Girton College University of Cambridge

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Graduation and Congregations

Students or alumnae who are eligible to receive their degrees may do so at Congregations of the Regent House held on Saturdays at regular intervals throughout the year. The College Praelectors, Dr Josh Slater and Dr Louise Braddock, are responsible for presenting students at Congregations when they receive their degrees.

Who is eligible to graduate?

Any member of Girton College who has fulfilled the appropriate examination and residence requirements may proceed to their degree at Congregation. The College will contact those students who it expects to present for their ‘first’ degrees at General Admission over the Easter Vacation (i.e. students reading for B.A., M.Eng., M.Sci., Vet.M.B., and LL.M. degrees) and those alumnae who become eligible for their MA degree.

The Board of Graduate Studies informs graduate students when they have been approved for their degrees and asks them to contact the College to make the necessary arrangements to have their degrees conferred at Congregation. Please note that graduate students are not automatically entered for graduation – they must register for a specific Congregation using the Graduation Form (please see below).

The College will not put forward anyone for graduation who has not settled their College and University bills.

How to register for a Congregation

If you wish to put your name forward to receive your degree at any Congregation (other than General Admission or the MA Congregation in March) you will need to complete the College’s Graduation Form . This may be completed online, but your application will only be processed once a cheque has been received for any payments due. (Payment is required to cover any guest’s lunches – £20.50 per person). Please note that graduation applications must be submitted at least 14 days before the date of the graduation ceremony or you will be too late to be entered.

The MA Congregation in March is a larger event and organised differently to the regular congregations with very different deadlines. This Congregation is when most newly eligible alumnae return to receive their MA degrees. Non-MA graduands may receive their degrees at this Congregation and they should contact the Tutorial & Admissions Office for further information.

The MA Degree

Two years and one term after graduating, a Bachelor of Arts is entitled to take his or her Master of Arts degree, either in person or in absence. The College will contact all those who become eligible each year in December via email and invite them to attend the Congregation in March. Although the degree may be conferred at any Congregation, the March Congregation is traditionally the occasion when alumnae return to Cambridge for the event and a special dinner is arranged on the Saturday evening following the ceremony at the Senate House.  Alumnae must make sure that the Development Office has up-to-date contact details so that they can receive their invitation.

Guests

Each graduand is allowed up to a maximum of three guest tickets for the ceremony at the Senate House and these are free of charge. The tickets are normally collected when attending the dress rehearsal at Wolfson Court where attendance is compulsory. Graduands and their guests are invited to join the Praelector for lunch before the Congregation.

What happens on the day?

Each Congregation (other than General Admission and the MA Congregation in March) takes the same format although the precise timing of events depends on the actual numbers of graduands to be presented by each College and is not available until one week before the Congregation when you will be contacted via email with all the necessary details.

On the day of the Congregation, graduands are required to attend a full dress rehearsal at Wolfson Court and this normally takes place at 12noon. Graduands should arrive fully robed. Lunch follows for those who have booked. After lunch, there is then time to walk to the Senate House, or taxis can be booked if the weather is inclement. Any graduand not attending the lunch must make sure they meet the Praelector at the agreed time outside the Senate House.

Photographs and degree certificates

The University Photographic and Illustration Service offers a complete photography and framing service for graduands on the day. During the course of the graduation ceremony an individual photograph is taken of each graduand at the moment that the degree is conferred. To reserve a copy of this photograph either on the day or at a later date, graduands are asked to complete and return an order form which is included in the Senate House programme issued on the day. Please note that graduands and guests are not permitted to use still cameras or video cameras inside the Senate House.

Following the ceremony photographers are available to take individual or group portraits. It will not be necessary for you to make arrangements in advance as this is all organised on the day.

Original degree certificates are issued without charge to all those proceeding to degrees. A fee of £15.00 is charged for each copy of a degree certificate. The University offers an alternative design certificate bearing the arms of the University printed in colour. This is available to order at a charge of £40.00. For further details, contact the University Student Records Office.

Academical Dress

Information about academical dress can be downloaded here.

Congregation Dates – 2011/2012

The list below gives the dates of Congregations of the Regent House which degrees may conferred throughout this academic year. Graduands may be presented in person or in absence.

Michaelmas Term 2011

Lent Term 2012

Easter Term 2012

General Admission 2012

LL.M., M.Math., M.Eng., M.Sci., Vet.M.B., B.A., degrees only

Long Vacation 2012