Academics
Contact your academic advisor right away!
The UC campus Registrar’s Office will be conferring degrees after verifying all requirements were met and grades have been updated. Diplomas are mailed out approximately four months after the end of graduation term. https://registrar.berkeley.edu/academic-records/transcripts-diplomas/
If you need verification of your expected graduation or degree conferral date in advance of receiving your diploma, please find information from the UC Registrar’s Office: https://registrar.berkeley.edu/academic-records/transcripts-diplomas/.
Final grades for spring semester are due around May 15th and the FTMBA Academics Team will begin to process degree conferrals in collaboration with Grad Div and the Registrar in mid-June.
The top 10% of students in each graduating class, as measured by cumulative GPA, will have the distinction of Graduation with Honors. The likely candidates will be contacted by the Academics Team around mid-March and will be recognized at Commencement. However, the final determination for Graduation with Honors will occur a few weeks after Commencement and will be based on the cumulative GPA for all courses completed during the MBA Program. Those students who graduate with Honors will receive a PDF Certificate of Completion via email by the end of June 2024.
If you completed a Certificate at Haas, it will be noted on your transcript. You can verify what certificates will be listed on your transcript in your CalCentral record, top left side.
Students will receive PDF Certificates of Completion for the Business Analytics Certificate and the Michael’s Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Business by the end of June via email from the FTMBA Academics Office and the Haas Sustainability Office respectively.
Certificates managed outside of Haas may have their own process. Please reach out to the contacts in those departments.
The faculty for each course are responsible for turning off access to your bCourses and it is therefore recommended that you download information as soon as possible after the end of the semester. We don’t have a specific date as to when your course access will be discontinued.
Commencement Logistics
Ceremony Details:
The MBA Commencement will take place on Friday, May 17 at 2PM at the Greek Theatre. The ceremony typically lasts 2 hours.
All guests (including children and infants) must have a ticket to the ceremony. Graduates in regalia do not need tickets.
Weather:
The forecast is unpredictable. Check the weather report and advise your guests to dress appropriately as the Greek Theatre is not covered. Graduates – on a sunny day your black gowns can get rather warm. Due to uneven surfaces in the Greek, we advise that high heel shoes be avoided.
Graduate Arrival:
Graduates need to arrive at 12:45PM at the South end (entrance closer to Haas/Memorial Stadium) and head to the backstage area dressed in your cap and gown. All graduates are required to go through metal detectors before they go backstage. In order to expedite this process please bring as little as possible with you and have your pockets empty. Only graduates in regalia will be admitted backstage. Proceed to the FTMBA table and pick up a name card. You will write your name on this card as you want it to be announced when you walk across the stage. This card also serves as a record for the photographer, and you’ll list your name and email on the back.
Please allow plenty of time to park (more parking info below).
Guest Arrival:
Instruct guests to arrive early (gates open at 1PM) and enter through the North Entrance (closer to Hearst Street).
Guests needing ADA assistance should enter through the North Entrance (closer to Hearst street).
(Graduates) Lining Up for the Processional:
There is no special seating order for graduates. You will be in a single file line when the ceremony begins, so line up with the person you wish to sit with. The processional will start promptly at 2PM and you will march out into the seating areas.
During Commencement, each degree program will recognize several award winners and each will have a student speaker. You will walk across the stage, have your name read, receive a scroll, shake hands with Dean Ann Harrison and have your picture taken before proceeding back to the seating area. Evening & Weekend MBA Students will be acknowledged first, followed by the Full-Time MBA Students .
All graduates will stay for the entire ceremony, which ends at approximately 4PM.
Security Protocol:
All graduates and guests entering the Greek Theatre will be required to walk through metal detectors. Please ensure that guests arrive early enough to allow for this security step. While the stadium has numerous metal detectors at the entrance, and the security staff will ensure the process is as speedy as possible, guests should allocate additional time to enter the theatre. Remember, the processional will start promptly at 2PM.
Livestreaming and Translation:
The commencement ceremony will be live-streamed and online translation will be available for those attending. More information will be provided closer to the event. The ceremony will also be recorded and available to watch a few days later using the same link.
What’s Allowed at the Greek?
