Commencement

The campus-wide commencement involves all majors offered at UC Berkeley, please note that graduate names are not read at the spring campus-wide event. The BPH commencement is our departmental ceremony, it is smaller and more personal. Unlike the campuswide commencement, each BPH graduate will have their name read aloud while they walk across the stage to receive a commemorative scroll.

All Berkeley Public Health Online /OOMPH  students graduating are eligible to participate in both of the commencement ceremonies (campus-wide and BPH). You may choose to participate in both, only one, or neither — participation at a commencement ceremony is not a requirement.

Students who graduated and completed their Comprehensive Exam in Fall 2024, or who will complete their Comprehensive Exam and graduate in Spring 2025, or Summer 2025 are eligible to participate. 

BPH Commencement Ceremony: There is no cost to register to participate. If you would like to participate in the BPH Commencement Ceremony, please visit: https://publichealth.berkeley.edu/student-life/commencement/

Fall 2024, Spring 2025, and Summer 2025 graduates will be automatically added to an email list and should begin receiving communications directly from the BPH commencement committee starting around mid-to-late February.

Campuswide commencement: There is no cost to register to participate, commencement is free for graduates, but you must register. The deadline to ensure your name is included in the commemorative program (April 12) has passed. If you miss that deadline, you can still participate, but your name won’t be listed.

If you are a current student who plans to participate in the campuswide Commencement on May 17, 2025, and would like to receive emails about registration, guest tickets, and more, first check all email inboxes, including your spam and promotions folders, for emails from “commencement@our.berkeley.edu” or “commencement@berkeley.edu.”

If you haven’t received an email from this address, fill out this form to make sure you’re included. This email list is for graduates only and will be deleted after Commencement. Parents and other guests, please contact your student directly for details about the day.

No, regalia is not required for either ceremony. Caps and gowns may be purchased or rented from the Cal Student Store. Students are responsible for providing their own regalia, if they would like to wear it for their ceremony. MPH graduates wear the following for full-regalia Masters Gown, Masters Hood, Cap, Cap Tassel, & Stole

For more information regarding caps and gowns, graduation announcements, and ordering yearbooks, please visit the Cal Student Store website or the brick-and-mortar store at 2495 Bancroft Way. Store hours are Monday through Friday 9 am–6 pm., Saturday 10 am– 6 pm, Sunday 11 am–5 pm

Watch short videos on how to wear academic regalia on the Berkeley Engineering YouTube channel.

You can order regalia at Cal Bookstore. 

The Public Health hood is a “salmon” and the tassel is “blue and gold.”

Students are responsible for providing their own regalia, if they would like to wear it for the Commencement Ceremony. Regalia is not required. Caps, gowns, diploma frame, and other graduation items can be purchased from the Cal Student Store. You can pick-up your regalia at the Cal Bookstore or have it mailed to you directly.

BPH Commencement Ceremony: A link to register and purchase tickets will be emailed and posted to the Public Health Commencement website as soon as it becomes available. Graduates can receive up to 4 free tickets upon completion of the Public Health exit survey and may purchase an additional 6 guest tickets.  If you need more than 10 tickets, please reach out to bph-commencement@berkeley.edu. We will do our best to accommodate additional requests for tickets.

Graduates must register to participate in commencement but do not need to purchase a ticket for themselves.

Campuswide commencement: Each graduate can purchase a maximum of 4 guest tickets. All guest tickets are reserved seating and range from $10 to $15 each. Register for the campuswide commencement and purchase tickets here. Please note that all sales are FINAL and there are no refunds. No exceptions. 

BPH Commencement Ceremony: Yes, children/babies must each have their own ticket in order to be admitted to the event. 

Campuswide commencement: Yes. All persons 24 months and older must have a valid ticket to enter the venue. Children under 24 months must be held in a lap to avoid interfering with other guests’ viewing of the ceremony.

Campuswide commencement: Reserved parking is not available for commencement. If you choose to drive, please consult the campus map for directions. Parking is available in the campus parking lots on a first-come, first-served basis. You may also park in the surrounding city parking lots. Rates and hours may vary.

