Convocation Information

Frames and Rings
Dalhousie's Bookstore offers a variety of ways to help you commemorate your achievement. Visit bookstore.dal.ca/dalgrad.

Flowers
A vendor will be onsite to purchase flowers for your graduate. You can also pre-order ahead online.
Answers to many commonly asked questions related to Convocation ceremonies can be found in the expandable sections below. We will add and adjust this information as we move closer to our Convocation dates, so please check back often. We will also communicate all important updates to graduates via their Dalhousie email account in the months leading up to your graduation.
Convocation Venue
Ceremony Location:
Dalhousie Arts Centre
6101 University Avenue, Halifax, NS
Fall 2023 Dates:
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
Before the Ceremony - Arrival and Assembly
Parking
The most convenient place for short term parking on-campus in Halifax is at our Pay and Display Lot. Rates are $2 per hour to a maximum of $14 per day.
You will need to download the HotSpot App on your smartphone to pay for short-term parking on-campus. Learn how on this webpage HotSpot Parking Transit Taxis Homepage (htsp.ca).
Dalhousie also has a limited number of parking meters. Meters are in operation from 6:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Meter fees are not required after 4:30 pm, or on weekends and statutory holidays.
Parking FAQs
Campus Parking Maps
Coat Check
There is a coat check located on the main level of the Dalhousie Arts centre, on the left at the end of the hallway past the Box Office.
Assemble
Graduates are asked to assemble, wearing your gown and hood, one hour prior to the start of the ceremony on the upper level of the Dalhousie Arts Centre. When you enter the building through the front door, take the stairs to your left, one flight up. You may also use the elevator that is located across from the Box Office to access the upper level.
Degree
Look for a sign with your degree name and stay in that general area.
Name card
A Marshal will provide you with your name card and line you up in alphabetical order. If you do not receive a name card, inform the Marshal as you cannot cross the stage without it. Your name card indicates the name of your degree and program. It will also mention if you have achieved first class honours, distinction, a University medal and/or award.
If you are concerned about the pronunciation of your name by the Orator, please take a moment at this time to write out the phonetic pronunciation of your name on the name card so that the Orator can review it when you hand them your name card onstage.
Lining up
You will be lined up in pairs with the person who comes first alphabetically on the right.
Procession
The procession begins 10 minutes before the scheduled start time of the ceremony. You will be led into the auditorium by the marshalls; please stay in pairs.
Seating
All graduates sit in the right-hand section of the auditorium. You are to remain standing until the Provost invites you to be seated.
During the Ceremony - What to Expect
Introduction: Following introductory remarks, the Chair of Senate will rise and ask graduands to rise. They will then ask the Chancellor to confer the degrees. Please remain standing until the Chancellor takes their seat after conferral of the degrees.
Proceed to the stage: On a row-by-row basis a Marshal will lead you to the stage. Please walk out of your row and line up against the auditorium wall so the other graduands and guests seated behind you can still see the stage clearly.
On the stage: The Marshals will guide you up the stairs and onto the stage. You will hand your name card to the Orator who will read your name aloud — feel free to indicate quietly the proper pronunciation of your name.
Proceed to centre-stage as follows:
Diploma, Bachelor and Master graduates — remain standing as the Chancellor confers your degree with a hand over heart gesture.
PhD graduates - The Chair of Senate will take your PhD hood from your left arm as you sit down facing the audience. (A Marshal will demonstrate the correct way to carry the PhD hood on your left arm to allow this process to go smoothly.) The Chair will then place the hood over your head and you will stand and move to where the Chancellor is standing.
The Chancellor will then confer your degree with a hand over heart gesture.
Proceed to the far side: Once your degree has been conferred, you will proceed to the far end of the stage to receive your alumni pin and you will have the opportunity for a photo with your respective Dean (for those who would not like to have their photo taken, please reach out to convocation@dal.ca)
Proceed off the stage: Walk down the stairs and back to your seat.