Allowed:
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Small umbrellas for sun or rain
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Water bottles
NOT Allowed:
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Strollers (There will be stroller parking at both entrances)
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Coolers or ice chests
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Large blankets
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Tobacco products
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Noisemakers
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Large signs
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Alcoholic beverages
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Bicycles
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Skateboards
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Large bags or backpacks (purses are fine, though they may be searched)
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Pets
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Balloons (may be tied up and left at the entrance)
- Confetti/Glitter
Restrooms:
Restrooms are located at both ends of the amphitheater. A wheelchair-accessible restroom is located inside the North entrance.
Reception:
The ceremony will be followed by a reception from 4-6PM in the Haas Courtyard. Everyone is welcome to attend. Tickets are not required.
(Graduates) Hand-Me-Gown Program
You can donate your gown and hood to the Class of 2024. Look for bins at the exits of the Greek Theatre as well as in front of the MBA Admissions reception area (S430) to donate your gown and hood.
A lottery for used regalia will take place in the Spring. We will share those details closer to the event.
A link for captioning will be shared closer to the date for any persons attending who need captioning.
We hope your friends & family will be cheering you on at the Greek. To facilitate the ceremony, only the 650+ graduates will be allowed to cross the stage. There will be opportunities for photos with your loved ones outside the Greek Theater and at the reception immediately following in the Haas Courtyard. Thanks for your cooperation as we are expecting over 4000 people to attend the event.
The Haas School of Business is pleased to announce that an executive search consultant in Spencer Stuart’s San Francisco office, Monica Stevens, MBA 96, will serve as the Berkeley Haas commencement speaker for the Full-Time MBA and Evening & Weekend MBA Class of 2024 this May. The joint commencement ceremony will be held at the Greek Theatre on Friday, May 17 at 2pm.
Monica Stevens
As a member of Spencer Stuart’s Financial Services and Boards practices, Stevens focuses on executive search, leadership advisory, and succession planning work for C-suites and boards across corporate and commercial banking, payments, real estate, and risk. A seasoned banker and nonprofit board member with more than 25 years of experience in general management, customer relationship development, talent acquisition, and learning and professional development, Stevens is a champion of diversity and inclusion in business and in her community.
Before joining Spencer Stuart, Stevens spent more than two decades at Wells Fargo, where she held multiple sales, credit, and leadership roles in commercial real estate, capital markets, and global banking. Most recently, she was senior vice president and chief credit and risk officer in the company’s Merchant Services division.
At Wells Fargo, she co-founded the company’s first Black/African American employee resource group, and more recently, she served as co-chair of the Wells Fargo Merchant Services group’s Diversity Council. A champion of talent development, she ran, repositioned, and doubled the size of a program that recruited talent at various levels of the firm.
A veteran, Stevens is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. She started her career as an officer in the U.S. Navy, before eventually coming to Haas, where she received an MBA with a concentration in real estate finance.
Stevens is a member of the Haas School Board, and she was awarded the school’s Raymond A. Miles Service Award in 2017 for her contributions in supporting and enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. She was also previously a trustee for the Redwood Day School in Oakland, where she led the Diversity Committee.
Yes, the December 2024 MBA/MPH grads can walk in this ceremony.
During Commencements, parking is very limited at UC Berkeley. Public parking will be available at attendant-controlled lots. PARKING IS CREDIT CARD ONLY– NO CASH WILL BE ACCEPTED. Visa, MC, Discover, and AmEx all okay.
Drivers must purchase a permit from the attendant to be displayed on the dashboard. The following lots will be available:
- Foothill Lot
- Upper Hearst Structure
- Lower Hearst Structure
- non-UC Lot (Stadium Garage)
$11 flat rate. Debit or credit card only. No cash. (Foothill Lot, Upper Hearst Structure, Lower Hearst Structure)
$TBD for Stadium Garage.
Parking for Department Graduations is only available on a first-come, first-serve basis the day of the ceremony. Graduating students and their guests may use the free Bear Transit campus shuttles to travel from the lot to the Hearst Greek Theatre.
DISABLED PARKING
All designated Disabled spaces and non-reserved spaces will be available at the above lots & rates to disabled patrons with certified handicapped placards or license plates on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no designated parking lot or special rates for Disabled Placard holders. Patrons needing assistance may be dropped off at the North Gate while their family member parks. There will be a few folding chairs for people to sit in while they wait to get seated by the ushers.
