Graduation Information

For College of Engineering & Technology Undergraduate & Graduate Students

East Carolina University’s Spring 2026 Commencement Ceremony will be Friday, May 8, at 10 a.m., at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

All ECU spring and summer 2026 graduates, including those earning undergraduate, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees, will be REQUIRED to complete an RSVP form. Visit the Office of the Registrar graduation information website for complete details. The required RSVP process will assist with logistical planning, and students who have completed the RSVP will receive additional instructions to their ECU email account. College of Engineering and Technology graduates should have received an email with the RSVP link. Those who did not receive the link, email the college commencement committee.

Guest tickets are not required for the university ceremony in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

Additional updates and information will be posted throughout the semester on the ECU Commencement website including details about the commencement speaker, parking, hotels, RSVPs and more.

CET Graduate Recognition Ceremonies

The College of Engineering and Technology will have two Graduate Recognition Ceremonies. Graduates in the departments of computer science and construction management will be recognized at 1 p.m., Friday, May 8, in the ballrooms of the Main Campus Student Center. Graduates in the departments of engineering and technology systems will be recognized at 4 p.m. Friday, May 8, in the ballrooms of the Main Campus Student Center. Students should monitor their ECU email for information concerning registration and deadlines to be listed in the ceremony program.

Livestream: The CET recognition ceremonies will be available via livestream. Details will follow.

If you are graduating, it is critical that you apply for graduation right away if you have not already done so. Please confer with your academic advisor (undergraduate students) or faculty advisor (graduate students) to verify that you will finish if you are unsure and have not already applied for graduation. Additional information about how to apply for graduation can be found through the registrar’s website.

You can verify that you have applied to graduate in your degree works worksheet where it will indicate your graduate term and what semester. If that is blank, then you have not applied for graduation. Contact your academic (undergraduate) or faculty (graduate) advisor if you have questions about this process and your standing as a graduate.

Are you attending? If you are a graduate and plan to attend the CET ceremonies, we need to know to ensure we have enough staffing and resources for the event. Check your email for a link to our CET ceremony reservation form. Please note that this form is different than the RSVP form for university commencement. If you are planning to graduate this semester and did not receive an email with the link to the survey, email our college commencement committee.

On the day of the CET ceremonies, check in begins 45 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the ceremony. Processional begins 15 minutes before the scheduled start of the ceremony. Note that traffic in the area will be heavy and delays are possible, so plan accordingly. Parking may also be difficult. For computer science and construction management students attending commencement at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium as well as the 1 p.m. CET recognition ceremony, it may be easier to walk if able from the stadium to the student center. It’s about 1.3 miles and will take roughly 25 minutes.

For questions about the College of Engineering and Technology recognition ceremony, email cetceremony@ecu.edu.

Congratulations to all of our graduates!

Apply for Graduation

ALL STUDENTS must apply for graduation online through Pirate Port at least one semester prior to completing the requirements of the degree as stated by the Academic Catalog. Please visit the Office of the Registrar’s graduation web page for deadlines and instructions on applying to graduate.

Tassels, Caps, Honors Cords and Gowns

All Undergraduate students will wear a gold tassel with a purple gown. All master degree students will wear a gold tassel with gold hood with a black gown, with the exception of the MS in Biomedical Engineering. These graduates will have an orange tassel with orange hood with a black gown.

Cap and gown are part of your tuition and may be picked up at the bookstore at no charge but you do have to complete the Commencement Apparel Form at ecu.bncollege.com. Shipping is provided at a nominal fee. Additional questions concerning cap and gowns should be directed to the ECU student bookstore at 1-877-499-8398.

The College of Engineering and Technology does not offer honors cords. The first opportunity for students to purchase university honors cords (if eligible) will be the start of the Grad Expo at Dowdy Student Stores. Otherwise, many organizations provide their own honors cords/stoles, so please contact your specific organization for participation.

Academic Honors Recognition

Please note that academic honor designations are provided by the registrar’s office and graduation services, not by our college, and are not officially determined until after the semester has concluded.  Those graduating over summer will not have an academic honor noted on the program, as that is too far ahead of where the registrar’s office can calculate the likelihood of this status.  Academic honors indications in the program are calculated using current standing/GPA and projected GPA and again, designated by the registrar’s office.

If you definitively believe that you should be graduating with honors, you will want to contact the registrar’s office directly for validation.

Parking

For parking questions, please visit ECU Parking and Transportation website or email at eventparking@ecu.edu or by phone at 252-328-1962.

Requests for Accommodations

Graduates with Disabilities in need of accommodations for the University Commencement and/or Departmental Ceremonies should contact the Department of Disability Support Services at dssdept@ecu.edu or call (252) 737-1016. Please be mindful the university does not provide personal care items such as wheelchairs. There will be handicap parking available at Minges and staff available to guide guests with handicap/accommodation needs to the elevators and toward the handicap seating. All handicap seating is first-come, first-seat, so we recommend that your guests arrive early to get to the second level of Minges via elevator to get seated.