UCF Graduation Rings: A Comprehensive Guide

Graduation is a significant milestone, marking the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. For graduates of the University of Central Florida (UCF) and Seminole State College, a graduation ring serves as a tangible reminder of their academic achievements and a symbol of their connection to their alma mater. This guide provides comprehensive information about graduation rings, commencement ceremonies, regalia, and other important aspects of graduation.

Commencement Ceremony Participation

Graduates planning to participate in Grad Walk or the Formal Commencement ceremony must RSVP and wear official regalia. For Seminole State College, participation also requires purchasing a cap and gown as part of the graduation pack.

Graduation Pack Contents

The graduation pack typically includes:

Cap
Gown
Tassel
Complimentary Honors and Veterans cords (if eligible)
Reader card
Guest tickets (Formal Commencement only)
Parking pass (Formal Commencement only)

Regalia Colors

The color of the regalia varies depending on the degree earned:

Students earning associate degrees and certificates will wear royal blue.
Students earning bachelor's degrees will wear navy blue.

Regalia Costs and Purchase

The cost of regalia (cap, gown, and tassel) for Seminole State College is $49.99 (plus applicable taxes). For the Formal Commencement, students must reserve their seat and order their cap and gown by the specified deadline.

Read also: UCF Graduation Parking Info

Formal Commencement Details

Date: May 4, 2026
Location: Addition Financial Arena at UCF
Deadline to Reserve and Order: Tuesday, March 10

Special Regalia and Honors

In addition to the standard regalia, students may be eligible to wear special regalia, tassels, and hoods provided by organizations such as Phi Theta Kappa, Phi Beta Lambda, and the Grindle Honors Institute. Questions regarding special regalia should be directed to the departments or organizations offering these special awards.

Honors graduates are recognized with an honor cord and designation in the graduation program. Honors designations for the ceremony are based on graduates’ cumulative GPA earned in the previous term.

Graduation Photography and Mementos

Photos are available through Grad Images, the official portrait photographer for Seminole State's graduation events. To see samples of announcements and class rings, graduates can visit the Seminole State Bookstore.

The Seminole State Bookstore also sells accessories, gifts, diploma frames, and Seminole State logo/novelty items to commemorate your achievement.

Regalia Pickup

Graduation packets, including regalia, are distributed to those who submitted an Intent to Graduate form and ordered their cap and gown by the established deadlines. Students can pick up their graduation packets at the campus bookstore selected during the RSVP/cap and gown order.

Formal Commencement Distribution Details

Distribution Dates: Monday, Apr. 27 - Wednesday, Apr. 29
Pickup Location: Altamonte Springs or Sanford/Lake Mary Campus bookstores
Payment for regalia is due at pickup.

Third-Party Pickup

Candidates unable to pick up their graduation packet and tickets (if applicable) may designate a third party to do so by providing them with a letter authorizing Seminole State College to release the packet during the appropriate distribution dates listed above.

Cap Decoration

Graduates are encouraged to decorate their cap for the ceremony, provided the decoration lies flat against the cap to prevent obstructing the view of others. Language on decorated caps must be appropriate.

Graduate Studies at UCF

The College of Graduate Studies at UCF is committed to providing comprehensive assistance throughout the academic journey. From admissions to graduation, the college offers a range of services, covering policy management, analysis, and the formulation of recommendations to enhance graduate education. They also offer guidance for interdisciplinary and cooperative programs.

Campus and Transportation

UCF is a sprawling institution with various campuses around central Florida, including UCF Downtown, Rosen College of Hospitality Management, and the Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona. The Pegasus Express shuttles provide convenient transportation around the university during the fall and spring semesters. UCF’s bike shop provides free bike repair services for students.

Graduate Student Resources

UCF strives to make graduate students’ lives easier by providing resources to support them during their studies. The Graduate Student Center (GSC) is a designated space for graduate students on the main campus, providing complimentary and reservable study spaces, private conference rooms, and presentation rooms. The Office of Graduate Student Life (GSL) coordinates the format review and final submission process for Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs), establishes deadlines for thesis and dissertation submissions, oversees policies related to these projects, and offers assistance to students, faculty, and staff. The John C. Hitt Library offers many resources and tools for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.

Read also: Commencement Speakers at UCLA

Graduate Student Life

Graduate Student Life provides a variety of services to support graduate students throughout their time at UCF and help prepare them for what comes after graduation. Building community is an integral part of having a fulfilling graduate experience. UCF offers a diverse range of registered student organizations (RSOs) tailored for graduate students, including the Graduate Student Association and the Graduate Student Advisory Council. The University Writing Center (UWC) is another valuable resource, offering free individual and small group writing consultations to UCF community members.

Health and Wellness

Taking care of mental health is always a priority. Counseling and Psychological Services provides an assortment of workshops, group counseling, and one-on-one counseling services to all UCF students, as well as virtual services and self-help resources. Prioritizing physical health is equally important, and the Recreation and Wellness Center (RWC) offers many programs and facilities to support student wellness.

