Congratulations, Aggies! 

Friday, May 10
2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Aggie Special Events Center
Texas A&M University at Galveston
200 Seawolf Parkway, Galveston, TX

Commencement Ceremony

 

Grad BannerCongrats Aggie Grads

Friday, May 10 at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Aggie Special Events Center
Texas A&M University at Galveston
200 Seawolf Parkway, Galveston, TX

The following degrees will be awarded at the 2 p.m. ceremony:

Graduate Degree Candidates

  • Maritime Business Administration & Logistics
  • Ocean Engineering

Undergraduate Degree Candidates

  • Marine Transportation
  • Marine Engineering Technology
  • Maritime Business Administration
  • Maritime Studies
  • Ocean Engineering
  • University Studies - Marine Environmental Law & Policy
  • University Studies - Tourism & Coastal Community Development

The following degrees will be awarded at the 6 p.m. ceremony:

Graduate Degree Candidates

  • Marine Biology
  • Marine & Coastal Management & Science
  • Marine Resources Management

Undergraduate Degree Candidates

  • Marine Biology
  • Marine Fisheries
  • Marine Sciences
  • Coastal Environmental Science & Society
  • University Studies - Oceans & One Health

 

Click Here to Watch the 9am Ceremony

APPLICANT INFORMATION

  • Spring Grad Fair: March 5, 2024, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Aggie Special Events Center

  • All May 2024 degree candidates must apply for graduation in the Howdy Portal by February 16. After February 16, a late fee will be charged. All late applications must be submitted by March 27. April 30 is the last day to apply with a paper application. 
  • Degree candidates will receive periodic emails from the Registrar’s Office after they apply for graduation, or regarding any missing coursework or pending cancellation if they are not clear after applying for graduation. Please be on the lookout for these emails.

  • Graduation supplies, caps and gowns, announcements, and other graduation accessories are available for purchase through the Texas A&M University at Galveston Bookstore at a 20% discount.

  • The TAMU Office of the Registrar will mail diplomas directly to the graduates following the ceremony after they have cleared.
    Please email degree-audit@tamu.edu with questions.

  • Questions regarding commencement can be directed to the Office of Student Enrollment Services at 409.740.4414 or to graduation@tamug.edu.

Guest Tickets

Coming Soon

Academic Regalia    

Undergraduate Candidates

  • Graduates should wear academic regalia. Cadets should wear the assigned uniform.
  • The Texas A&M University at Galveston Bookstore has undergraduate academic regalia available for the ceremony. Students receiving their bachelor’s degree should have a cap and gown.

Masters and Doctoral Candidates

  • Graduates should wear academic regalia. Cadets receiving a master's degree should be sure to purchase a hood for the commencement ceremony, but a cap and gown is not necessary.
  • The Texas A&M University at Galveston Bookstore has masters and doctorial academic regalia available for the ceremony. Students receiving a masters degree should make sure to purchase a cap, gown and hood. Doctoral degree candidates should be in doctoral robes.
    • For our Former Students who graduated with an undergraduate degree from Texas A&M or Texas A&M-Galveston, please plan to purchase a new cap and gown as the graduate level gowns are different from undergraduate level gowns.
    • Arrive with your cap and gown on and bring your hood. A representative from the faculty will hood you during the ceremony.
    • 3+2 students will walk with the graduate students.

Ceremony Logistics    

Graduates are asked to carefully read the ceremony logistics below to best prepare for participation in commencement.

  • Graduates should arrive to the Aggie Special Events Center no later than 45 minutes prior to the ceremony start time with their regalia. Check-in generally begins no earlier than one hour prior to the start of the ceremony.
  • Upon arrival, graduates will check-in and be provided honor stoles and cords if applicable
  • After check-in, graduates will remain in the robing area to be lined up for the processional.
  • During the ceremony, graduates will be called to the stage by major.
  • Before the graduate’s name is called, the diploma tube will be provided just before walking on stage.
  • As your name is called, you will cross the stage, stopping for a photo on stage. Immediately offstage, another area will be set up for a second photo. A link to purchasing photos will be added to this website after graduation.
  • Parking fees will be waived for commencement:

Campus Map

Veterans

All veterans of U.S. military services attending commencement in regalia will be wearing red, white and blue cords symbolizing their service to the United States.

