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Graduation

Te Tari Whakapōtaetaka

• About Graduation at Otago
• Graduation Dates for 2012
• Contacts
• Graduation Office Staff
• Applying to Graduate
  • Choosing Your Graduation Date
  • The Application Process
  • Closing Dates for Applications
  • Notification of Acceptance
  • Withdrawing from a Ceremony
• Graduation Ceremony
  • Graduands with Disabilities
  • Guests
  • Regalia
  • Procession
  • Reception
  • Photographs
  • Other Activities
• Doctoral and Masters Information
  • Thesis Submission
  • Important Dates
  • Graduation Booklet Form for Doctoral Candidates
• Deferring Graduation
• Student Administration

Graduation at Otago

Graduation is a chance for you to mark the completion of your studies and to celebrate your success with your family, friends and the University community. It also marks your admission to the full and permanent membership of the University.

The University currently holds more than ten graduation ceremonies each year, including two in Invercargill. You may choose whether to graduate in May, August or December, but you must graduate at the ceremony allocated to your particular qualification. If you are receiving two qualifications which would normally be awarded at two separate ceremonies, you may choose one ceremony at which you will receive both.

You can choose whether to graduate in person or in absentia. If you graduate in person, you will be 'capped' by the Chancellor and your degree or diploma will be presented to you on stage at the ceremony. If you graduate in absentia, you do not attend the ceremony. Your name will be listed in the ceremony booklet (but not read out) and your degree or diploma will be sent to you by courier in the week following the ceremony or, if you are in Dunedin, you can come and collect it. Even if you choose to graduate in absentia, your qualification can be awarded only at an official graduation ceremony.

Someone who has completed the requirements of their qualification, but has not yet graduated, is termed a "graduand". After graduation, you become a "graduate" of the University.

The main objective of the Graduation Office is to administer all central aspects of the University's graduation programme including applications to graduate, ticket and regalia requests, the production of Graduation Publications, the approval of applications to defer graduating and the co-ordination of the ceremonial aspects of graduation.

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Graduation Dates for 2012

All ceremonies, except those on 5 December, will be held at the Regent Theatre, Dunedin. Please note that two ceremonies will be held on some dates and the start times of the ceremonies vary, as detailed below. 

• Saturday 5 May 2012 at 1.00 pm - Degrees and diplomas in Applied Science, Consumer and Applied Sciences, Physical Education and Surveying
• Saturday 5 May 2012 at 4.00 pm - Degrees and diplomas in Science and Biomedical Sciences
• Saturday 12 May 2012 at 3.00 pm - Degrees and diplomas in Commerce
• Saturday 19 May 2012 at 1.00 pm - Degrees and diplomas in Arts, Education, Music, Teaching and Theology
• Saturday 19 May 2012 at 4.00 pm - Degrees and diplomas in Law, Dentistry, Health Sciences, Medicine, Medical Laboratory Science, Pharmacy and Physiotherapy
• Saturday 25 August 2012 at 3.00 pm - Degrees and diplomas in all disciplines
• Saturday 1 December 2012 at 3.00 pm - Degrees and diplomas in Education, Teaching and Pharmacy
• Wednesday 5 December 2012 (two ceremonies in Invercargill)- Degrees and diplomas in Education and Teaching
• Saturday 8 December 2012 at 1.00 pm - Degrees and diplomas in Medicine and Medical Laboratory Science
• Saturday 8 December 2012 at 4.00 pm - Degrees and diplomas in Dentistry and Physiotherapy
• Wednesday 12 December 2012 at 3.00 pm - Degrees and diplomas in Arts, Music and Theology
• Saturday 15 December 2012 at 1.00 pm - Degrees and diplomas in Commerce, Law, Biomedical Sciences and Health Sciences
• Saturday 15 December 2012 at 4.00 pm - Degrees and diplomas in Applied Science, Consumer and Applied Sciences, Physical Education, Science and Surveying 

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Contact Details

Postal Address:

Graduation Office
Student Administration
University of Otago
PO Box 56
Dunedin, 9054
New Zealand

Physical Address:

Graduation Office
University of Otago
Clocktower Building (ground floor, south end)
Leith Street
Dunedin, 9016
New Zealand

The Graduation Office is number 71 on the campus map.

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Graduation Office Staff

Jeana Jackson Administrative Assistant Tel 64 3 479 8239 Email jeana.jackson@otago.ac.nz Jeana is responsible for graduation applications, ticket and regalia requests and related enquiries.

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