We are excited to announce the Spring 2012 College of Engineering Commencement will consist of two ceremonies, one for graduate degree recipients and one for baccalaureates. 

Graduate Ceremony (Ph.D., M.S., and M.Eng.)
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Saturday, May 12
Greek Theatre, UC Berkeley

Doors open at 8:00 a.m.

Keynote Speaker: Thomas Siebel, Chairman, First Virtual Group

Student Address: Luyao (Jeffrey) Zhang, M.S. Candidate, Civil & Environmental Engineering

Live Webcast: http://coe.berkeley.edu/BEgrad  

Baccalaureate Ceremony (B.S. and B.A.)
2:30 p.m.* – 4:30 p.m. | Saturday, May 12

Greek Theatre, UC Berkeley  

Doors open at 1:30 p.m.

Keynote Speaker: Weili Dai, Co-founder Marvell Technology Group

Student Address: Sandra Yael Cohen, Graduating Senior, Civil & Environmental Engineering

Live Webcast: http://coe.berkeley.edu/BEgrad

*Guests should plan to arrive well ahead of time to ensure comfortable seating. We will adjust the starting time as needed (but no later than 3:00 p.m.) to accommodate any of our students and families taking part in the campus-wide commencement ceremony, which is scheduled to conclude at 2:00 p.m.

Congratulations on your upcoming graduation!

Spring 2012 Graduates: College of Engineering undergraduate and graduate students completing degree requirements during the Summer 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Summer 2012 and Fall 2012 semesters are welcome to participate in the Spring 2012 College of Engineering Commencement ceremonies. The registration and ticket reservation deadline was Wednesday, April 4. For questions regarding late registration please email bears@berkeley.edu.  

Spring 2012 UC Berkeley Commencement Convocation: All Engineering graduating seniors have the opportunity to also participate in the UC Berkeley Commencement Convocation ceremony. Separate from the Engineering baccalaureate commencement ceremony, Commencement Convocation is a University-wide celebration, open to graduating seniors from all academic disciplines. The 2012 UC Berkeley Commencement Convocation will be held on Saturday, May 12, 2012, at Edwards Stadium at 10:00 a.m. Ticket information and details can be found here.

Ticket Information for the Engineering Commencement Ceremonies

• Tickets were distributed Monday, April 16 through Friday, April 20 from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. in front of Engineering Student Services at 230 Bechtel Engineering Center. After April 20, tickets will be available for pick up at the Engineering Student Services office, 230 Bechtel, between 9am and 4pm. Tickets will NOT be available for pick up on Friday, May 11, so please be sure to pick them up prior to that date.
• If you are unable to pick up your tickets in person you may have someone pick them up on your behalf. Follow these steps in order for us to release your tickets: 1. Make a legible photocopy of your student ID card. 2. Write the following on the photocopy: "I authorize (insert name of person picking up your tickets) to pick up my Engineering Commencement tickets." 3. Indicate the total number of tickets the person is picking up. 4. Sign and date the photocopy. 5. Instruct the person you authorized to pick up your tickets to bring their photo ID for verification.
• Graduates must complete the online registration forms to reserve and purchase tickets. The registration and ticket reservation deadline was April 4, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. Graduates registering after the deadline are not guaranteed the ticket maximum.
• Graduates may reserve a maximum of 10 tickets; 1 for the graduate, 9 for guests. The first 5 tickets (1 for the graduate, 4 for guests) are free; additional tickets, (5 maximum), may be purchased at $5 per ticket, for a total of 10 tickets. All commencement ticket sales are final. No refunds, no exceptions. Tickets should be treated like cash; they cannot be replaced if lost, stolen, damaged, or otherwise rendered unreadable.
• Extra Tickets: Any tickets still available on the day of commencement will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, at the box office of the Greek Theatre for $5 each, cash only.  The box office will open 1-hour prior to the commencement ceremony.
• All graduates and guests (age 2 and older) must have a ticket to gain admittance to Commencement. Graduates and guests will not be admitted without a ticket. Please note: seating is general admission, not reserved, on a first-come, first-served basis, and it is possible that guests may have to climb the steep steps to sit on the grassy hillside above the concrete bleacher seating. Once the concrete bleacher seating area has reached capacity, guests will be directed to the lawn by Greek Theatre staff.

Important Note Regarding the Ticket Maximum and Seating at the Greek Theatre

Seating is first-come, first-served for guests who are already present (i.e. saving seats will not work), and your guests may have to climb the steep steps to sit on the grassy hillside above the concrete bleacher seating. The Greek Theatre is open to the elements and you and your guests should be prepared for any kind of weather and a wide range of temperatures. There are no indoor, temperature controlled areas at the Greek Theatre. It may be very cold on a foggy morning, becoming very hot if the sun comes out. Sunscreen is highly recommended, as are blankets and/or layered clothing. Guests and students should dress accordingly. Commencement will take place rain or shine.

Letter of Invitation to Commencement for International Family Members (for Visa purposes)

Send an email to Dawn Kramer at dkramer@berkeley.edu with the following information:

1. Your full name
2. Your student ID number
3. Your email address
4. Your current home address
5. The degree(s) you will receive and major(s)
6. The names and relationships of each person that you would like to invite to attend graduation (Mr. John Smith, father; Mrs. Joan Smith, mother; Mr. Joe Smith, brother, etc.)