PhD recipients are invited to remain on stage and take a seat alongside the faculty; the Grand Marshal will direct you.
Finale: At the end of the ceremony the Marshal will lead you out of the auditorium and to the lobby.
Guest Invitations
Potential Graduates request invitations for guests when they submit their online Application to Graduate. Each potential graduate is guaranteed a minimum of two invitations but may receive additional invitations pending availability. Please contact the Convocation Team if you would like us to note your request for additional invitations.
The number of invitations distributed is based on the number of potential graduates compared to the seating available, by ceremony. Due to seating limitations, you may not receive the total number of invitations you requested. Graduands do not need an invitation to attend the ceremony. Infants and young children, who may be sitting on parents' laps, still require their own invitation due to fire safety regulations.
Guest invitations are available for pick up as graduates pick up their academic dress in the Council Chambers, 2nd floor, Student Union Building - see Academic Dress (Gowns and Hoods) section below.
The Registrar's Office does not maintain a waitlist for invitations. Guests who arrive without an invitation are welcome to wait outside the auditorium to be seated on a first come, first served basis should there be available seating in the auditorium once guests with invitations have been seated. Please note that guests with invitations should be seated at least 10 minutes before the scheduled start of the ceremony.
Academic Dress (Gowns and Hoods)
How to wear your gown and hood
Academic dress – also know as academic costume or regalia – are the distinctive gowns and hoods worn by all participants (including faculty members and university officials who sit onstage) during a Convocation ceremony.
The tradition of graduates wearing gowns and hoods dates back to the 12th and 13th centuries. This tradition continues today at Dalhousie University to signify a graduate’s academic accomplishment.
Indigenous students are welcome to wear traditional dress in a manner that celebrates their heritage with or instead of the gown. In those instances, potential graduates must still wear their ceremonial hood.
Potential graduates must reserve their gown and hood in advance through the Academic Dress Portal. The deadline to reserve your gown and hood is September 15, 2023.
Gaspard will have a limited number of extra gowns and hoods onsite for those who miss the reservation deadline. Graduates who pick up gowns and hoods without a reservation, will be required to pay the rental fee at the time of pick up.
Gowns Room Location and Hours
Location: Council Chambers, 2nd floor, Student Union Building
Hours:
Monday October 2 - 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Tuesday October 3 - 8:00am - 4:00pm
Wednesday October 4 - 8:00am - 5:00pm
Graduate Recognition by Elders
An Elder will be present on stage during Convocation to show their support and pride in the accomplishment of graduates Indigenous to North America (Turtle Island). The Elder will gift each Indigenous graduate with a traditional medicine pouch hand made by the Elders themselves. If you would like to be recognized by the Elders, please identify yourself so we may celebrate your accomplishment by contacting Kayla Bernard at kayla.bernard@dal.ca.
Graduate Recognition by Black Student Advising Centre
The Black Student Advising Centre celebrates the achievements of all graduating black students of African descent and is pleased to announce that Kente sashes will be available at the Centre for graduates to borrow and wear during their ceremonies. Contact the Black Student Advising Centre at bsac2@dal.ca or 494-6648 to borrow a sash.
Your Parchment
Your parchment is your printed diploma or degree. This legal document is presented to you when you graduate. Because it is a legal document, it must be printed in the legal name listed on your official student record.
Any changes to the legal name we have for you on your student record, must be supported with a piece of government issued photo ID. If you wish to change your legal name, please email registrar@dal.ca and attach a scanned or photographed copy of your government issued photo ID that shows your legal name as it should appear on your parchment.
The deadline to make changes to your legal name is May 1 for Spring Convocation and September 15 for Fall Convocation.
