Does Commencement Mean Graduation?

Often referred to as “Graduation”, the Commencement ceremony is just that, a ceremony. It is an end-of-spring semester celebration for students projected to successfully complete all of their graduation requirements by the end of that Spring or Summer semester.

What is the difference between a graduation and a commencement?

Commencement is often referred to as "graduation," but it is different. The commencement ceremony is just that, a ceremony. ... You will not receive a diploma at the commencement ceremony, but you will receive a diploma cover. Confirmation of degree completion will take place once all official grades are posted.

Why do they call graduation commencement?

The word reflects the meaning of the Latin inceptio (“beginning”), the name given the ceremony of initiation for new scholars into the fellowship of university teachers in medieval Europe. The event marked the commencement or “inception” of their full-fledged academic lives.