# Graduation > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Graduation > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Graduation.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graduation > Source revision: 1351503396 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Bestowing of a diploma For other uses, see [Graduation (disambiguation)](/source/Graduation_(disambiguation)). "Commencement" redirects here. For other uses, see [Commencement (disambiguation)](/source/Commencement_(disambiguation)). This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) This article may need to be rewritten to comply with Wikipedia's quality standards. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. You can help. The talk page may contain suggestions. (September 2024) This article needs more citations. 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(September 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Students lined up at a graduation ceremony in the United States in the early 20th century [Graduation hats](/source/Square_academic_cap) being tossed by fresh graduates of [ISB](/source/Indian_School_of_Business) ([Hyderabad](/source/Hyderabad), India) Medical student graduation in [Avicenna Mausoleum](/source/Avicenna_Mausoleum), [Hamedan](/source/Hamedan), Iran [King's College London](/source/King's_College_London) graduands wearing [academic dresses](/source/Academic_dress_of_King's_College_London) without caps Susquehanna University Graduation, 1951 A **graduation** is the awarding of a [diploma](/source/Diploma) by an [educational institution](/source/Educational_institution).[1][2] It may also refer to the ceremony that is associated with it, which can also be called [commencement](/source/Commencement_speech), [congregation](/source/Congregation_(university)), [convocation](/source/Convocation#University_use) or **invocation**. The date of the graduation ceremony is often called *graduation day*. Graduates can be referred to by their year of graduation. ## History Ceremonies for graduating students date from the first universities in Europe in the twelfth century. At that time, Latin was the language of scholars. A *[universitas](/source/Medieval_university)* was a guild of masters (such as MAs) with license to teach. The etymology of "degree" and "graduate" originates from *gradus*, meaning "step". The first step was admission to a bachelor's degree. The second step was the masters step, giving the graduate admission to the *universitas* and license to teach. Typical dress for graduation is a [gown and hood](/source/Academic_dress), or hats adapted from the daily dress of university staff in the [Middle Ages](/source/Middle_Ages), which was in turn based on the attire worn by medieval [clergy](/source/Clergy).[3] The tradition of wearing graduation hats in Sweden has been in place since the mid-eighteenth century. The cap is typically a white sailor hat with a black or dark blue band around it, a crown motif, and a black peak at the front. The graduation hat tradition was initially adopted by students at [Uppsala University](/source/Uppsala_University). The headgear then became popular across several other European nations as well.[4] ## Ceremony Usually, the ceremony and name apply to [university](/source/University) or [college](/source/College) degrees: [Associate's](/source/Associate's), [Bachelor's](/source/Bachelor's), [Master's](/source/Master's) and [Doctoral](/source/Doctoral) degrees. In a graduation ceremony for a college or university, the presiding officer or other authorized person formally confers degrees upon candidates, either individually or *[en masse](/source/En_masse)*. However, some graduates may physically receive their diploma later at smaller college or [departmental](/source/Academic_department) ceremonies, or even through the mail.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Ceremonies often include a procession of some of the academic staff, candidates, and a [valediction](/source/Valediction). The students typically wear formal [academic dress](/source/Academic_dress), such as [square academic caps](/source/Square_academic_cap) and gowns. The academic staff will usually also wear academic dress at the ceremony, as will the [trustees](/source/Trustees) (if applicable).[5] ### Graduation *in absentia* When a student graduates without attending the graduation ceremony, then it is called graduation *in absentia*.[6] ### Non-tertiary graduations In the [United States](/source/United_States) and [Israel](/source/Israel), completing high school is also referred to as "graduating", with a [high school diploma](/source/High_school_diploma) or [Bagrut](/source/Bagrut) certificate, respectively.[7][8][9] Graduations from [high school](/source/High_school) typically occur between the months of June and August. Oftentimes, completing [middle school](/source/Middle_school) or [kindergarten](/source/Kindergarten) is also marked by a graduation ceremony. College Completion Rates in the United States versus Life Expectancy at Birth, per CDC (2021) ## By country Further information: [Academic graduation by country](/source/Academic_graduation_by_country) Female [Finnish](/source/Finland) students graduating from high school, in 1906 The procedures and traditions surrounding academic graduation ceremonies differ around the world. In the United Kingdom a graduation usually only occurs at university level. Whereas in the United States and many other countries, graduations also occur at high schools where no higher education qualifications are awarded to the graduates. In [Sweden](/source/Sweden), most universities are research-oriented and may present their students with bachelor's, master's, and doctor's degrees covering all academic streams. Universities across the country are based through the Higher Education Ordinance. Most of the national programs provide Swedish, English, math and science among degree courses. In India, nowadays, a passing out ceremony or a promotion ceremony from one level to another starting from preschools like from Nursery to Junior is also referred to as a Graduation Ceremony. In [Zimbabwe](/source/Zimbabwe), graduation ceremonies are often associated with the guest of honor who most often is the ceremonial head of the institution. At state universities the president of the country officiates as chancellor and guest of honor. Every graduate of a state university in Zimbabwe can claim to have shaken the President's hand. The person most associated with graduation at those institutions is Zimbabwe's late ex-president [Robert Mugabe](/source/Robert_Mugabe). At other state institutions of higher learning, the vice presidents or other senior government officials may preside.