Commencement Overview

The President and Faculty of Albertus Magnus College are looking forward to the Commencement Ceremony this year.  We ask that you please save May 17th and May 18th for our Commencement weekend activities. Please check this site often, since it will be updated regularly with important commencement information.

The Commencement Ceremony is on May 18th at 11:00 a.m. (graduates arrive at 9:30 a.m.). The ceremony is held on the Rosary Hall lawn. This is not a ticketed event and graduates may have as many guests as they like. There will be plenty of seating to accommodate all of your guests. Please be advised that the ceremony is held outdoors rain or shine and guests should come prepared.

In the event of extreme weather, the ceremony will be moved indoors to the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center Gymnasium. Due to the limited space, each graduate will be allowed (2) Rain Tickets. Rain Tickets will be available for pick-up in Aquinas Hall, Bree Common Monday, April 28th & Tuesday, April 29th from 12:15-6:00 p.m.

RSVP ASAP! Tassel Participation Sign Up

All graduates planning on participating in the graduation ceremony must access the Tassel (formerly called Marching Order) link to verify their information and to receive their Grad Pass access. This form is separate from the Degree Audit and lets the college know who will or will not be participating in the commencement ceremony. The Tassel process must be completed by March 31, 2025 in order to participate.

Baccalaureate Mass

Baccalaureate is a liturgical service offering thanks for the presence of the graduates during their time as students and offering prayers for the future as the students embark on new paths. May 17th at 4:00 p.m. in the Atrium of the Tagliatela Academic Center.

Family and friends of graduates are welcome to attend.

Laurel Awards Ceremony

Bestowal of Laurels is one of the College’s oldest and most cherished traditions. During the Laurel Ceremony, the College honors its newest graduates and celebrates their degree achievements. This ceremony includes conferral of departmental awards, recognition of honor society inductees and special remarks from a member of our Albertus faculty. May 17th at 5:30 p.m. in the Behan Community Room in the Hubert Campus Center.

Family and Friends of award recipients are welcome to attend. No tickets are needed.

Degree Audits

All graduates must complete a degree audit with the Registrar’s Office in order to be eligible to participate in commencement. Degree Audits are completely separate and DO NOT take the place or fulfill the graduate’s requirement to complete the Tassel Participation Questionnaire. If you DO NOT complete your Degree Audit by the deadline, Albertus reserves the right to postpone your conferral until the next graduation date. Deadline: February 25, 2025

Caps and Gowns

All graduates must wear academic regalia to participate in the ceremony. Caps and gowns need to be purchased online through the Falcon Campus Store by March 31, 2025. All orders will be shipped directly to the graduates. Graduates are responsible for bringing all their regalia to the ceremony. Extra regalia will not be available at the store.

Additional Academic Regalia Information
Academic Gowns - Bachelor gowns and Master gowns are different.
Academic Caps - Caps are the same for all degrees.
Academic Hoods - Academic hoods are unique and distinctive for every institution in the United States; therefore, hoods must be purchased through our Falcon Campus Store online link. Associate degree recipients do not wear hoods; however, Bachelor and Master degree recipients wear academic hoods.

Honors Cord Distribution

Students who will be receiving honors will be notified via email in April

The College has set aside Monday, April 28th & Tuesday, April 29th for students who wish to come to campus to pick-up their cords. Cords will be available from 12:15 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day in Aquinas Hall, Bree Common.

Cords will be available for the following distinctions:

• Cum Laude - Royal Blue
• Magna Cum Laude - Gold
• Summa Cum Laude - Blue & Gold
• Honors Program - Blue & White
• Aquinas Scholars - Red
• Kappa Gamma Pi Honor Society - Mahogany & White

If you are unable to pick your cords up on these days, there is no need to worry. Cords will also be available to you when you check-in for the ceremony on commencement morning.

Financial Obligations to Albertus Magnus College

All financial obligations to Albertus Magnus College must be met by March 31, 2025. Any student with an outstanding financial obligation to the College after the March 31st deadline may not participate in the Commencement ceremony. Deadline: March 31, 2025.

***Bachelor degree graduates approved to “walk” with owing up to six credits must be pre-registered and paid in full (or have payment arrangements in place with the Business Office) by the deadline in order to participate in the graduation ceremonies.  Effective as of the May 2023 Commencement Ceremony, Associate degree and Master degree recipients will be allowed to walk in the ceremony if the following criteria are met:  1) students must be registered for all remaining requirement for the degree 2) have a 3.00 cumulative GPA 3) have met all financial obligations including those that will be incurred for upcoming coursework 4) will finish all requirements by August 2025.

If you have questions regarding your financial status, please contact the Business Office: 203-773-8532

Diplomas

At the commencement exercises, you will only receive your diploma case. Diplomas will be mailed to graduates eight to twelve weeks after May 18,2025. In order for Albertus to order and mail the graduate’s diploma, the requirements are as follows: degree audits completed and submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the February 25, 2025 deadline; must be completed with all academic requirements; all balances must be paid in full; verification of your current address.