Honors

Texas A&M University graduates who meet requirements for graduating with University Honors will be wearing a gold satin stole to at commencement. The University presents the stoles to Latin Honor graduates in recognition of their accomplishments. The stoles for honor graduates will be distributed during line-up before the commencement ceremony. Graduate students (Masters and Doctoral students) are not eligible to receive honors (except for students in the 3+2 programs).

Students graduating with Galveston Honors must complete 18 hours of Honors coursework. Students must maintain at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point ratio with at least a 3.25 grade point ratio in Honors coursework. Galveston Honors graduates will be wearing a maroon and white patch on their Latin Honors Stole.

Unless otherwise specified below, designation as an honors graduate requires that the degree candidate have completed at least 60 credit hours at Texas A&M University, and that they have at least a 3.50 GPA. The specific honors levels are as follows:

3.50 - 3.69 GPA = Cum Laude
3.70 - 3.89 GPA = Magna Cum Laude
3.90 - 4.00 GPA = Summa Cum Laude

TAMU Student Rules specify certain credits that are excluded from the calculation.

Ceremonial Symbols    

Academic Regalia

Throughout the world, academic institutions have created a wide variety of customs as they have attempted to indicate the accomplishments of scholars, through distinctive dress, color and ceremony. American academic regalia have developed from English traditions, which originated at Oxford and Cambridge, and have been in continual use in this country since colonial times. By the twentieth century, institutions of higher learning in the United States had adopted a well-defined system of academic costume which now includes the identification of the different academic degrees by distinctive gowns, hoods and colors.

Gonfalons

The gonfalon, a flag that hangs from a crosspiece or frame, originated in the medieval republics of Italy as an ensign of state or office. Gonfalons have been adopted by many universities around the world as college or institutional insignias.

The gonfalon of Texas A&M University Galveston Campus and the eleven colleges of Texas A&M University all have similar maroon and white patterns. The white field common to all gonfalons serves as a background for the symbol of each college. The symbol of Texas A&M University Galveston Campus is the spiral pattern of the chambered nautilus shell which conforms to the mathematical formula derived from the Fibonacci series of numbers. The blue vertical bands behind it give stability to the vast open waters of the sea.

The Mace

The University mace, carried in ceremonial procession, symbolizes the rich history or Texas A&M University Galveston Campus. The head or the mace is made of Texas mesquite: inlaid on its front is a bronze University seal. A piece of teak from the original Texas Clipper (symbolizing maritime activities) and a piece of whale tooth ivory (symbolizing scientific research and teaching activities) are inlaid on the back of the mace. The foot and coupling between the staff and head are fashioned out of brass taken from the Texas Clipper II. As a coin is traditionally put under the step (bottom) of a mast, a 1962 penny is stepped in the brass foot to commemorate the year of the school's birth as the Texas A&M Maritime Academy. In the hollow center of the brass coupling between the staff and head is a small cavity, containing historical artifacts: a 1971 penny, symbolizing the year the school expanded beyond maritime subjects; a piece of Fort Crockett, the first Galveston building used by the school; and a piece of Kirkham Hall, the first building on the Mitchell Campus.

It was presented to the University in 2006 by Steven Conway, then Director of Information Services, who turned and finished the mesquite and assembled the mace. Trenton Thornton '86 milled the brass for the foot and coupling. Dr. Stephen Curley, Regents Professor, Department of Liberal Studies, suggested historical items to include in the construction.

Striking of the Ship's Bell

In the time-honored tradition of the sea, the ship’s bell is struck eight times to indicate the changing of the watch. In the Texas A&M University at Galveston tradition, the graduate with the highest overall grade point ratio strikes eight bells to indicate that members of the current graduating class achieved their goals and are now ready to embark on the next voyage of their lives.

Future Ceremony Dates    

August 2024:

Stay tuned for ceremony information.