Frequently Asked Questions

All May 2025 degree candidates (both undergraduate and graduate) who have been pre-certified by the School Advising Deans to receive their degrees pending successful completion of spring courses will be awarded their degrees.

Any May 2025 candidates requiring additional course work after spring 2025 will be notified by their School Advising Dean that their degrees will be conferred upon completion of their outstanding degree requirements. For some candidates, this notification will come only after spring grading is completed, and therefore, will take place after the May 18 commencement.

All graduates whose degrees are conferred will have their diplomas and associated academic award certificates presented by the Registrar’s office at the commencement ceremony. Additionally, any/all outstanding holds must be resolved prior to the diploma being distributed. If you do not attend the ceremony, the Office of the Registrar will be in contact with you after the ceremony to make arrangements for you to pick up your diploma or have it mailed to you.

All seniors are required to order their cap and gown online between November 21, 2024, and March 5, 2025 from www.Herffjones.com/college/graduation. All graduates receive a cap, gown, hood, and tassel with their order. Please note, the attire order has already been paid for by your graduation fees.

Additional items that are available for purchase, such as the Stole of Gratitude, may be made on the Herff Jones website. The Stole of Gratitude offers an opportunity for graduates to thank people who have helped them in their educational journey.  The stole is worn by the student during the commencement ceremony.  After the ceremony, the new graduate presents the Stole of Gratitude to a person who provided support and turned a dream into reality.

Cap & Gown Day will be held on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Slavin Center, ’64 Hall from 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Seniors will pick up their pre-ordered cap, gown, and honors cord (if applicable). Please bring your PC ID.

Any student with an unpaid balance as of April 4, 2025, will not be able to receive their cap and gown, or tickets to the Commencement exercises, until the balance is paid in full. Account balances may be viewed online using your Cyberfriar login or by calling the Student Accounts office at 401.865.2284.

You are receiving a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree if you majored in one of the following programs:

Bachelor of Arts

• American Studies
• Art History
• Biology
• Biology/Optometry
• Biology/Secondary Education
• Black Studies
• Business Economics
• Catholic Studies
• Chemistry
• Chemistry/Secondary Education
• Classics
• Creative Writing
• Economics
• Elementary/Special Education
• English
• English/Secondary Education
• Global Studies
• History
• History/Secondary Education
• Humanities
• Liberal Arts
• Liturgical Music
• Mathematics
• Mathematics/Secondary Education
• Music
• Music Education
• Music Technology and Production
• Music: Musical Theatre Concentration
• Philosophy
• Physics/Secondary Education
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Public and Community Service Studies
• Social Science
• Social Work
• Sociology
• Spanish
• Spanish/Secondary Education
• Studio Art
• Theatre
• Theatre: Musical Theatre Concentration
• Theology
• Women’s and Gender Studies
• World Languages and Cultures (Options: French, Italian, or Spanish)
• World Languages and Cultures/Secondary Education (Options: French/Secondary Education, Italian/Secondary Education, or Spanish/Secondary Education)

You are receiving a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree if you majored in one of the following programs:

Bachelor of Science

• Accountancy
• Biochemistry
• Biology
• Biology/Optometry
• Biology/Secondary Education
• Chemistry
• Computer Science
• Environmental Biology
• Finance
• Health Policy and Management
• Health Sciences (available to students in Fall 2023)
• Management
• Marketing
• Mathematics
• Neuroscience
• Physics
• Pre-Engineering
• Quantitative Economics

A full list can be found here: https://catalog.providence.edu/content.php?catoid=34&navoid=1259.

The Office of the Registrar will notify recipients of ceremonial (7 semesters) graduation honors – summa, magna, and cum laude honors, class rank, and other academic awards. Final graduation honors will include grading from all semesters of study at PC and will appear on the graduate’s official transcript.

