DETAILS FOR GRADUATING STUDENTS

Cal State LA is celebrating the outstanding achievement of the Class of 2025 on May 19-21, 2025, at the historic Shrine Auditorium. There will be 9 college-based ceremonies, and graduating students will be automatically assigned to a ceremony based on their college, department, and major. 

For each ceremony, all graduating candidates will cross the stage and have their names read and appear on the screen, as well as, on the live stream.

MONDAY, MAY 19, 2025
Ceremony 1  |  9 a.m.  |  College of Business and Economics (1)
Ceremony 2  |  1 p.m.  |  College of Business and Economics (2)  |  College of Education
Ceremony 3  |  5 p.m.  |  College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology  |  College of Ethnic Studies

TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2025
Ceremony 4  |  9 a.m.  |  Rongxiang Xu College of Health and Human Services (1)
Ceremony 5  |  1 p.m.  |  Rongxiang Xu College of Health and Human Services (2)
Ceremony 6  |  5 p.m.  |  Rongxiang Xu College of Health and Human Services (3)  |  College of Natural and Social Sciences (1)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2025
Ceremony 7  |  9 a.m.  |  College of Natural and Social Sciences (2)
Ceremony 8  |  1 p.m.  |  College of Natural and Social Sciences (3)  |  College of Arts and Letters (1)
Ceremony 9  |  5 p.m.  |  College of Arts and Letters (2)

Click the Schedule button below to view the full schedule that includes departments and majors,.

Schedule

ELIGIBLE DECLARED GRADUATION TERMS FOR COMMENCEMENT 2025

• Fall 2024 Semester
  Undergraduate Degrees Application Deadline: Preceding March 1, 2024
  Graduate and Doctorate Degrees Application Deadline: Preceding June 17, 2024
   
• Winter 2025 Intersession
  Undergraduate Degrees Application Deadline: Preceding September 3, 2024
  Graduate and Doctorate Degrees Application Deadline: Preceding September 16, 2024
   
• Spring 2025 Semester
  Undergraduate Degrees Application Deadline: Preceding October 15, 2024
  Graduate and Doctorate Degrees Application Deadline: Preceding November 15, 2024
   
• Summer 2025 Session
  Undergraduate Degrees Application Deadline: Preceding February 3, 2025
  Graduate and Doctorate Degrees Application Deadline: Preceding February 17, 2025

Click on the Eligibility button to get more information on who can participate at Commencement.

Eligibility

The diploma name used by the Graduation Office is the name that will be used for Commencement for the following:

• Ticketing information
• Stage Pass
• Name display on the jumbo screen, livestream, and college virtual program
• Name announcement/recording during Commencement and the college virtual program

The diploma name is the primary (legal) name as it appears on the graduating candidate's GET account. To view the diploma name, please follow these steps:

1. Log in to your GET account.
2. Click on the Self Service option.
3. Under the Degree Progress/Graduation section, click on the View Graduation Status option.
4. Under the Student Information section, you will see your diploma name that will be used for Commencement.

An approved preferred first name may be used on a diploma if requested by the graduating candidate on their graduation application, otherwise, the primary (legal) name will be used. For the preferred first name change to be reflected for Commencement, requests must be made by April 11, 2025 to the Graduation Office.

For any changes or updates to your primary (legal) name on your diploma, including your middle and/or last name, to be reflected for Commencement, please submit a Biographical/Demographical Change Request Form to the Admissions and Record Center on the first floor of the Student Services Building by April 11, 2025.

Please note that during the Commencement ceremonies, last-minute name changes will not be accommodated. The name cards are printed in advance and are embedded with a unique barcode that will be used for name announcement and name display on the jumbo screen.

For Commencement, the Cal State LA email address, alternate email address, and the mailing address listed on the graduating candidate's GET account is the information that will be used for the following:

• Commencement registration and ticketing (only Cal State LA email address)
• Commencement notifications and reminders (Cal State LA email address and alternate email address)
• Commencement photography (Cal State LA email address, alternate email address, and mailing address)

In spring 2025, the Graduation Office will start to submit the names of the eligible graduating candidates to the Commencement Office for inclusion in the Commencement ceremonies. Graduating candidates must make any updates to their contact information in GET by April 11, 2025, to ensure receipt of Commencement-related notices.