For those attending Convocation ceremonies, parchments will be available for pick up in the McInnes Room, located on the 2nd floor of the Student Union Building, after returning your academic gown between:
- 9:00am and 5:00pm on October 3rd
- 9:00am and 6:00pm October 4th
For those not attending convocation, parchments will be available for pick up beginning Monday, October 9 at the Registrar's Office, Room 125, Henry Hicks Academic Administration Building. We encourage graduates living in the Halifax/Dartmouth/Bedford/Sackville area to pick up their parchment to avoid delay. You may have someone pick up your parchment on your behalf, provided you send authorization (including the individual’s name) by email (convocation@dal.ca). The individual will be asked to show photo identification at the time of pickup.
Before collecting your parchment, please make sure to settle any outstanding fees. Please be aware that parchments cannot be released to students with balances exceeding $100. For instructions on viewing your student account, follow the guidelines provided here.
Parchments will be mailed in mid-October to those graduates who did not attend Convocation and who indicated they would like to have their parchment mailed to them. It is very important that you ensure your current address in DalOnline is accurate by October 1.
Dalhousie is happy to cover the cost of the initial mailing of your parchment. Subsequent mailing due to incorrect or incomplete addresses will be at the graduate's expense.
Special Accommodations
The Convocation Team is here to assist, should you or your guests require special accommodations in order to attend and enjoy your Convocation ceremony. Please contact the Convocation Team to discuss your needs.
Flowers, Frames, Rings and Photos
Flowers
Bouquets will be available for purchase onsite or pre-ordered online before the ceremonies.
Parchment Frames and Rings
Dalhousie's Bookstore offers a parchment framing service and graduate rings for purchase during the ceremonies. Visit bookstore.dal.ca/dalgrad for frame and ring options.
Frames and rings are also available for purchase throughout the year at the bookstore in the Student Union Building.
Photography
Dalhousie will contract the services of a professional photography vendor, Calnen Photography, to photograph all graduates onstage during the ceremony.
A link to the digital proof and photography package information will be available from Calnen Photography shortly after Convocation. Please register online for access to the photos. There is no obligation to make a purchase.
If you wish to NOT have your photograph taken by the photography vendor during the ceremony, you must contact convocation@dal.ca one week prior to your ceremony.
Calnen Photography will be onsite at the Convocation Hub (2nd floor, Student Union Building) during the ceremonies to take posed portraits.
Academic Honours
Graduating with Distinction
For non-honours students in undergraduate degree programs, and diploma students in the Faculty of Agriculture.
Students in the Faculties of Agriculture, Architecture and Planning, Arts and Social Sciences, Computer Science, Engineering, Science and Management who have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.70 upon graduation will be placed on the Distinction list.
Students in the Faculty of Health who have a degree GPA of 3.70, as calculated in the Earned Credit Hours section of their Degree Audit, upon graduation will be placed on the Distinction list. Students who have been on the Dean’s List for three of the four years of the Pharmacy Program and a cumulative GPA of 3.70 or higher will graduate with Distinction.
Students in the Faculties of Architecture and Planning, Computer Science, and Engineering who have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.85 upon graduation will be placed on the Sexton Distinction list, instead of the Distinction list.
To determine which students will graduate with distinction from the Faculty of Medicine, performance and distinctions from all four years are considered. This determination is made by the faculty's awards committee.
Honours students
Arts and Social Sciences: Graduates are required to have a minimum GPA of 2.70. Included in the GPA calculation are courses in the honours subject(s) and the single subject chosen for two credits outside the honours subject or, where appropriate, the minor subject.
To achieve First-Class Honours, graduates are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.70. Included in the GPA calculation are courses in the honours subject(s) and the single subject chosen for two credits outside the honours subject or, where appropriate, the minor subject.
Science: Graduates are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.0. Included in the GPA calculation are courses in the honours subject(s).
To achieve First-Class Honours, graduates are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.70. Included in the GPA calculation are courses in the honours subject(s).
Computer Science: Graduates are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.00 in all of the courses in computer science.
First-Class Honours standing is awarded to students who obtain a minimum GPA of 3.70 in all of the courses in computer science.