Students receiving honors, that were notified by the Registrar, will be able to obtain their honor cords (summa, magna, and cum laude honors) at Cap and Gown Day. Students with an unpaid balance may not be able to receive their cords until the balance is paid in full. Account balances may be viewed online using your CyberFriar login or by calling the Student Accounts office at 401.865.2284.

https://bursar.providence.edu/ or https://bursar.providence.edu/student-loans/

Information regarding transcripts is located on the Office of the Registrar’s webpage.

https://registrar.providence.edu/students/transcriptrequest/

The Student Affairs Office is actively working with the Senior Core Commencement planning team to develop senior activities. Questions should be directed to the Student Engagement and Leadership (SEAL), 401.865.2211.

While most graduates live off campus, there has been some inquiry regarding bus transport to the Amica Mutual Pavilion. A limited number of buses will be available for student transportation. The buses will depart from Concannon Circle promptly at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 18 for graduates.

Registration is available April 9– May 2, 2025. Seating is limited and cannot be guaranteed unless you have received an email confirmation. Please present your email confirmation upon arrival as this will be your ‘ticket’ to board the bus to the Amica Mutual Pavilion. The bus will be on the Sabin Street side of the Amica Mutual Pavilion for return after the ceremony. Transportation is only for students in the class of 2025.

Registration for the bus is required using the link https://events.blackthorn.io/3iofXW6/3a6XUT6tR.

If you have questions, please email activities@providence.edu.

December 2025 candidates are included in all aspects of the May 2025 commencement. Candidates for December 2025 graduation participate in the May 2025 graduation ceremonies. December candidates will be included in the official commencement program, where they will be recognized as December 2025 graduation candidates. All December 2025 candidates will have their names read at the ceremony and will be eligible to walk on stage with the other graduates. If you would prefer to participate in the May 2026 commencement ceremony, you must send your request to Stefanie Calderon at graduate@providence.edu no later than February 2025.

At Commencement Mass, graduates should carry their caps and gowns with them. During Mass, all students will be vested and don their attire for the first time. At the commencement ceremonies, undergraduates should wear their cap and gown; the tassel should hang from the front, right-hand side. The academic hood is placed over your head, around your neck, draped over your shoulders. The honors cord, if applicable, goes over the gown with the knot at back of neck.

Graduate programs and SCE candidates should wear their cap and gown; the tassel should hang from the front, right-hand side. You will carry your academic hood. During the ceremony you will place the hood over your head, around your neck, draping over shoulders. For SCE students, the honors cord, if applicable, goes over the gown with the knot at back of neck.

Please see this helpful link for a video that shows the proper way to wear your cap and gown and hood.

Instructions for Undergraduates

Instructions for Master’s Degree Candidates

Learn about Heff Jones sustainability program.

See Heff Jones sustainability efforts.

We suggest Sunday dinner reservations after 2:00 p.m. to allow time to exit the ceremony. For more information, visit the Providence Warwick Convention and Visitor’s Bureau at http://www.goprovidence.com/

Hotel information is available on either of these sites:

http://providence.edu/commencement

http://www.goprovidence.com/

Commencement Weekend
College Events, Office of College Event Management and Planning
401.865.2344 or colevents@providence.edu

Office of the Registrar
Harkins Hall 310
401.865.1033 or records@providence.edu

Bookstore Items
Barnes & Noble Bookstore, Providence College
401.865.2181 or pcbook@providence.edu

Amica Mutual Pavilion
1 LaSalle Square, Providence, RI 02903
401.331.0700 or https://www.amicamutualpavilion.com/

Financial Obligations
Office of Student Accounts
401.865.2284

Herff Jones
Customer Service 1.800.837.4235 or www.Herffjones.com/college/graduation

Highway Construction
R.I. Department of Transportation
401.222.2450 or www.dot.ri.gov

On-Campus Housing
Office of Residence Life
401.865.2392

Photography – Commencement Day
GradImages
1.800.261.2576 or
www.gradimages.com

Safety and Security at Providence College
The Office of Safety and Security
401.865.2391

Senior Week Activities
Student Engagement and Leadership (SEAL)
401.865.2211

Veritas Yearbook
401.865.2605
Media and Publications – Student Activities at Providence College

For updates and current information on Providence College’s 2025 Commencement weekend, check the website:  https://commencement.providence.edu