During Commencement, parking is very limited at UC Berkeley. Off-campus parking options at downtown parking structures may be a good option to explore — but the distance needed to travel from the car to the ceremony may be a challenge. The following on-campus parking options will be available on the day of commencement:

Foothill Lot: The lot is located on Cyclotron Road, east of Highland. From the Foothill Lot parking, it will take about 15 minutes to walk to the Greek Theatre. From the Alumni House, it will take about 20 minutes to walk back to the parking lot.

Upper Hearst Structure The parking structure is located at the corner of Hearst Ave and Gayley Rd. From the Upper Hearst Structure, it will take about 10 minutes to walk to the Greek Theatre. From the Alumni House, it will take about 20 minutes to walk back to the parking structure.

Underhill Garage The parking garage is located at the corner of Haste St. and College Ave. From the Underhill Garage, it will take about 10 minutes to walk to the Greek Theatre. From the Alumni House, it will take about 15 minutes to walk back to the parking garage.

Stadium Parking Garage (3rd Party Managed with different rates). The parking garage is located on Gayley Rd, in front of the Hass School of Business. From the Upper Hearst Structure, it will take about 5 minutes to walk to the Greek Theatre. From the Alumni House, it will take about 10 minutes to walk back to the parking structure.

If you pay for parking at a UC Berkeley lot and move your car to another lot after the ceremony, you do not have to pay again. The only exception is the Stadium Parking Garage which is not a UC Berkeley lot.

Parking Accessibility

All designated Disabled spaces and non-reserved spaces will be available at the above parking options and rates to disabled patrons with certified handicapped placards or license plates on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no designated parking lot or special rates for Disabled Placard holders.

BPH Commencement Ceremony: Please review this Parking & Directions Guide provided by the Greek Theater.

We encourage you to take public transportation. If you choose to drive, please consult the campus map for directions.  You may park in the surrounding area and private lots on a first-come, first-served basis, charges and hours vary.

BPH Commencement Ceremony: Graduates will start gathering for the procession at least one hour prior to the ceremony start time. Graduates sit together with their program at the BPH Commencement. Be patient and follow staff instructions until all graduates are seated.

Campuswide commencement: Graduates need to be at Witter Rugby Field (near Gate 8) at 8:30 a.m. You will begin entering California Memorial Stadium at 9 a.m., and the ceremony starts at 10:30 a.m.

Graduates who require disability access can be dropped off at Underhill Garage, where an ADA shuttle will take them to Gate 6 at the stadium. ADA golf carts will also be available at the stadium if you need assistance there.

If you would like to sit with your friends during the ceremony, stand in line together, as seating is unassigned. Please be patient and follow staff instructions.

BPH Commencement Ceremony: The BPH ceremony lasts about two and a half hours and includes a keynote speaker, student speaker, graduate procession and reading of names, and the official conferring of degrees by the Chancellor.

Campuswide commencement:  If you would like to sit with your friends during the ceremony, stand in line together, as seating is unassigned. Please be patient and follow staff instructions.

The ceremony lasts about 90 minutes and includes the keynote speaker, student speaker, and the official conferring of degrees by the Chancellor.

No, the diploma will be mailed to your address listed in CalCentral approximately three-and-a-half months after the ceremony. Visit the registrar’s office for more information. If you need evidence of degree completion sooner, you may request a Certificate of Completion.

Berkeley Public Health wants to make the Commencement ceremony accessible to you and your guests. If you or friends/family members attending the ceremony require accommodations, please fill out the Special Seating Request Form.  For questions, please contact bph-commencement@berkeley.edu

Parking and Transportation accessibility information.

If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) or information about campus mobility access features in order to fully participate in this event, please contact Julie Moss, (OOMPH DSP liaison) at juliecmoss@berkeley.edu with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days in advance of the event.

Masks are strongly recommended, but not required — regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status..Visit the UC Berkeley FAQ for more public health recommendations.

Contact the Berkeley Convention and Visitors Bureau.