Financial Support and Safety

There are many sources of financial support for graduate students at UCF, from fellowships and assistantships to tuition remission and health insurance. Student Care Services offers Special Circumstance and Emergency Funding to graduate students in case of a crisis. UCF has its own police department contributing to a secure campus environment.

Planetary Sciences Track at UCF

The University of Central Florida’s Physics Department offers MS and PhD degrees in its Planetary Sciences Track. The goal is to foster a vibrant planetary sciences research environment that can attract top students, researchers, and faculty and contribute significantly to the exploration of space. The Planetary Sciences Tracks are designed to prepare students to be competitive in the global planetary sciences research community.

Admission Requirements

For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, visit the Admissions and Registration section of the Graduate Catalog and the Physics Master’s/Doctoral Handbook. Information about admission to the Planetary Sciences track itself can be found in the Graduate Catalog’s pages about the Ph.D. and M.S. programs. Note that students must be specifically admitted to the Graduate Planetary Sciences track.

Ph.D. Requirements

The Ph.D. program requires a minimum of 72 credit hours beyond the Bachelor’s degree or 42 hours beyond the Master’s degree. This includes completion of 6 core courses (18 hours), 5 electives (15 hours), a minimum of 15 hours of dissertation (AST and PHY 7980), and the remaining 24 hours of appropriately selected research, dissertation, and elective courses. Courses must be selected so that at least one-half of the 72 hours are at the 6000 level or higher. No more than 12 hours of independent study (AST and PHY 6908) may be credited toward the Ph.D. degree.

Master’s Requirements

The Master’s requirements include at least 33 hours of graduate course work as directed by the student’s Supervisory Committee. This must include at least 15 hours of courses from the planetary core listed below and 6 hours of Thesis Preparation (PHY and AST 6971) with the remainder being electives and directed research classes chosen in consultation with the student’s Supervisory Committee. At least one-half of the total credits must be at the 6000 level. No more than 6 hours of independent study (AST and PHY 6908) may be credited toward the M.S. degree. The Master’s Degree in planetary sciences includes a thesis and its defense.

Core Courses

The core courses for the Planetary Sciences Track include:

AST 5151: Physics of Planetary Processes
AST 5154: Advanced Planetary Geophysics
AST 5263: Advanced Observational Astronomy
AST 5765C: Advanced Astronomical Data Analysis
AST 6165: Planetary Atmospheres
PHY 6246: Classical Mechanics

Elective Courses

A range of graduate physics, chemistry, optical sciences, and mathematics courses useful for the student’s area of research can be taken as electives. Examples include:

AST 5145: Advanced Asteroids, Comets, and Meteorites
AST 6112: Origin and Evolution of Planetary Systems
AST 5334: Extra-Solar Planets and Brown Dwarfs
AST 5038: Astrobiology
AST 6156: Current Topics in Planetary Sciences
AST 5937 or AST 6938: Special Topics

Supervisory Committee

A quorum for Supervisory Committee meetings is three faculty members. UCF faculty (including teaching and research faculty) and non-UCF planetary scientists who are qualified to be Graduate Faculty Scholars are eligible to serve on Supervisory Committees. Scientists in other disciplines are also eligible to serve if they bring relevant expertise (and are qualified to be a Graduate Faculty Scholar). Creation of and changes in the membership of a Supervisory Committee must be approved by the Planetary Graduate Committee. The advisor is expected to meet regularly with the student.

Academic Activities

Participating in related academic activities outside the classroom is integral to becoming a professional planetary scientist. These activities are essential to developing the broad background, critical thinking, and public speaking skills required for success in this field. These activities include:

Journal Club
Seminars
Department Colloquium
Outreach events

Candidacy Exam (Ph.D. Program)

The Planetary Sciences Track requires that a student in the PhD program take a Candidacy Exam after the completion of the core courses. Ideally, this exam will be taken at the end of the second year in the track, and no later than the end of the third year. This exam is composed of a written component and an oral exam. The written and oral components will be administrated by the student’s Supervisory Committee. The Committee will assess the student’s capacity to do independent scientific research, and thus the likelihood of a successful dissertation.

Master’s Thesis and Defense

The Planetary Sciences Track Master’s requirements include a written thesis and its oral defense after the completion of the Master’s course work and research. The oral defense is in two parts: (1) A public presentation of the research contained in the paper (approximately 45 minutes long) including the traditional question and answer period (approximately 10-15 minutes long) of a scientific presentation; and (2) private questioning on the detail of the presented research as well as the topics covered in the student’s preparation and course work.

Dissertation Committee

Generally, the Dissertation Committee (a.k.a. Dissertation Advisory Committee) consists of the Supervisory Committee plus a planetary scientist outside of UCF who has a substantial and creditable research record. This is a program requirement that satisfies the College of Graduate Studies requirement for a member outside the UCF Planetary Sciences Graduate Field. The Dissertation Committee should meet at least annually, fulfilling the duties and following the procedures of Supervisory Committees.

Celebrating Achievements

The UCF Knights student-athletes graduating class of 2023 was celebrated at the Garvy Nutrition Center. The brunch was capped off with the grads receiving class rings and other mementos. UCFAA celebrated all the Knight student-athletes that competed this past year at the Annual Swords Awards Show.

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