Graduation Information

I. 2013 GRADUATION EVENTS

The School of Law currently is planning the many graduation-related events to be held in May for July 2012, December 2012 and May 2013 graduates. Information about these activities will be included in the Graduation Kit (see section IX. below) which will be available from the Office of Student Affairs in early to mid February. As decisions are finalized regarding these activities, we will share information with the graduating class by email sent only to the law13d and law13e email listservs. Therefore, YOU MUST CONTINUE TO CHECK YOUR LAW SCHOOL EMAIL to be informed about graduation information and to ensure you meet the deadlines for participation.

In addition to the one or more recognition activities now in the planning stages, we now know the following:

Reception for Graduates and Guests

Thursday, May 16, 2013 (5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.)
The Carey School of Law hosts an annual reception to acknowledge each graduate’s successful completion of all degree requirements. Students will be asked to RSVP for the event. All graduates, their families and friends, together with the law faculty and administration are invited to attend.

Law School Hooding Ceremony
Friday, May 17, 2013 (11:00 a.m.)
The Hooding Ceremony will be held at the France-Merrick Hippodrome Theatre. Because seating at the Hippodrome is limited, each student who returns the RSVP form (expected to be sent to July 2012 and December 2012 graduates and prospective May graduates in late March or early April) will be eligible to receive a predetermined number of tickets for distribution to their guests. If some graduates do not need all of their tickets, tickets will be re-distributed to those students who seek additional tickets.

Commencement - University of Maryland

Friday, May 17, 2013 (2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)
University Commencement takes place at the Baltimore Arena from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Candidates for graduation must assemble in the Baltimore Arena staging area on the ground floor by 1:15 p.m. Because seating is unlimited, tickets are not required and an unlimited number of guests may be invited. Students who plan to attend are asked to notify the law school. May 2013 graduates who attend will receive their diplomas at this ceremony. Graduates who do not attend may pick up their diplomas at the University of Maryland Office of the Registrar (601 W. Lombard Street, HS/HL Building, 2nd floor) through the end of May. Beginning in June, diplomas will be mailed by the University of Maryland Registrar to the address listed on the diploma application of those graduates who did not receive them at graduation or from the campus Office of the Registrar.

II. ACADEMIC RECOGNITION

Graduates selected for Order of the Coif, graduating Summa Cum Laude (top 5 students), Magna Cum Laude (top 10%) or Cum Laude (top 1/3) and the many other graduation prizes and awards will have their names identified in the Law School Hooding Ceremony program. Please note, selection for Order of the Coif, other honors recognition and final graduation class ranks combine day and evening graduates and graduates of the previous July and December with the May graduates. Graduates receiving graduation honors will be recognized at a recognition ceremony on Thursday, May 16.

Graduating Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude or Cum Laude will not be noted on the diploma that you receive at the commencement ceremony. Students who graduate with these honors will instead receive a notice with their diploma from the University of Maryland Office of the Registrar stating that a diploma with these honors designations will be mailed to the address noted on their diploma application when the new diplomas are available.

Order of the Coif, which is not noted on the diploma, is awarded to students who are in the top 10% of the class and who have completed at least seventy-five percent of their requirements at the Carey School of Law. Students will receive their coif certificates at the recognition ceremony on May 16.

III. JULY 2012 AND DECEMBER 2012 GRADUATES

There are no formal ceremonies for July or December graduates. Students who graduate in July or December and want to participate in the May 2013 commencement activities should alert Dean Krinksy and continue to read their law school emails for relevant information and due dates. Announcements regarding graduation are sent only to the law13d and law13e email listservs. July and December graduates will be included on these listservs. If you are not receiving graduation emails from OSA, please contact OSA at osa@law.umaryland.edu to be added to the listserv.

For December graduates, upon receipt of fall grades and any other necessary forms or documents, the Office of Registration & Enrollment will determine whether you have satisfied all degree requirements. If degree requirements are satisfied, your name will be submitted to the law faculty requesting approval of your graduation, and you will receive an email notice when your graduation is confirmed. Your official date of graduation will be December 21, 2012.

IV. APPLICATION FOR DIPLOMA

An Application For Diploma form (available on-line through SURFS) must be completed by all degree candidates no later than February 10, 2013. Students who miss the date for timely submission of an application must contact LuAnn Marshall in the Office of Registration and Enrollment (Suite 280). Students who do not graduate as planned must submit a new Application for Diploma the semester in which they intend to graduate.

V. GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Graduation requirements can be found online.

VI. BAR INFORMATION

General information about taking a bar exam.

For more information visit the Maryland Board of Law Examiners.

If you are interested in taking the bar in another state, the National Conference of Bar Examiners has a website that includes a complete state by state listing of contacts, and other useful information. Just visit:
http://ncbex.org/bar-admissions/offices
http://www.ncbex.org

The Carey School of Law does not complete the Certification as to College Education (Pre-Legal) form for the Maryland Bar or similar forms required by other states. That certification must be provided by your undergraduate degree granting institution. You must contact your undergraduate institution directly.

The Carey School of Law will not complete the Maryland Bar Examination’s Certification of Law School Education Form until after graduation. Because many Character Committee members do not accept forms that are marked "the student is eligible to graduate," the forms will not be sent to the Character Committee's designee until after graduation. For more information contact: osa@law.umaryland.edu

VII. ACADEMIC REGALIA

The University Bookstore provides "one-stop shopping" for graduation regalia (caps, gowns & hoods) on February 11 – 12. Students may also purchase graduation regalia online through March. For more information about ordering graduation regalia, contact the University Bookstore at 410-328-7788.

VIII. OTHER THINGS

All prospective graduates are asked to complete the Career Development Employment Survey. The completed Survey will be collected at the time graduates receive their Graduation Kits.

Fall graduates are asked to remove the locks and contents of their lockers no later than January 10, 2013. Spring graduates must remove locks and locker contents no later than August 1, 2013. Locks and contents remaining after that date will be removed and discarded. The law school will not be responsible for anything left in lockers after that date.

Graduates retain their University email accounts for approximately one year after graduation.

The University requires graduating students to complete a financial aid exit interview. More information about scheduling these interviews is forthcoming.

All financial obligations must be taken care of in order to be eligible for graduation.

IX. GRADUATION KIT

The Graduation Kit, available from the Office of Student Affairs in early February, will include a great deal of important information about graduation and events surrounding graduation.