Doctoral Candidates

Doctoral candidates have the option of being hooded by their major professor or someone else on their committee. It is the responsibility of each doctoral candidate to invite their faculty mentor to hood them during Commencement. If a doctoral candidate does not wish to issue an invitation, one of the Graduate College deans will be available to hood them.

To participate in the doctoral hooding ceremony and reserve seating for you and a faculty mentor - contact the Graduation Office - commencement@ou.edu or (405) 325-0841. Include your name and the name of the person hooding you.

A Doctoral Hooding Rehearsal will be held the week of Commencement at 5:30pm Wednesday, May 13 in room 140 of the Lissa and Cy Wagner Hall, 1005 Asp Ave., Norman, OK.

Commencement Day Time Line

5 p.m. Parking and shuttle service starts from Lloyd Noble Center

5:30 p.m. Gates to The Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium open

6:15 p.m. Pre-Commencement Concert/Photo Presentation for Guests at Stadium

6:30 p.m. Doctoral Candidates/Hooding Faculty gather at the south entrances of Bizzell Memorial Library in cap and gown (keep hood folded over arm). Name cards will be distributed. Candidates should carry their hoods until time to be hooded.

6:45 p.m. Run through of the doctoral hooding. Candidates will line up in front of their professor. If a professor will hood more than one student, one student should line up in front of the professor and the others behind.

7 p.m. Processional of all graduation candidates, faculty and the President’s platform party into the stadium accompanied by flags, banners and music.

All remain standing until the end of The National Anthem.

Conferring of the doctoral degrees: candidates and faculty mentors will rise and form a line to the President's platform. Candidates will hand their name card to the announcer and their hood to their professor.

As candidates step onto the platform, faculty behind them, the professor will slip the hood over the back of the doctoral candidate velvet side up. A picture will be taken at this time.

After candidates have received their hood, the professor will exit off the stage.

Once hooded, candidates will move to the center of the platform to be congratulated by President Boren, then exit the platform and return to their seat.

Attendance:
Graduation from OU is an achievement the entire University takes pride in and celebrates during Commencement. The University expects attendance by all students who are candidates for graduation at the end of the spring semester and encourages participation by all those who graduated summer and fall 2008. Undergraduate students with nine or fewer hours to complete their degree during the summer session 2009 and graduate students who have received permission from their college of major work may also participate.

Checklist:
Click here to view the doctoral checklist provided by the Graduate College.