program.
Where do I find all information and instructions relevant to this event for graduates and their guests?
Visit the UMass Commencement website.
What time do graduates need to arrive at the stadium?
No later than time TBA, preferably by time TBA. If you are only attending the main ceremony, you should plan to arrive on campus by time TBA to ensure time to park and arrive at the stadium via shuttle bus or by walking.
Do I need tickets?
No tickets are required for the main ceremony.
Who can attend?
This is a free event and open to the public. There is no limit on the number of people you can invite. Stadium gates open at time TBA, and seating for guests is on a first come, first served basis.
Do I need to wear a cap and gown?
Yes.
How do I get my cap and gown?
You have several options to obtain your cap and gown, all at no additional charge.
- Option #1: Order your cap and gown online by the April 11 deadline.
- Option #2: Commencement Fair, Wednesday, May 7, time TBA, Campus Center Auditorium
- Option #3: Commencement week pickup, dates and times TBA, Campus Center
Will the event be livestreamed for those who can’t attend?
Yes, UMass Amherst will livestream the event on umass.edu/commencement.
How long is the ceremony?
The main ceremony typically lasts about 2 hours.
Are you a 2025 graduate (January, February, May, or September)? Be sure to review the below checklist to make sure you are on track.
If you notice any problems or discrepancies on your transcript, contact your academic advisor right away. It sometimes takes longer than you expect to resolve a problem, so it should not be left unattended until right before graduation.
Your academic advisor will send an UWW Intent to Graduate Form to your student email address near the end of your last semester for you to review and sign.
Having an incorrect EGT could cause problems with your record if it is not changed before the last day of classes. Your name will not be added to the graduation list to be reviewed by your academic advisor unless this is accurate. To update your EGT, go to SPIRE > Academics > Graduation > Expected Graduation Term.
- Review your unofficial transcript in SPIRE and your degree plan to make sure all program requirements have been completed and all your credits are represented.
- Review your Academic Records Report (ARR), located in SPIRE, to ensure all general education requirements are completed. Please note, the ARR will not accurately reflect the completion of area of concentration credits. Your academic advisor will confirm that requirement has been fulfilled.
Make sure you have submitted transcripts for any courses completed outside of UMass Amherst while you were a UWW student, CLEP scores, etc. Remember, these items need time to process, so this should be completed as soon as possible.
Make sure prior learning portfolio and special transcript credits have been added to your transcript (portfolio credits will appear as credit earned for UWW 296Y).
Check SPIRE regularly to ensure you do not have a balance or a hold on your account. You will not be graduated until balances and holds are resolved.
Verify your name as you would like it to appear on your diploma, using SPIRE: Academics > Graduation > Diploma Preferences > Change Diploma Name.
Your diploma and certificate will be mailed to your addresses in SPIRE, so make sure they're accurate. For your diploma: Academics > Graduation > Diploma Preferences > Change Diploma Address. For your certificate: Profile > Personal Information > Addresses.
You can expect to receive your diploma within 6–8 weeks of when you are cleared for graduation. Your diploma will be mailed to your diploma address in SPIRE. You can expect to receive your certificate, which recognizes your area of concentration, within three months of your official graduation date. Your certificate will be mailed to your mailing address in SPIRE. In the meantime, if you need to demonstrate your area of concentration to employers or graduate schools, it is listed on your transcript.