Doctoral Hooding

College of Professional Studies 2023 Doctoral Hooding and Graduation Ceremony

Location and Timing

The College of Professional Studies Doctoral Hooding Ceremony and Graduation was held on Thursday, May 11, 2023 at Matthews Arena, 238-262 St. Botolph Street, Boston, MA 02115 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET.

The doctoral hooding ceremony is a special, intimate ceremony designed for our doctoral students.

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College of Professional Studies Doctoral Hooding 2023 FAQs

Doctoral Hooding & Graduation Ceremony
Thursday, May 11, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.
Matthews Arena, Boston Campus

The doctoral hooding ceremony is a special, intimate ceremony designed for our doctoral students.

Eligibility for 2023 Hooding Ceremony on May 11, 2023

2023 Degree conferral dates (EdD, DLP, DPT programs):

  • July 2022
  • September 2022
  • December 2022
  • April 2023

*July 2023 and Summer 2023 conferral dates will be invited to a Doctoral hooding ceremony at a later date.

Yes. As with every aspect of our campus reopening and throughout our academic year, our utmost priority is the health and safety of our community—including the family and friends participating in person. Our events will comply with Massachusetts state guidelines.

Visitors must remain away from campus if they feel sick, have tested positive or believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19.

You will need to check in for graduation at 8:30 a.m. (subject to change) at the Gainsborough garage near the Matthews Arena parking lot. Failure to check in may result in your exclusion from the ceremony. It is very important that you do not arrive after 9:30 a.m.

Doors open for guests at 9:00 a.m.

Please pick up your cap and gown in Solomon Court, Cabot Center, during any of the following dates/times: 

Friday, April 28: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday, April 29: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Monday, May 1: 2 – 8 p.m.
Tuesday, May 2: 2 – 8 p.m.
Wednesday, May 3: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 4: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Friday, May 5: 7 a.m.- 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 6: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

If you plan to attend the ceremony, academic regalia (cap-mortarboard, tassel, gown and hood) is provided at no cost to you and may be kept as a memento of the occasion.

Note: College provided Doctoral gowns are all black with black velvet.

Tams

Doctoral tams are not included in the regalia package. However, if you are interested in wearing a tam, you may purchase one on your own. Many graduates have had success finding and ordering tams through Amazon.

Parking and Transportation

Complimentary parking for the ceremony will be made available in the Columbus Garage (795 Columbus Avenue, Boston). The garage is a considerable walk from Matthews Arena. If your guest has a mobility issue, it is advisable that you provide a wheelchair and/or drop off your guest at the arena with an escort prior to parking. Parking is handled on a first-come first-served basis.

Guest Entry and Seating

Guests enter at the main entrance of Matthews Arena.

Individuals with mobility issues may use the elevator located inside the main entrance. Northeastern University and/or Matthews Arena staff will be available to assist you. Specific seating locations have been designated within Matthews Arena for wheelchair access only. Guests who use wheelchairs are to be accompanied by no more than one escort and will be directed to these areas by facility personnel. Availability is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Graduates will be seated according to degree. Graduates should plan with their guests to meet after the ceremony at a specified location away from Matthews Arena. Your cooperation in doing so will help alleviate the congestion resulting from ceremony attendance and expected pedestrian and vehicle traffic within the immediate area.

Facility Protocol

For safety reasons, the following items are not permitted inside Matthews Arena for the ceremony:

  • Baby strollers
  • Outside food/beverages
  • Backpacks or bags larger than 12″x12″x12″. Women’s handbags of acceptable size may be allowed entry after search
  • Balloons
  • Wrapped gifts
  • Laptops
  • Drones
  • Laser pointers or similar items
  • Firearms or other weapons
  • Artificial noisemakers
  • Alcohol

All guests and their belongings will be subject to search, at the discretion of Northeastern University. Patrons with prohibited articles will be turned away at the entrances. There is no storage or check-in area for such items. Enforcement will be without exception.

Out of consideration for others, we ask that mobile devices be turned off during the ceremony and that all guests remain seated until the end of the ceremony and after all the graduates have left Matthews Arena.

Each doctoral graduate is invited to bring 6 guests to the CPS Doctoral Hooding ceremony in Boston.

Admission to the ceremony is by ticket only; general seating applies.

Children 2 years or younger who can sit on an adult’s lap for the ceremony do not need a ticket. Please note that strollers are prohibited. Children older than 2 years must have a ticket.

Information regarding how to claim your guest tickets will be provided to you in late March 2023.

We are pleased to inform you that a professional photographer will be on hand at the ceremony to capture memories of you in your official Northeastern academic regalia. Upon the ceremony’s completion, the photographer will promptly send proofs and ordering information to you via mail.

This ceremony is exclusively reserved for eligible Doctoral candidates, and it represents a proud moment for both you and the university. Your faculty advisor will have the distinguished privilege of presenting you with your Doctoral Hood during the ceremony.

Your official diploma will be mailed to you four to six weeks after the Office of the Registrar has officially awarded your degree. Please be advised that for international mail, an additional one to two weeks should be allowed for delivery. These time frames are estimates and subject to change. Graduates will be notified of the exact diploma mailing dates in advance. Additionally, it is important to note that diplomas cannot be picked up on campus.

Please see the Commencement Office website for FAQs regarding diplomas or contact the Office of the Registrar at [email protected]. Please include your student ID number.

Yes. There is handicap seating throughout the arena. Availability is on a first-come, first-served basis.

We understand that attending the ceremony can be a special and exciting moment, and we want to ensure that all of our graduates have a positive experience. If you need assistance or have questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Learner Services.

They can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at 1-833-NU-LEARN (1-833-685-3276).

If you require any accommodation during the ceremony, we would like to make the process as seamless as possible for you. When registering for the ceremony through Marching Order, please kindly indicate on the registration form that you require accommodation so that it can be arranged ahead of time for you. We want to ensure that your ceremony experience is enjoyable and stress-free.

If you have questions about the CPS Graduation or Doctoral Hooding ceremonies, please contact [email protected] or phone 1-833-NU-LEARN (1-833-685-3276).