The Greek Theater currently does not require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test for entrance. The Greek Theater does not require masks but strongly recommends them.
There are two stores close to campus that sell regalia – the Cal Student Store and the Fall Rush Store. Items you will need to order at minimum are:
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Cap
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Gown
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Tassel
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MBA Hood (Drab color)
Fall Rush – 2470 Bancroft Way
You can purchase regalia in person, by phone at 510-845-1226, or by ordering online. Be sure to request the MBA “drab” hood.
Cal Student Store – 2495 Bancroft Way in Lower Sproul Plaza
You can purchase regalia in person or order online. Be sure to also add a Master Hood in the MBA “drab”, found on their website in the My Grad section.
Yes, the CAL Student store has RENTAL gowns in stock! Don’t buy the plastic version that you will end up throwing away. Choose the sustainable option and rent your graduation gown at the CAL Student Store. Gowns are not due back to the CAL Student Store till May 30, 2024. Note: Hood sold Separately.
Here is the link to purchase announcements through the book store: https://calstudentstore.berkeley.edu/merchandise/announcements-47.
Events & Ticketing
There is no limit to the number of people you invite to the Commencement. Each person will need a ticket to enter the Greek Theater. You will need to pick up your tickets from the Program Office (Student Services building suite S420) in advance. Look for more information about when to pick up your tickets closer to the date. Deadline to order tickets: April 21st
You are not required to notify the FTMBA Program Office if you choose not to attend Commencement.
Thursday’s Awards Ceremony is similar to a Consumption Function with Defining Leadership Principle and Beyond Yourself awards announced. This is an opportunity for the Full-Time MBA Class of 2024 to gather with family and celebrate in a smaller setting. Light snacks and drinks will be provided. Please register here.
Friday’s Commencement Reception will include all the EW graduates and their families. Light snacks and drinks will be provided. No need to register.
You do not need tickets for this event and there is no limit to the number of people you can bring.
Create your own invitation letter using this template. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Berkeley International Office.
Verification of Enrollment:
Requesting enrollment verification is a self-service for all current students. Visit the Office of the Registrar’s website for more information.
Accessible Seating Information
If you have a guest with ADA needs, please notify the FTMBA Program Office ([email protected]) with the name of your guest and their accessibility needs so we can notify the Greek Theatre ahead of time.
Guests needing accessible seating assistance should enter the Greek Theatre from the North entrance and ask an usher or staff member to escort them to the ADA seating area.
If needed, patrons may be dropped off at the North entrance while their family member parks. A wheelchair is available in the Greek Theatre for medical emergencies only and are not guaranteed to be available to transport guests with special needs to their seats. We highly recommend that guests who are not able to walk long distances and/or on inclines bring a wheelchair with them.
Please note that although the Greek Theatre is a wheelchair-accessible venue, it is large and steep and we recommend that guests needing extra assistance have an escort.
Wheelchair and seating for guests with special needs (few or no stairs) is available in the Greek Theatre at the North entrance. When your guest enters the Greek Theatre, they should ask an usher or staff member to escort them to the special seating area.
A wheelchair is available in the Greek Theatre for medical emergencies only and are not guaranteed to be available to transport guests with special needs to their seats. We highly recommend that guests who are not able to walk long distances and/or on inclines bring a wheelchair with them. Due to space constraints, Cal Performances can only guarantee seating for one companion for each guest in the special seating area. Please note that although the Greek Theatre is a wheelchair accessible venue, it is large and steep and we recommend that guests needing extra assistance have an escort.
All designated Disabled spaces and non-reserved spaces will be available at the above lots & rates to disabled patrons with certified handicapped placards or license plates on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no designated parking lot or special rates for Disabled Placard holders. Patrons needing assistance may be dropped off at the North Gate while their family member parks. There will be a few folding chairs for people to sit in while they wait for their family member to park and then escort them into the venue. See the Parking FAQ above for more information about the location of parking lots.
Accessible seating cannot be reserved, but anyone who needs ADA seating will get it. Please follow the directions in the question above to find accessible parking and seating. Greek Theater staff will assist you and your guests to the appropriate seat day of.
Please call the box office at 323-606-8106 for further information.
Due to space constraints, Cal Performances can only guarantee seating for one companion for each guest in the ADA seating area.
Other family members may sit in general seating.