Annual Degree Congregations
- Undergraduate Degree Congregations
- Award and conferment of undergraduate degrees other than in July
- Higher degree congregations
- Award of taught postgraduate qualifications at other times during the year
Undergraduate Degree Congregations
Undergraduate degrees are conferred each year at the Summer Graduation Ceremonies in mid July. Details are circulated to departments and students via email by the Events Team. Degree certificates are presented to graduating students on the day of their ceremony, or sent on afterwards, if this has been requested. If students neither attend a ceremony, nor request that their certificate should be forwarded by post, it will be retained on file with the Events Team.
Award and conferment of undergraduate degrees other than in July
The following procedures relate to those cases where undergraduate students have exceptionally completed their final examinations in January (normally after a period of leave of absence) or August/September (normally following illness earlier in the session).
- So long as any degree recommendations are submitted to Student Services along with other results in early March/September, these degrees can be approved by the Faculty at that point and also awarded by the Vice-Chancellor (on behalf of the Senate) without delay.
- The award of any qualification cannot take effect until it has been established that all monies outstanding to the University have been paid by the student in question. This process of ‘debt checking’ can take some time.
- Once it is clear that such graduands are debt-free, they will be sent confirmation of the award of their degree, in the form of a standard statement of examination results.
- Degrees can only be conferred at one of the University’s graduation ceremonies. In the case of undergraduate degrees awarded after January or August/September examinations, any conferments occur at an in absentia degree ceremony (i.e. a ceremony to which students are not invited) - these are held at regular points throughout the year. After this ceremony, degree certificates will be prepared and sent out to the relevant graduates by the Events Team, and they will also be invited to attend the appropriate Summer Graduation Ceremony in the following July, should they still wish to participate in a ceremony. If this is the case, they would be presented on the day as an existing graduate rather than as a graduand needing to have their degree conferred at that point.
Higher degree congregations
Taught postgraduate degrees are conferred each year at the Winter Graduation Ceremonies in January. Details are circulated to departments and students via email by the Events Team, and those students whose award recommendations are expected in time for the annual cross-Faculty deadline in November are sent an advance invitation. In late November, once recommendations have been awarded (i.e. when it is clear that candidates are debt-free), students are sent confirmation of award in the form of an official result `statement´. Degree certificates are presented to graduating students on the day of their ceremony, or sent on afterwards, if this has been requested by those not attending. Students who have been awarded a postgraduate certificate (except a PGCE) are not invited to attend a degree ceremony, but are asked to confirm a secure address to which their award certificate should be sent.
Award of taught postgraduate qualifications at other times during the year
- In those cases where award recommendations are not submitted in line with the annual deadline, arrangements are made for these to be approved by the relevant Faculty and also for the qualifications to be awarded by the Vice-Chancellor (on behalf of the Senate) without delay.
- The award of any qualification cannot take effect until it has been established that all monies outstanding to the University have been paid by the student in question. This process of ‘debt checking’, which is carried out by the Finance Department and the Library, can take a little time. Once it is clear that candidates are debt-free, they will be sent confirmation of the award of their qualification, in the form of an official result ‘statement’.
- Degrees can only be conferred at one of the University’s graduation ceremonies, which are held on set dates during the year. In the case of postgraduate degree recommendations received after the annual deadline for inclusion in the January ceremonies, any conferments occur at an in absentia degree ceremony (i.e. a ceremony to which students are not invited). These are arranged at regular points throughout the year.
- After this ceremony, degree certificates will be prepared and sent out to the relevant graduates by the Events Team, and they will also be invited to attend the appropriate ceremony in the following January, should they still wish to participate in a ceremony. If this is the case, they would be presented on the day as an existing graduate rather than as a graduand needing to have their degree conferred at that point.