Only the graduate’s name & degree type will appear on the diploma, specific majors/minors will be listed on transcripts, which can be ordered online through the Registrar’s Office after the May 18, 2025 commencement.

Program

The commencement program is not an official graduation list. The printed program lists students who were eligible to graduate for Spring Semester 2025, as of 4:30 p.m., March 7, 2025, pending outcome of final examinations and final grades.  Therefore, the program list should not be used to determine a student’s academic or degree status. The College’s official registry for conferral of degrees is the student’s permanent academic record, kept by the Registrar’s Office, Aquinas Hall, Bree Common Office Suite, 700 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511.  

Honors Designation

Graduates with honors will be acknowledged at the commencement ceremony if the following honors criteria are met as of 4:30 p.m., March 8, 2025. Since this determination will be made prior to the outcome of final examinations and final grades, any acknowledgment of honors is not official and is subject to change once final grades have been submitted and documented by the Registrar’s Office.

Honors-Qualifying Cumulative Grade Point Averages
Associates Degrees

• With Honors - Honors bestowed on students whose cumulative grade point average is 3.90 or above.

Bachelor Degrees

• Summa Cum Laude - Honor bestowed on students whose cumulative grade point average is 3.90 or above.
• Magna Cum Laude - Honor bestowed on students whose cumulative grade point average is 3.7-3.89.
• Cum Laude - Honor bestowed on students whose cumulative grade point average is 3.50-3.69.

Master Degrees

• With Honors - Honor bestowed on students whose cumulative grade point average is 3.90 or above. The student must receive a grade of "A" on the final project.

Note: Bachelor degree recipients must have completed 56 Albertus Magnus College credits as specified in the catalog in order to receive the honors designation or have it acknowledged at the commencement ceremony. Associate degree recipients must have completed half of their credits at Albertus.

***Note: please refer to the catalog for the criteria required in order to receive honors once all academic requirements have been satisfied. Information about the honor cords distribution process will be available at a later date.

Academic Degree Information

Students who are within their final degree credits of completing their Associate, Bachelor or Master degree requirements and who are in academic good standing may "participate" (walk in ceremony and have name in program) only if they fulfill the following conditions after filing a degree audit by February 25th::

• Have a 2.00 GPA overall and within the major and minor
• Pre-register and pay (or have payment arrangements in place) for the remaining coursework
• Traditional undergraduate students must pre-register for Mod 5 (summer) and complete all degree requirements by August 2025. Students who need classes beyond August 2025 are not eligible for 2025 Commencement.
• Professional & Graduate Studies students must pre-register for Mod 5 (Summer) classes and complete all degree requirements by August 2025. Students who need classes beyond August 2025 are not eligible for 2025 Commencement.
• Meet all financial obligations including those that were incurred for the pre-registered courses by March 31, 2025.
• If this option is to be utilized, it is the student’s responsibility to inform the Registrar’s Office in writing on the request for audit form/application for candidacy for graduation.

Commencement Parking & Accessibility Information

Graduates and guests attending Commencement may park in general campus parking lots or in surrounding street parking areas. We kindly ask all guests to be respectful of our neighbors and refrain from blocking driveways. Public Safety and New Haven Police officers will be on-site to assist and direct guests to available parking both on and near campus.

Gate Access:

• Gate 1 (Prospect Street – Rosary Hall entrance) will be closed for Commencement.
• Gate 7 (Huntington Street) will have restricted access.
• Please plan to arrive early to allow time to walk from your parking location to the Commencement site at Rosary Hall.

Accessible Parking:

• Handicap-accessible parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis in the McAuliffe Hall lot. A state-issued handicap placard must be presented to staff at Gate 7 (Huntington Street).
• Additional accessible parking is located in the Nilan Hall lot (300 East Rock Road), at the corner of Prospect Street and East Rock Road.

Transportation Assistance: Golf carts will be available to assist guests with disabilities in traveling from campus parking lots to Rosary Hall. Carts will also be available after the ceremony to help return guests to their vehicles.

Guest Drop-Off: Guests may be dropped off outside Gate 1 (Prospect Street) until 10:30 a.m. After that time, Prospect Street will be closed to traffic between Huntington Road and Ogden Street.

Hotels and Lodging

Albertus Magnus College has secured discounts off prevailing rates at the following area hotels. Please contact the hotels for specific rate information.

The Graduate Hotel, 1151 Chapel St., New Haven, CT 06511

The Omni New Haven, 155 Temple St., New Haven, CT 06511

Cambria Hotel New Haven, 20 Dwight St., New Haven, CT 06511

The New Haven Hotel, 229 George St., New Haven, CT 06510

Marriott Residence Inn, 2312 Whitney Ave., Hamden, CT 06518