Kinesiology: First-Class Honours standing is achieved by students who satisfy the degree requirements with a cumulative GPA of 3.70 or higher.
To achieve First-Class Honours, graduates are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.70. Included in the GPA calculation are courses in the honours subject(s).
Computer Science: Graduates are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.00 in all of the courses in computer science.
First-Class Honours standing is awarded to students who obtain a minimum GPA of 3.70 in all of the courses in computer science.
Kinesiology: First-Class Honours standing is achieved by students who satisfy the degree requirements with a cumulative GPA of 3.70 or higher.
Class Prizes
MedalsMedals
Governor-General's Gold Medals are awarded to graduates in the Faculty of Graduate Studies who have achieved overall academic excellence. Two gold medals are awarded; one to the most outstanding Master's graduate in the Natural Sciences and Engineering, and one to the most outstanding Master's graduate in the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Governor-General's Silver Medal is awarded to the undergraduate graduate who has achieved the highest academic standing among graduates of baccalaureate programs.
University Silver Medal is awarded to the graduate who is judged to be the leading First Class Honours student among graduates of baccalaureate programs. The recipient cannot have received the Governor-General's Silver Medal.
Avery Prize is awarded to the graduate with the highest standing among those graduating from the general degree program. The recipient cannot have received the Governor General's Silver Medal.
University Medals
Architecture and Planning, Engineering, Management: Medals are awarded to the graduate who has achieved the highest cumulative average. One medal is awarded per department.
Arts and Social Sciences, Science, Commerce, Computer Science: Medals are awarded to an Honour's graduate in recognition of superior achievement in his/her field of study. One medal is awarded per department.
Health Professions: Medals are awarded to the graduates who obtain the highest academic standing in their particular programs, provided they meet the requirements set by the Faculty. One medal is awarded from each of the schools/college within the Faculty of Health Professions.
Law: University Medal in Law is awarded to the graduate who has achieved the highest cumulative average over the three years of study in the Schulich School of Law and among those attaining First Class distinction in the studies of Third Year, and who has achieved a very high standard of excellence. (Eligibility is determined solely on the basis of law courses.)
Dentistry: Dr. D.S. Precious University Medal in Dentistry is awarded to the graduate who has met the requirements for graduation with distinction and who, in the opinion of Faculty, merits the award.
Medicine: The C.B. Stewart Gold Medal is awarded to the graduate standing highest in the regular medical course as determined by the Faculty.
October graduates are eligible for consideration for medals awarded at Spring Convocation.
Changing your attendance status
If you indicated on your Application to Graduate that you plan to attend and are now unable to attend the Convocation ceremony, please notify us as soon as possible by email convocation@dal.ca.
Please include the following information in your email: your B00#, degree/program, and if you would like to pick up your parchment at the Registrar's Office or if you would prefer we mail it to you.
We encourage graduates living in the Halifax/Dartmouth/Bedford/Sackville area to pick up their parchment to avoid delay..
How to update your mailing address
Parchments will be mailed in mid-October to those graduates who did not attend Convocation and who indicated they would like to have their parchment mailed to them. It is very important that you ensure your current address in DalOnline is accurate by October 1.
How to update your address in DalOnline
Please use the following instructions to check and/or update your current address in DalOnline.
1. Login to DalOnline.
2. Click on “Personal Information”
3. Click on “View/Update Personal Information”
4. Scroll to Address section. Here, you can either Edit your address or Add New address. Editing your current mailing address is best.
You can send the parchment to any address you choose, as long as it is listed as the Mailing Address. Anyone in the household at the Mailing Address can sign for the shipment on your behalf.
DO NOT select Parent Address (even if the address is a parent/guardian residence).
If you are adding a new address:
- ensure you select the proper start and end dates for your address.
- ensure you select Mailing Address from the dropdown menu.
- If an existing address is still listed for you, please ensure the address end date is before the start date for your new address.