You will receive your letter by email within 2 business days of your request.

Disability Accommodations

If you or any of your guests require accommodations for disabilities (e.g. wheelchair seating, sign language interpreter, etc.) please fill out the special seating request form as soon as possible. If you have any questions please contact Dawn Kramer at dkramer@berkeley.edu.

Caps and Gowns

Students are responsible for providing their own regalia, including hoods for Ph.D. candidates. Caps and gowns may be purchased from the Cal Student Store. For more information regarding caps and gowns, graduation announcements and ordering yearbooks please contact the Cal Student Store at (510) 642-7028. Store hours are: Mon. thru Fri. 10am - 6pm, Sat. 10am - 5pm, Sun. Noon - 4pm. You may also view purchase information here.

Honors Cords

Summer 2011, Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 B.S. and B.A. degree candidates who have an overall UCB GPA that ranks them in the top 20% of students in the College of Engineering will be eligible to purchase honors cords at the Cal Student Store for the 2012 commencement ceremony.  For the academic year 2011-2012, the minimum UCB GPA required for HONORs (as determined by the Office of the Registrar) is 3.678.  Due to pending grades, Summer 2012 and Fall 2012 B.S. and B.A. degree candidates are not eligible to purchase honors cords for the 2012 commencement ceremony. To confirm your cumulative UCB GPA through the Fall 2011 semester meets the cutoff requirement, please visit https://bearfacts.berkeley.edu.

Parking

During Commencement at UC Berkeley, student 'S' permit areas will be open to the public for an $8 fee. Drivers without an 'S' permit must purchase an $8 ticket from the dispensing machine in the 'S' lot and display it on their dashboard. Please read parking signs carefully. For Commencement, Parking & Transportation will sell parking spaces for $10 at the following 'F' permit lot locations:

Foothill Lot (Hearst at Highland Ave.)
Upper Hearst Structure (Hearst at Gayley Rd.)

Disabled Parking: All designated disabled spaces and non-reserved spaces will be available at $10 to disabled patrons with certified disabled placards or license plates on a first-come, first-served basis. Disabled parking is available at the Upper Hearst structure at the corner of Hearst Ave and Gayley Road (there are two DP spaces on the lowest level entering from Hearst Ave, and several more DP spaces on the third level entering from Gayley Road). Upper Hearst parking garage has the best path of travel (one relatively level block) from the parking area to the Greek Theatre. Please note there is a curbside drop-off area on Gayley Road just north of the Greek Theatre entrance for passengers with mobility disabilities who prefer to minimize the travel distance to the Greek Theatre.

For more information about parking, see the Parking and Transportation website.

Post-Commencement Receptions

Ph.D., M.S., M.Eng. Graduates
Each College of Engineering department will host a complimentary post-commencement reception for graduate degree recipients and their guests immediately following the commencement ceremony. No RSVP is necessary. Reception locations are as follows:

Applied Science and Technology | Bechtel Engineering Center, Room 225A
Bioengineering | Stanley Hall, First Floor Atrium
Civil and Environmental Engineering | O'Brien Hall Breezeway
Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences | Bechtel Engineering Center, Terrace
Industrial Engineering and Operations Research | McCone Hall, Smilodon Plaza
Materials Science and Engineering | Hearst Memorial Mining Building, Betty & Gordon Moore Lobby
Mechanical Engineering | Esplanade between Soda & Etcheverry Halls
Nuclear Engineering | International House, Heller Patio

Baccalaureates
The College of Engineering will host a complimentary post-commencement reception for baccalaureates and their guests on the Memorial Glade immediately following the commencement ceremony. No RSVP is necessary. 

Diplomas

Commemorative scrolls, not diplomas, are given out at Commencement. Diplomas for undergraduate and graduate students will be automatically mailed free of charge approximately 4 months after the end of the term to the diploma address supplied by you on Bear Facts. If you have any questions or need more information visit the Office of the Registar's website.

Pictures

The College of Engineering has made arrangements with Grad Images Photo to photograph every graduate at the moment the scroll is given. For more information about ordering photos visit the Grad Images website.

2011 Commencement Video

The 2011 College of Engineering commencement ceremony was webcast live. Watch the commencement ceremony in its entirety here.

Blue & Gold Yearbook

To purchase your copy of the Blue & Gold Yearbook, UC Berkeley's official historical record, click here.

Senior Gift

As a graduating senior, you have an opportunity to join a group of your peers and make a big impact on your College through the Senior Gift Campaign! Your support is critical to maintaining Berkeley’s position as one of the top engineering schools in the world. Visit our Senior Gift page for more information.

Commencement Program for Summer and Fall '12 Graduates

If you participate in the Spring 2012 Commencement ceremony but do not graduate until Summer or Fall 2012, your name will not be included in the Spring 2012 program. Your name will be included in the 2013 Commencement program. After June 1, 2013, if you would like to receive a copy of the Spring 2013 Commencement program, e-mail your name, address, and the number of copies you are requesting to Dawn Kramer, bears@berkeley.edu.