Please make sure to check your Cal State LA email address regularly for Commencement emails related to ticketing, important deadlines, and ceremony details. If you do not see any notifications, please check your spam folder.

All eligible graduating students planning to participate in the in-person ceremonies for Commencement 2025 must register in advance to attend during the registration period from March 24, 2025 at 9 a.m. (PT) until April 21, 2025, at 5 p.m. (PT).

Click on the Registration button below to get more information about Commencement registration and ticketing.

Registration

Graduating students participating in the Commencement ceremonies must wear the appropriate academic attire. Regalia represents the three principal levels of academic achievement at Cal State LA: bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. 

Click on the Regalia button below to get more information about regalia and other Commencement related merchandise and services.

Regalia

Graduates obtaining a bachelor's degree, who maintain an outstanding academic record while earning their degree, are accorded special recognition upon graduation, and are given golden yellow double honor cords to wear during Commencement.

The criteria listed below were established by the Office of the Registrar / Graduation Office. The Commencement Office only distributes the honor cords based on the honors awarded / honors projected by the Graduation Office. For additional information on baccalaureate honors, please visit the Office of the Registrar’s website > Apply for your Degree > Honors at Graduation.

BACCALAUREATE HONORS CRITERIA

To be eligible for honors, graduating bachelor's degree students must have completed a minimum of 45 units in residence at Cal State LA and have attained the appropriate standing (cumulative grade point average earned at Cal State LA) as described below:

• Summa Cum Laude: GPA equal to or greater than 3.9
• Magna Cum Laude: GPA equal to or greater than 3.75 but less than 3.9
• Cum Laude: GPA equal to or greater than 3.5 but less than 3.75

These honors are designated on the diploma and permanent academic record.

For Commencement, spring 2025 or summer 2025 graduating students must have obtained the GPA listed above for fall 2024 or winter 2025 term ( if you attended winter 2025) to be projected to receive baccalaureate honors. Projected honors are subject to change based on final grades at the end of the spring 2025 semester or summer 2025 session.

HONOR CORDS DISTRIBUTION

In mid-March 2025, information regarding the distribution of honor cords will go out to the following:

• Bachelor’s degree students who graduated in fall 2024 and winter 2025 and have attained the status of graduating with honors based on the criteria listed above.
   
• Bachelor’s degree students who are projected to graduate in spring 2025 or summer 2025 and attained the status of graduating with honors based on the criteria listed above from completed courses as of winter 2025.

Graduating students who require assistance during Commencement can contact the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) at (323) 343-3140, or by email at [email protected], two weeks or more before the ceremonies. 

OSD can assist graduating students with:

• Check-in
• Seating
• Getting to and from the stage
• Recessional

For graduating students who require mobility equipment, please make arrangements on your own according to specific needs.

Shrine Auditorium
665 W Jefferson Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90007

Information about safety and security for Commencement 2025 at the Shrine Auditorium, including prohibited items, will be posted on the Safety and Security webpage.

Additional Information Coming Soon

Commencement welcomes service animals. A service animal is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability.  The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person’s disability.

Animals whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act cannot be brought inside the event venue.

University Bookstore

During Commencement, the University Bookstore will have a satellite location at the Shrine Auditorium lobby, on May 19, 20, and 21, 2025, with limited merchandise.

Commencement Group

Class T-shirts, sweatshirts, flower bouquets, Cal State LA custom Kukui Nut Lei and more! Graduation gifts are available on-site to purchase on the day of the ceremony. Pre-ordered items will be available for contact-free pick up at the Commencement Group booths.

For convenience, the Shrine Auditorium concession stands will be open. Attendees can have food and refreshments at the lobby, but they are NOT allowed inside the auditorium. Please note that the Shrine is a cashless venue. They are unable to accept cash for concession purchases. 

Graduating students are strongly encouraged to arrive 75 minutes, or more, before the ceremony to accommodate for traffic, parking, and large crowds. 

The graduating student entrance is at the Shrine Expo Hall on 32nd Street. For safety and security, graduating students must pass through security protocols including metal detectors and possible bag check.

