Degree Conferral & Commencement

Degree Conferral

UMass Chan Medical School confers degrees four times each year (the Sunday after Memorial Day (Commencement), August 31, December 31, and March 31). A student’s degree will be conferred on the first date following completion of all requirements.

Dissertation Completion and Commencement

The preparation for the annual Commencement ceremony introduces deadlines that are not controlled by the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. If a student wishes to participate in Commencement, each of the following requirements must be satisfied without exception:

1. The student must submit their Dissertation Examination Committee selection form to the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences office no later than March 1
2. The student must submit their Dissertation Defense Notification form to the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences office no later than March 10
3. The student must submit their Dissertation to their DEC no later than March 15
4. The student must successfully defend their Dissertation no later than April 1
5. The student must complete their Dissertation edits, have them approved by the DEC Chair, and deliver the appropriate signed defense outcome form indicating this approval to the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences office no later than May 1