Commencement

Commencement at the Cleveland Institute of Art occurs once a year at the end of each spring semester. Commencement ceremonies for Spring 2013 will be held on Saturday, May 18, at noon, at the Cleveland Museum of Art (11150 East Boulevard in University Circle.)

Commencement Tickets – May 2013

Tickets are required for guests. Each graduate receives five tickets for guest seating in the Cleveland Museum of Art's Gartner Auditorium and can request additional tickets for overflow seating in the Museum's two recital halls where the ceremony is simulcast. Overflow tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. To request overflow seating tickets, contact the Registrar's Office by phone at 216.421.7321 or by email at registrar@cia.edu.

Graduates also will receive 10 announcements. Commencement tickets and announcements are issued from the Registrar's Office in early April. Students will be notified via their CIA student email when tickets and announcements are available for pickup.

Commencement Rehearsal 

Commencement rehearsal and brunch for all graduates will take place on Friday, May 17, at 10:30am at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Rehearsal takes approximately one hour followed immediately by brunch. Caps and gowns, which are purchased as part of a student’s graduation fee, are distributed to graduates at rehearsal.

Diplomas

Diplomas are not given to students during the ceremony. Diplomas are mailed during the first week of June. Students who have been granted permission to participate in commencement with credit deficiencies will receive their printed diplomas once all degree requirements have been fulfilled. 

In order to receive a diploma, all obligations to the Institute must be fulfilled prior to commencement. Graduates who owe tuition, library materials or other departmental obligations will not be permitted to participate in commencement ceremonies and their diplomas will be withheld.

All students who had loans any time during their program of study are required to participate in an online financial aid exit interview. Students will receive instructions from the Financial Aid Office during the spring semester. Diplomas will be withheld for loan recipients who have not fulfilled the exit interview requirement. 

Students should fill out a graduation application and return it to the Registrar’s Office. Students must provide the Registrar’s Office with an accurate mailing address. Graduates who do not supply a diploma mailing address will have their diplomas sent to their permanent home address on file. Reprints for lost diplomas cost $50.

Presentation of Images

An entertaining part of the Institute’s commencement is the presentation of images as graduates go on stage to receive their diplomas. One digital image is required by April 15 from every graduate participating in the ceremony. The image may be of the graduate, their work, or the graduate with their work. Graduates who need assistance producing their images are asked to consult with their department head. Details on image production and presentation will be available early during the spring semester.

Parking

Free parking for commencement is available at the Case Western Reserve Campus Center Garage with shuttle service to the museum. Parking also is available at the Cleveland Museum of Art for a nominal fee.

Questions or Concerns?

Contact the Registrar’s Office by phone at 216.421.7321 or toll-free 1.800.223.4700, or by email at registrar@cia.edu.