After security, graduating students must have their Stage Pass ready to be scanned via their phone or printed paper to enter the venue, and access the student check-in area. Your Stage Pass will also be used to scan on stage to display and announce your name recording.

Once your Stage Pass is scanned, there are no in-and-out privileges.

After checking in with their Stage Pass, master’s degree students will proceed to the Graduate Recognition Hall, where they will line up by major for the hooding of the graduates. Hooding will begin promptly 40 minutes before the main ceremony and will last approximately 20 minutes, so students should plan accordingly. Before being hooded, each student’s Stage Pass will be scanned to ensure their name and major appear on the livestream. Additionally, a clip of the hooding ceremony will be provided to each graduate a week after Commencement to share with family and friends.

Following the hooding, graduate students will be escorted to the main auditorium and pre-seated for the ceremony, which will begin at the scheduled time. During the presentation of candidates at the Shrine Auditorium, students will once again scan their Stage Pass for their name to be displayed on the jumbotron and announced.

Only graduating students and authorized personnel are allowed in the graduating student seating areas. 

Graduating students will be pre-seated 30 minutes before the ceremony start time by college (if more than one college per ceremony), degree, and major. 

Pre-seating will temporarily stop five minutes before the start of the ceremony to prepare for the academic procession of the faculty and platform (stage) party. All graduating students who arrive late will be seated after the national anthem.

ACCESSIBILITY SEATING

Wheelchair accessible spaces and designated accessible seating will be marked in the graduating student seating areas. Ceremony personnel will be able to assist and direct graduating students to these spaces.

Sign language interpreters will be projected on the jumbo screen during each Commencement ceremony.

Closed captioning in English and Spanish will be available to all attendees during the ceremonies via their mobile devices. The closed captioning link will be active during the ceremonies.

Each ceremony will be between 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours in duration. The order of events may vary per Commencement ceremony and will include most of the activities below.

• Academic procession of faculty and stage party
• National anthem
• Welcome greeting by the college dean
• President's remarks
• Honorary Doctoral Degree
• Honorary Doctoral Degree remarks
• Academic honors
• Hooding and presentation of doctoral degrees
• Presentation of master's degrees
• Presentation of bachelor's degrees
• Conferral of degrees by the president (including the traditional turning of the tassel for baccalaureate degrees)
• Closing remarks by the college dean
• University hymn
• Recessional of stage party, faculty and conferees of doctoral, master's, and bachelor's degrees

The University will be livestreaming the ceremonies, which will be able to be viewed through the Cal State LA website and the Cal State LA YouTube channel.

Cal State LA Website
Cal State LA YouTube

Out of respect for all graduating students and their family and friends, graduating students attending Commencement must stay for the entire duration of the ceremony to not disrupt the event.

Grad Images, the official graduation portrait photographers, will be at Commencement taking photos when they cross the stage. Graduating students will receive their photo proof after the ceremony via email.

University photographers will be photographing the ceremonies and candid photos will be available for free download on the Cal State LA Smug Mug webpage during Commencement week.

Immediately after each ceremony, all attendees will be directed to on Royal Street or Jefferson Boulevard. Across the main entrance to the Shrine Auditorium on Royal Street, the Shrine West Lot is where you can meet your graduate and companions. The area will have photo backdrops.

Graduating students will automatically receive their diploma by mail, whether or not they attended Commencement or not, after official certification that you have successfully completed all degree requirements. Please allow up to 4 weeks for the Graduation Office to review ALL applicants individually.

After your degree is awarded, you can track the progress of your diploma by clicking on the button below.

Track the progress of your diploma

For graduating students who did not attend Commencement and wish to receive a diploma cover, they will be available for pick-up only at Graduation Office two weeks after the ceremonies. 

For graduating students receiving their baccalaureate degree who did not attend Commencement, please contact the Commencement Office two weeks after the ceremonies for additional information.

Stay connected! The Alumni Association provide official representation of more than 250,000 alumni in matters that affect the general welfare of the University. Through involvement in the Alumni Association, graduates keep in contact with each other and assist the University through a network of various affiliate groups.

Alumni Association