2024 Graduation Ceremony

In the event of inclement weather, the university administration will make a decision to move the commencement activities by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1.  The inclement weather plan will be as follows:

• • Thursday, May 2 at 5 p.m. – Lightsey Chapel – Nursing Pinning Ceremony

• • Friday, May 3 at 6 p.m. – Lightsey Chapel – Graduate Student Commencement (includes EdD hooding ceremony)*

• • Saturday, May 4 at 9 a.m. – Lightsey Chapel – College of Education, College of Business and College Adult and Professional Studies Commencement*

• • Saturday, May 4 at Noon – Lightsey Chapel – College of Nursing, College of Science and Mathematics, and College of Health Sciences Commencement*

• • Saturday, May 4 at 3 p.m. – Lightsey Chapel – College of Humanities and Social Sciences and College of Christian Studies*

*In the event of inclement weather, each graduate will receive 8 tickets for their guests

Undergraduate participants will attend rehearsal at Lightsey Chapel on Friday, May 3 at 1:30 p.m. Please arrive early for instructions. The rehearsal will last approximately 90 minutes. Special instructions will be given regarding parking and entrance to Buccaneer Field during rehearsal. After rehearsal you will have the chance to meet with faculty who announce your name when walking across the stage. If you are worried your name will be mispronounced, please meet with them to make sure they are pronouncing your name correctly. We strongly encourage all students to attend.

Graduate participants will arrive at Buccaneer Field House (Buc Dome) by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 3 to receive instructions before their ceremony at 6 p.m.

The gates or doors will open 1 hour prior to the beginning of each ceremony so guests can take their seat.

In the event of inclement weather, the doors to Lightsey Chapel will open 30 minutes prior to each ceremony.

There is no limit on the number of guests each graduate can bring to Commencement on Buccaneer Field.

In the event of inclement weather, each undergraduate graduate will be given 8 tickets to share with family and friends who want to attend the ceremony in Lightsey Chapel. There will be overflow seating for additional guests in the Whitfield Center for Christian Leadership with a live stream.  If a student would like to invite another undergraduate graduate to their ceremony, then they would have to give them a ticket to use. Tickets will be issued by Student Life on May 2 and 3 if the decision is made to move to the Chapel.

The Commencement Ceremony is a very special occasion, so please dress appropriately.

Men should wear khakis or dress pants, dark (flat) shoes, and a shirt with a collar. Ladies should very seriously consider flat shoes – dark colors are preferable. 

Women need to wear flat sole shoes (wedges, flats) and men must have a flat shoe (no boots with a heel). Heels will not be permitted on the football field. All persons participating in Commencement who will walk on the turf are required to follow this policy.

Graduates inducted into academic honor societies will be allowed to wear the specific honor cord for that academic honor society at Commencement. No other adornments available from the academic honor society such as medals, pins or stoles are to be worn at commencement.

Graduates who are student athletes and graduates who are veterans of the United States’ military will be permitted to wear honor cords.  Athletic honor cords are Navy and Gold. Veteran honor cords are Red, White, and Blue.

Graduates of Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC will be permitted to wear the sash representing their branch of the military.

Graduates who are members of approved campus organizations may wear a single stole outside their graduation gown.

Please note, students are not permitted to decorate their caps or regalia. Students who do not show up with the appropriate attire may not be able to participate in the Commencement activities.

This policy apply for both the undergraduate and graduate ceremonies.

The second entrance of the University at Buccaneer Field will serve as the point of entry for all parking. Graduates will park in the lot behind Women’s North Residence Hall. Guest parking will be available to the left of Buc Club Boulevard in the grass fields. Faculty parking will be available at the Field House parking lot. Handicap parking and VIP parking will be available to the right of Buc Club Boulevard in the parking lot of Buccaneer Field.

Campus Safety and Security will be directing traffic and guiding guests to available parking. There will be signage, volunteers, and security personnel available for guidance.

In the event of inclement weather, graduates and guests will be directed to park in the Commuter Lot, Science Building Lot, or the Library and Student Center Lot.

Download the parking map here!

Graduates can come together during the Bucky’s Bon Voyage Luncheon on Friday, May 3 at 11:30 a.m. The event will be held on the lawn between WCCL and Jones Hall. In the case of inclement weather, Bucky’s Bon Voyage will be held in the Dining Hall.

RSVP HERE!

Yes. There will be a light reception after the ceremony at the Buccaneer Field for graduates and their family and friends. This will be an opportunity for refreshments, pictures, and connecting with faculty within each college.

In the event of inclement weather, a reception will be held directly after each ceremony in the Dining Hall.

Yes, every ceremony will be livestreamed. You can find those links here to share. (Links to come)

The undergraduate event on Saturday, May 4 will likely run anywhere from 2 to 2.5 hours. We recommend making lunch or dinner reservations after 1:30 p.m. to allow time to attend the reception immediately following the event and enjoy time with faculty, staff, and graduates on campus. The graduate event on Friday, May 3, will likely run anywhere from 1.5 to 2 hours.

Graduates will receive an email with the gallery link within 7-14 days following the event. Pictures will also be accessible on this page after graduation and links to the galleries will be posted on the Charleston Southern University Facebook page.

Ages 2 and under do not require a ticket as long as they can sit on the lap of someone who does have a ticket.

Yes – All summer and fall graduates for 2024 will graduate in December. These graduations will all be held in Lightsey Chapel as follows:

• Thursday, December 19 – Fall Graduate Commencement
• Friday, December 20 – Fall Undergraduate Commencement

Please note that the Department of Physician Assistant Studies and the Department of Physical Therapy will hold separate Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, December 14. The EdD program will be included in the graduate Commencement on December 19.

Dependent on how many students register for Fall Commencement, we may have two undergraduate ceremonies on December 20. As we get closer to the dates this fall, we will also announce exact times based on the amount of registrations. Again, more information will be provided as we continue the planning process. Stay tuned for updates!

Persons needing accommodations for accessibility or disability at Commencement should contact graduation@csuniv.edu at least one week prior to the event to request accommodations. Special seating will be available for guests as needed.

Yes. The university will follow its Clear Bag Policy for Commencement ceremonies, which states that approved bags may not exceed 12″ x 6″ x 12″, a 1 gallon (or smaller) re-sealable clear plastic freezer bag, a small clutch purse no larger than 4.5″ x 6.5″. In addition, no weapons are permitted at any Commencement ceremonies.

Yes, but please follow the full policy here!

Please note, students are not permitted to decorate their caps or regalia. Students who do not show up with the appropriate attire may not be able to participate in the Commencement activities.

Diplomas will be mailed to graduates after Commencement. Graduates will receive an email to their CSU email address when the diploma has been mailed. Graduates will be given their diploma cover during the ceremony to be used for pictures.

Please make sure your diploma mailing address is up to date by verifying your address is correct on your MyCSU account. Once you log in, click on your picture or the circle in the upper right hand corner and choose My profile & settings; on the left hand side, choose contact information; click on the drop down arrow under addresses; if your current address needs to be updated, click on Current address, make the changes and save. Addresses must be updated no later than May 6^th.

The official document of awarding of your degree is the official transcript. You can order your official transcript in MyCSU once all final grades are posted in May, and your degree is conferred. Once your degree has been conferred, the ‘A0’ hold will change to ‘RA’ (Readmission required). This means you have graduated.