[10] Otherwise, in countries like [Argentina](/source/Argentina) and [Uruguay](/source/Uruguay), enthusiasm prevails over moderation, as well as taking part in an authentic [carnival](/source/Carnival) as part of the celebration that is mostly spontaneous, anarchic, and barely planned in the middle of the streets: hundreds of graduates, familiars and friends gather in an open place, carrying alcoholic drinks, eggs, flour and other messy food; pelting it all over the graduates; whereas the party is public and open to excesses that carry the complaints of all sorts of commerce, neighbours and authorities in the zone due to the concentration of public disorder and filth that lasts until the aftermath and overwhelms the municipal services.[11] ## See also - [Academic dress](/source/Academic_dress) – Ceremonial clothing used at graduations - [Commencement speech](/source/Commencement_speech) – Speech given to graduating students - [Encaenia](/source/Encaenia) – Academic or ecclesiastical ceremony - [Exit examination](/source/Exit_examination) – High school leaving examination - [Honorary degree](/source/Honorary_degree) – Academic qualification awarded without usual requirements - [Matriculation](/source/Matriculation) – Entering a university ## Notes and references 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Definition of GRADUATION"](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/graduation). *www.merriam-webster.com*. 24 December 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2024. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["graduation"](https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/1631505398). *[Oxford English Dictionary](/source/Oxford_English_Dictionary)* (online ed.). Oxford University Press. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1093/OED/1631505398](https://doi.org/10.1093%2FOED%2F1631505398). Retrieved 9 January 2024. (Subscription or [participating institution membership](https://www.oed.com/public/login/loggingin#withyourlibrary) required.) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Graduation through the ages"](https://web.archive.org/web/20171025211350/http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/graduation/grad-history.shtml). Archived from [the original](http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/graduation/grad-history.shtml) on 25 October 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2018. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Elin Olsson. ["Swedish high school graduation day"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220924062359/https://www.academia.edu/8202511). *Academia.edu*. Archived from [the original](https://www.academia.edu/8202511) on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2017. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Taylor, D. Joshua (18 June 2015). ["The History of Graduation Ceremonies and Other School Rituals"](https://daily.jstor.org/the-history-of-graduation-ceremonies-and-other-school-rituals-of-our-ancestors/). *JSTOR Daily*. Retrieved 14 August 2024. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Information for those not attending a ceremony"](https://www.ed.ac.uk/student-administration/graduations/grad-info-absentia). *The University of Edinburgh*. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Lomsky-Feder, Edna (1 December 2012). ["High School Graduation Ceremonies: Intergenerational Relations and Models of Social Order"](https://www.berghahnjournals.com/view/journals/social-analysis/56/3/sa560304.xml). *Social Analysis*. **56** (3): 49–68. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.3167/sa.2012.560304](https://doi.org/10.3167%2Fsa.2012.560304). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0155-977X](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0155-977X). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [""Bagrut" Matriculation Exams"](https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/quot-bagrut-quot-matriculation-exams). *www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org*. Retrieved 14 August 2024. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Turnitin account"](https://lucidgen.com/mua-tai-khoan-turnitin/). *lucidgen.com* (in Vietnamese). 17 July 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2024. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["President Mugabe caps 1 986 at Nust | The Herald"](http://www.herald.co.zw/president-mugabe-caps-1-986-at-nust/). *www.herald.co.zw*. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Polémica entre vecinos y egresados de Medicina por festejo en Mercado del Puerto"](https://www.subrayado.com.uy/polemica-vecinos-y-egresados-medicina-festejo-mercado-del-puerto-n539285). 19 July 2019. ## External links - [The Stories Behind Graduation Traditions](https://web.archive.org/web/20090622032741/http://blogs.static.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/25453.html?cnn=yes) by Ethan Trex, *Mental Floss* Authority control databases International FAST National United States Czech Republic Other NARA Yale LUX --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Graduation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graduation) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graduation?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.