Graduate Hooding Ceremony

About the Event 

Each semester, the College of Nursing and Health Innovation (CONHI) honors our Master’s and Post-Master’s graduation candidates in a hooding ceremony. The Graduate Hooding Ceremony is separate from commencement to allow ample time to recognize the achievements of our graduation candidates.

During the ceremony, Master’s candidates will be hooded by a member of the CONHI faculty. Although our Post-Master’s candidates will not be hooded, as you were previously hooded when you received your master’s degree, you will also be recognized during the ceremony.

Ceremony Information 

Schedule / Registration

The Graduate Hooding Ceremony is generally held each semester; however, this may vary. The ceremony is scheduled during the week of commencement, but the ceremony date/time is not finalized until a few months prior to commencement. Approximately 2-3 months before your graduation, you will receive an email from us with more information about your ceremony date/time and how to register for the event. If you have applied for graduation, please be on the lookout for this email during your final semester in the program.

Location / Parking

Location: Texas Hall, 701 W. Nedderman Drive, Arlington, TX 76019 

Click here for a list of Prohibited Items and Policies

Parking: Park West Parking Garage, Lot 30, Lot 34. ADA parking is available at the meters on Nedderman Drive, or ADA spaces within lot F8.

Entrance: Students will enter the West Entrance (off Nedderman Dr.).

Guests are required to enter on the East side of Texas Hall. In the event you require ADA accommodations, you will be permitted to enter the West entrance, along with 1 accompanying guest.

Guests will not be allowed to enter until 30 minutes prior to the ceremony.

Pick-up and Drop-off: The assigned parking lots and garage are an appreciable walking distance from Texas Hall; please take this into consideration when planning your visit. There is a small turn-around immediately north of Texas Hall that may also be used for pick-up and drop-off.

Seating

Seating is limited. Decision regarding the number of guests students may bring will be determined each semester based on the number of students graduating and seats available. Once we determine the number of students that will attend, we will notify students of the number of guests they may bring. Although we want your family and friends to share this joyous occasion with you, we ask that you limit your guests to the number we provide to allow other graduates’ family and friends to participate in the ceremony as well. 

Information for Graduates

Attire

Graduates are required to wear full academic regalia during the ceremony and are responsible for obtaining their own regalia. Order your regalia through the UTA Bookstore.

Master’s candidates: be sure to bring your hood with you, as you will be hooded as part of the ceremony.

Post-Master’s candidates: you will not be hooded, as you were previously hooded when you received your master’s degree, but you may wear your hood during the ceremony.

Click here for an instructional video on how to wear your academic regalia

Personal Items

Please leave personal items such as purses, coats, wallets, or valuables of any kind with family and/or friends, as we are not responsible if any items are left behind.

Check-in / Line-up / Walking

Upon arrival, please check-in at the designated tables in the front. After check-in, you will be directed to line-up with your program. Graduates will line-up alphabetically by program.

Graduates will be led in at the beginning of the ceremony and directed to their seat. Staff will let you know when it is your turn to walk across the stage. After you walk across the stage, you will return to your seat until the ceremony concludes. Graduates will be led out at the end of the ceremony.

Late Arrivals

Arriving late will complicate your participation in the ceremony, and you may be unable to sit/walk with your program. We want this to be a joyful occasion that you can enjoy with minimal stress! Please make every effort to arrive on-time; plan ahead and allow for traffic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, ADA accommodations will be provided at the WEST entrance. Only 1 accompanying person per ADA guest will be allowed to enter the WEST entrance and will be seated together in an ADA compliant space. The ADA guest and accompanying person will only be allowed to sit in these designated areas. Additional guests will need to sit separately from these guests to ensure there is enough ADA compliant seating for all those in need. Other guests will need to walk around the building to the EAST side to enter Texas Hall.

Students should plan to arrive 45 minutes to 1 hour prior to the ceremony to allow time for check-in and lining up.
Guests will not be permitted to enter until 30 minutes prior to the ceremony. 

A traditional component of American academic regalia, the hood represents the type and subject of the degree earned and the institution from which it was awarded. All hoods are worn about the neck in the front, draping in the back.

Students graduating from UTA with a degree in nursing have a hood trimmed in apricot. Kinesiology students have a sage green trim. The subject-area colors are shared by majority of American universities. Hoods earned at UTA are lined in white and orange, representative of our school colors.

There will be a professional photographer taking photos throughout the ceremony. You will be able to purchase these photos at a later date. Information on how to order photos will be available at the ceremony.
There will not be a rehearsal, but there will be faculty and staff available to guide you through the ceremony. Be sure to arrive early for instructions!