Graduation Guide 2023
(December 2022, May 2023, and August 2023 Graduates)
Application for Graduation
Students should submit an Application for Graduation to the Office of the Registrar no later than the end of the add/drop period one semester prior to all degree requirements being completed. The application is available on myPBA, under the Students tab, on the Commencement page.
To locate the online application:
1. Go to: https://my.pba.edu/ICS/Students/Commencement.jnz
2. Log into myPBA.
The “Application for Graduation” is highlighted. Click the link in the window to get started.
|
Date |
Time |
Event |
Location |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Feb. 10 |
Ticket Ordering |
Link available on Feb. 10. |
|
|
TBD |
Regalia Ordering |
TBA |
|
|
TBD |
TBD |
Cap & Gown Pick Up |
Campus Store |
|
March 31 |
11:59 p.m. |
Graduation Application Due |
|
|
May 5 |
2 p.m. |
Ceremony begins |
Palm Beach County Convention Center |
|
May 4 - 8 |
Closure of Registrar’s Office |
Commencement Participation
In order to participate in the annual Commencement Ceremony, students must file an Application for Graduation and complete all degree requirements by the conclusion of the academic year.
All Business Office accounts must be clear in order to walk in commencement. In addition, all Chapel and Workship requirements and any remaining holds must be cleared before your diploma will be released.
Commencement is an occasion marking a special time in a student’s academic career. It is expected that all candidates for graduation will participate in Commencement ceremonies.
Commencement is a rite of passage that demands a sense of formality and dignity. Each graduate will be honored as his or her name is read, and he or she walks across the platform to receive recognition from the University president.
No graduate should act in such a manner that would detract from another student’s moment of honor. Graduates who choose to celebrate excessively through inappropriate behavior will be fined based on the severity of the offense, and the diploma will be held until the account is cleared.
To respect and honor all graduates, please stay seated until the ceremony ends.
Click here to review the Baccalaureate Graduation Requirements
Regardless of academic achievement, a student on disciplinary probation may not graduate from PBA until the probation has been removed.
|
Time |
Event |
Location |
|---|---|---|
|
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. |
Graduate Check in and Line up
|
Palm Beach County Convention Center |
|
1 – 1:50 p.m. |
Guest Arrival and Seating |
Palm Beach County Convention Center |
|
1:50 p.m. |
Doors close to guests for processional. Doors will reopen following the processional. |
|
|
2 p.m.* |
Ceremony begins |
*The ceremony is anticipated to last approximately 2 hours.
Guests – Tickets and Parking
Only graduates can reserve tickets for Commencement. Please contact Registrar_@pba.edu if you are unable to reserve your tickets. Any other questions regarding tickets may be directed to Advancement@pba.edu.
Tickets are digital and required for all guests. Graduates will be able to reserve up to 10 tickets, 5 of which will be provided free of charge.
Doors to the event will open for guests one hour prior to the ceremony and will close 10 minutes prior to the ceremony to allow for the procession. Starting at 1:50 p.m., no guests will be allowed to enter during the procession. Doors will reopen following the procession.
Parking is free and available through the Convention Center garage. There is a handicapped drop-off area near the side doors of the Convention Center.
Graduates whose guests require special seating options (e.g., wheelchairs or other accommodations) must submit a request within the ticket reservation form in advance of the Ceremony. Please note that while we will do our best to accommodate special seating requests, it may not be possible to accommodate certain requests.
Undergraduate Graduation Honors
Undergraduate Latin Honors are given for earning a cumulative Palm Beach Atlantic GPA of:
- 3.75 to 3.81 – Cum Laude (bronze)
- 3.82 to 3.89 – Magna Cum Laude (silver)
- 3.90 or above – Summa Cum Laude (gold)
Undergraduate students must complete a minimum of 54 GPA credit hours at Palm Beach Atlantic to be eligible for honors.
Graduate Graduation Honors (School of Pharmacy only)
Graduate Latin Honors are awarded only to graduates of the Pharmacy School for earning a cumulative Palm Beach Atlantic GPA of:
- 3.60 to 3.74 – Cum Laude(bronze)
- 3.75 to 3.85 – Magna Cum Laude (silver)
- 3.86 or above – Summa Cum Laude (gold)
Pharmacy students must complete a minimum of 60 GPA credit hours at Palm Beach Atlantic to be eligible for honors.
Rehearsal
All graduates should plan to watch the rehearsal video, available here and via email in late April. This video will present important graduation details and may be watched as many times as necessary to get all the necessary information.
Tips:
Plan to bring a small snack if you need it, but do not bring personal items as there is nowhere to securely store them.
Wear comfortable shoes.
Steam your gown before arriving at the ceremony.
Regalia (cap and gown)
Bachelor gowns, Master gowns, and Doctoral gowns are all different. Students should carefully order the correct gown for their degree.
Robes should be steamed or pressed prior to commencement.
No cap decorations may extend up or out from the cap. Any decoration must be in good taste and reflect a positive attitude. Doctoral tams may not be decorated. Students will be given a plain black cap in exchange for any cap not conforming to the regulations.
Master and Doctoral graduates may have a hood to wear over their gowns. Please visit the regalia table for assistance in properly donning your hood for the ceremony.
Only sashes and honor cords obtained through PBA may be worn over the gown. Students are limited to four (4) sashes or honor cords. Students who qualify for Latin Honors will receive their cords from the Campus Store during regalia pick up.
If needed, a limited quantity of 2022 tassels for December graduates will be available at the regalia table in the student line up area.
Appropriate Attire
Since Commencement demands a sense of formality and dignity, graduates should dress appropriately for this milestone life event.
Men should wear a shirt, tie, dark pants, and dark dress shoes.
Women should dress suitably for a special occasion, recognizing that commencement is a formal and professional event.
Students should avoid anything that would draw attention to themselves or embarrass classmates or their guests. Wear shoes appropriate for walking distances and scaling ramps.
Diplomas
Graduates will be handed empty diploma cases during the commencement ceremony. No diplomas will be available at commencement.
Once all final grades are recorded and degree requirements have been verified, the diplomas will be mailed to the address submitted on the Application for Graduation. Diplomas will begin being printed and sent out in June. Copies of transcripts are not sent with diplomas.
Requests for expedited degree conferral must be emailed to Registrar_@pba.edu. Please note that it is not possible to confer degrees before all grade entry is complete or prior to the final day of the term (May 7).
Graduation Photos
Grad Images will be the official photographer for Commencement. Three individual photos will be taken, and proofs will be sent to each graduate. Commencement participants will have the option of purchasing these photos directly from Grad Images. Please specify the graduation year when placing your order.
Official Transcripts
Students can order official transcripts through the National Student Clearinghouse portal at www.getmytranscript.com. Students who need degree conferral information on their transcripts should select “After Degree Is Awarded” under the Processing Details section of the order form.
Office of the Registrar
Palm Beach Atlantic University
P.O. Box 24708
West Palm Beach, FL33416-4708
561-803-2072 or 888-468-6722 • www.pba.edu