Preparing for Graduation: A Doctoral Hooding How-To

First Things First: Time + Place

The Doctoral Hooding Ceremony will be held on Wednesday May 18th at 4:30pm at the Island Federal Credit Union Arena. At this ceremony Doctoral degrees will be conferred. 

Visit Conferences & Special Events' Commencement website for current dates and times. https://stonybrook.edu/commcms/commencement/info_for/faqs_covid.php

Tickets

Tassel on the Left

The tassel goes to the left of the mortarboard and stays there for the entire ceremony. Easy!

Hood on the Left, Too

For ease and elegance, ALSO drape the hood over your left arm until it’s time to hand it over to your adviser. In sum, hood on left arm, tassel on left side of head.

The Doctoral Hooding Stance

So there's technique involved in getting hooded. If you are taller than your advisor – or even about the same height – you must assume the proper doctoral hooding stance to ensure a quick, foible-free hooding: stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and bend your knees, keeping your back straight. The top of your head should be level with your advisor’s chin, or shoulders. For a video of the 2019 Doctoral Hooding and Graduation Ceremony, please click here .