return to: Degree Requirements and Graduation

CONVOCATION; GRADUATION DIPLOMAS AND CERTIFICATES

Convocation Ceremonies

Scheduling Convocation Ceremonies

• The in absentia February Convocation will normally be scheduled for the last Friday in February.
• June Convocation ceremonies will normally be scheduled from Monday to Friday in the second and third full week in June.
• The Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry (MD) and Huron University College (Theology) Convocation ceremonies will be scheduled in consultation with the School/Faculty/Affiliated University College.
• October Convocation ceremonies will normally be scheduled on the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday on the first full week following Thanksgiving.

Recipients of Certificates and Diplomas will be listed in the Convocation Program, and will be permitted to participate in the graduation ceremonies.

Recipients of Two Degrees, Diplomas or Certificates
When a candidate is to be awarded two degrees, diplomas or certificates (or any combination of these) during one convocation period, the Registrar will be permitted to release both diplomas to the graduand at the convocation ceremony of the first degree program scheduled in the convocation period.

Awarding Double Degrees at Convocation
For students who are eligible to receive two degrees at convocation:

1. If both degrees are to be awarded at the same convocation ceremony, the student may cross the stage only once, and must make a choice as to the degree grouping with which he or she will process.
2. If the two degrees are to be awarded at different convocation ceremonies, the student may cross the stage in one or both ceremonies. Both diplomas will normally be given to the graduate at the first of the ceremonies in which he or she participates.

Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates [to be conferred officially at convocation ceremonies]
Degrees, diplomas and certificates will be officially conferred or awarded at the appropriate convocation ceremony following successful completion of the program requirements and an application to graduate if required, or will be available for pickup by the graduate within 3 business days subsequent to the ceremony. Degrees, diplomas and certificates are retained in The Office of the Registrar for two years after Convocation.

Degrees, diplomas and certificates normally will not be awarded in advance of convocation ceremonies. A degree, diploma, or certificate may be released early at the discretion of the Office of the Registrar if the student demonstrates that the document is required by an employer or for a work visa and if it is determined that the student is eligible and has applied to graduate. Students presenting an official offer of employment or deadline relating to an application for a visa may, by application and payment of the appropriate fee to the Office of the Registrar, request release of their document no sooner than four weeks prior to their scheduled convocation. The document released will bear the date of the appropriate scheduled convocation ceremony.

All other students who require notice of confirmation that their program has been completed (in addition to an official transcript) may apply to the Office of the Registrar with a request for a letter attesting to the fact that they have completed the requirements of their program.

If a student’s degree, diploma or certificate has been lost, stolen or destroyed OR the student requires a duplicate or duplicates, subsequent diplomas can be produced by application and payment of the appropriate fee to the Office of the Registrar. All subsequent degrees, diplomas and certificates will be issued:

    • using the current Western diploma printing standards and Officers
    • with the words “Duplicate Copy” affixed to the parchment


Degree Diplomas for DDS Graduates: (Exception for DDS graduates who satisfy requirements between June and October)
In order to practice dentistry, graduates of the DDS program must present a copy of their diploma to the Royal College of Dental Surgeons and thus obtain a certificate of registration. In April 1994, Senate approved that the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) be granted retroactively to June for students who satisfy all of the requirements for graduation after the June convocation date for Dentistry but before the October convocation. Based on this precedent, Senate approved procedures for granting a DDS degree to a student in the program who completes the degree requirements after Autumn Convocation in October. The date that will appear on the degree is the date on which all degree requirements were completed. The graduate's name and the date of the degree will appear in the Program of the Spring Convocation Program that next follows, and the graduate may request the opportunity to participate in the Spring Convocation next following.

In Absentia Convocation in February
Senate approved the establishment of an in absentia Convocation to be held in mid-February for students who complete their degree requirements by the end of the preceding fall semester. Students who have their degrees conferred in February will be given the opportunity to participate in the appropriate June convocation ceremony.

