Please note: Masks will be available for all commencement attendees free of charge. Graduates who wish to defer to a future commencement can email commencement@utdallas.edu. Inside the Activity Center, additional social distancing measures will be in place. Limited, socially distanced seating at other campus locations will also be available upon request.

The University of Texas at Dallas will mark the return of students to campus next week with in-person commencement ceremonies to celebrate the accomplishments of graduates of the Class of 2020 and portions of the Class of 2021.

Former students who have already received their diplomas and were honored in previous, virtual events will cross the stage Aug. 9-12 to complete the graduation experience.

“While we were pleased to celebrate our graduates with virtual commencement ceremonies over the past year and a half, it is exciting to welcome them back on campus for our first major in-person event since the COVID-19 pandemic began,” said Dr. Richard C. Benson, president of the University and the Eugene McDermott Distinguished University Chair of Leadership.

Graduates who earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in spring 2020, summer 2020, fall 2020 and spring 2021 were invited to participate in one of 10 ceremonies to be held in the UT Dallas Activity Center.

The first event of the week is an in-person doctoral hooding ceremony for those who earned terminal degrees during the pandemic, as well as for those who will complete requirements this summer.

“Being able to have an in-person hooding is something special,” said Dr. Juan González, dean of graduate education and the Francis S. Johnson Chair for Graduate Education. “After working remotely for the last year and a half, dealing with online defense sessions and just putting in a lot of effort for five to seven years, it is a big deal for these students to receive their doctoral hoods in person from their mentors.”

More Commencement Details

Graduates are encouraged to share their celebrations and memories by using #UTDgrad on Instagram and Twitter.

Schedule

Parking map (pdf)

Live webcasts of the ceremonies

For more information, go to the graduation website.

To help reduce the risks of spreading COVID-19 during the commencement ceremonies, the University is strongly encouraging attendees to be vaccinated, wear masks and follow the guidance listed on the Comets United website. University administrators said that if graduates or guests are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, are currently COVID-19 positive or have been exposed to COVID-19 within the past 14 days, they should not attend. Livestreams of the ceremonies will be available on the UT Dallas website.

Celebrations will be plentiful during the week. After each commencement, family, friends and graduates are invited for refreshments, photo opportunities and giveaways at Memories on the Mall. The outdoor tradition honors the University’s newest alumni and gives graduates the opportunity to reflect on their experiences at UT Dallas.

In addition, at the end of each commencement day, the graduates, along with their friends and families, will be able to celebrate their achievements by participating in the University’s con-GRAD-ulations celebration outside the Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center. The events, which will begin at 3 p.m. each day, will feature food and entertainment.

After the doctoral hooding ceremony Monday, Aug. 9, the School of Interdisciplinary Studies and the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics will hold the first commencement ceremony at 2 p.m.

On Tuesday, Aug. 10, students will be honored at three ceremonies for the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. The School of Arts and Humanities, the School of Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication, and the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences will recognize their graduates Wednesday, Aug. 11.

Later on Wednesday, students will be recognized by the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences in one ceremony, and the Naveen Jindal School of Management will hold its first ceremony, with three others scheduled for the next day.

Each of the events is expected to be similar to previous on-campus commencement ceremonies, with processions, speakers and individual recognition.

During the commencement events, nine alumni speakers are scheduled to share their thoughts about their UT Dallas experience: