2026 USC Chan Commencement

The USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy will celebrate its 84th Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 15, 2026, at the USC University Park Campus.

For more information and updates about USC Commencement Week, please visit commencement.usc.edu

Date: Friday, May 15, 2026
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Location: Epstein Family Plaza (E-quad) on University Park Campus

Commencement Speaker
2026 keynote speaker Dr. Arameh Anvarizadeh became president of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) in July 2025. She is a founding member of the Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD), responsible for developing the COTAD toolkit, the Ignite Series and COTAD chapters at educational institutions.

USC Chan’s Commencement Ceremony
The USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy commencement ceremony begins at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, May 15, and is anticipated to last one-and-a-half hours. USC Chan degree candidates will line up according to degree. Please arrive no later than 3:30 p.m..

Chan Division Reception
A reception will take place at the Allan Hancock Foundation Lawn (from the E-quad, a short walk east along Downey Way) immediately following the division’s ceremony, and is expected to last about one hour.

Digital Resources
A live video feed of all the ceremonies will be available on the day of the event. The service requires you to register, but it only wants a valid email address. Once logged in, go to USC Commencement → School Ceremonies → Chan Division → View Ceremony. Closed captioning will be available for all live-streamed ceremonies.

When posting to your social media, please use the hashtag #uscgrad.

Map/Directions

The map shows the ceremony location, the reception location, and the walking path between the two.

Main USC Ceremony
USC’s Main Commencement Ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 14, at 6:30 p.m. in the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. Click for more information.

University Ticketing and Safety Measures

• The Chan Division ceremony does not require tickets.
  Tickets are required to access the main commencement ceremony at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, but no tickets are required for the USC University Park Campus, the Chan Division Commencement Ceremony or the reception.
• Prior to entering main commencement event, USC will screen visitors and bags, using security measures similar to those for attending athletic events at the Los Angeles Coliseum, including implementing a clear bag policy.

Guests with Disabilities
Please visit the USC Commencement website for additional parking or seating information. If you have a guest attending the satellite ceremony who requires special accommodations (e.g., seated in a wheelchair), please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) at least two weeks prior to Commencement.

Other Considerations

Cap & Gown
Please refer to commencement.usc.edu/graduates/caps-and-gowns-regalia/ for details and pricing for renting and purchasing regalia. Regalia rental includes a cap and tassel, which can be kept as a souvenir. Graduate students: Please note the color of your hood when ordering regalia.

MA: White
OTD: Rhodes Blue (a.k.a. Slate Blue)
PhD: PhD Blue (Dark Blue)

Cap and Tassel Protocol
Caps should be worn at all times, except during the invocation, benediction and National Anthem, when gentlemen should remove their caps. The tassel is worn over the right temple. When the president salutes the graduates, it is appropriate for graduates to respond by tipping their caps. Graduates may then move their tassels over to the left side.

Honor Cords (undergraduate students only)
Honor cords, which may be worn by undergraduates who have earned a minimum 3.5 university GPA by the end of the fall semester, are available from the division. The division will notify you by mid-April if you are eligible to wear an honor cord. Note: Academic honors (cum laude, etc.) will be designated on your diploma/record since these honors will be awarded after final grades are determined after Commencement, and include all coursework (including transfer work).

Pets
The university has a no-pets policy; service dogs are exempt.

Weather
Commencement Day activities may involve prolonged exposure to the sun. Sunscreen, water and hats are recommended.

Contact
For additional information, please contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

⋯

 

USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy

1540 Alcazar Street, CHP 133, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9003

ACOTE accreditation | NBCOT certification

The USC entry-level doctorate in occupational therapy (OTD) degree program (cost of attendance) is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE®) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The USC entry-level master’s degree program (cost of attendance) is in Accreditation–Inactive status by ACOTE®. View our program’s ACOTE® standards public data. ACOTE® c/o the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.®, 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 652-AOTA, www.acoteonline.org.

Professional program graduates are eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT®), nbcot.org. Program results from the NBCOT can be found online at www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.