Statement re Posthumous Degrees
Contingent on approval by the Dean or Vice-Provost (Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies), in consultation with the Provost, a posthumous degree may be granted at a Convocation ceremony.

Graduation Diplomas and Certificates

Graduation Diplomas and Certificates

1. The designation of "Bachelor" will be used on diplomas with the designation of "Baccalaureate" approved for use on diplomas upon request by individual students. For diplomas of Masters and Doctoral degrees the designation “Master” or “Doctor” will be used.
2. Undergraduate students who qualify for Graduation "With Distinction" will receive the designation on diplomas.
3. All diplomas (for degree programs and diploma programs) and certificates (for certificate programs) will be in English.
4. All and only Honorary Degree diplomas will be in Latin.
5. Programs approved by Senate for diplomas/certificates not in English, e.g., the Certificat de Français Pratique, will be exceptions to this policy.

For graduation diplomas, the wording of the program taken will follow this format:

When appropriate, all Bachelor/Baccalaureate degree diplomas will have the name of the degree with Honours Specialization, Major(s), or Specialization module(s) earned by the student and “With Distinction”, if appropriate. For example,

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Honours Specialization in Geology and Biology

BACHELOR OF ARTS
Major in English Language and Literature
Major in Film Studies

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Specialization in Environmental Science

If Minor modules have been successfully completed, this will show on students’ transcripts and academic records only. They will not appear on the diploma.

Students who have successfully completed the Dentistry Qualifying Program from 1999 to 2005 may return their Qualifying Program certificates and, following payment of a diploma replacement fee, receive a DDS degree diploma.

Students who have successfully completed the LLB program prior to 2009 be permitted to exchange their LLB diploma for a JD diploma, upon payment of an administrative fee for the replacement diploma.
 
Degree Diploma Wording

Degree diplomas will have the following wording:

"The Senate on the recommendation of the (Faculty/School/College) has conferred upon (graduate's name) the degree of (degree name) with all its rights, privileges and obligations.

Given at London, Canada, on the (date) day of (month), (year), in the (appropriate year, e.g., 2021 will be the one hundred and forty-third year) of the University."

The University of Western Ontario will be the only institution cited on the degree diploma unless specific approval is granted by Senate.

Degree Diploma Wording for Graduate Student Diplomas

Policy available via the University Secretariat: Degree Diploma Wording for Graduate Student Diplomas

Exception for Programs offered in Collaboration with Fanshawe College:

Collaborative programs offered with Fanshawe College recognize both Western and Fanshawe on Western’s graduation diplomas, e.g., “The Senate on the recommendation of the Faculty of Health Sciences in collaboration with the Faculty of Health Sciences and Human Services, Fanshawe College, has conferred upon (graduate’s name) the degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing.”

Exceptions for the Bachelor of Medical Sciences Program

The Bachelor of Medical Sciences program is offered jointly by the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and the Faculty of Science and as such, both names will appear on BMSc diplomas.
i.e., "The Senate on the recommendation of the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and the Faculty of Science has conferred upon (graduate's name) the degree of (degree name) with all its rights, privileges and obligations....”]


Faculty of Science: Earth Sciences Programs for Professional Registration

Degrees for students in the Earth Sciences Programs for Professional Registration will be issued as:

    BSc Honours Geology for Professional Registration
    BSc Honours Environmental Geoscience for Professional Registration
    BSc Honours Geophysics for Professional Registration

Approvals and Signatures:
On behalf of the Senate, the Provost approves the list of Candidates for Degrees upon the recommendation of the Registrar. The list of Candidates approved by the Provost is deemed to be those names identified electronically within the student records system. The list of Candidates for Degrees will be archived as appropriate.

Signatures required for degree and diploma program diplomas and for certificate program certificates are those of the Registrar, Dean of the relevant faculty and President of the University
 
Format:
The parchment used for degrees, diplomas and certificates will be of a format and quality commensurate with the stature of the University of Western Ontario.

Senate Academic Policies and Associated Procedures:
General Policy - Convocation; Graduation Diplomas and Certificates