MA Degrees

A £10.00 fee is payable. M.A.'s are automatically members of the Convocation, conferring certain voting rights e.g. in the election of the Chancellor of the University. Members of the House who are members of Convocation are also entitled to dine at High Table by implied invitation, and at their own request and modest expense, provided arrangements are made in advance with the Steward's Office.

Making a Booking

For an updated list of available ceremony dates in 2010 2011 please click here.

Bookings for degree ceremonies may be made through the Steward’s Secretary. Early booking is essential to avoid disappointment. Before booking, please bear in mind the following University Regulations:

• A candidate may be presented in person for only one degree at each ceremony. This will normally be the superior of the degrees for which he or she is eligible. A candidate may, however, take other degrees in absence at the same ceremony when a degree is taken in person.
• Once a candidate’s name has been entered he or she may not withdraw from the ceremony. If a candidate is unable to be present, the degree will be conferred in absentia.
• The college may not present candidates for degrees if any debts are known to be outstanding to the College or the University. If in doubt, please check with the Steward’s Office on 01865 276251.

When you have decided which ceremony you would like to attend please email the Steward’s Secretary [helen.camunas-lopez@chch.ox.ac.uk] with the following information:

Full name:
Matriculation year:
Date of Birth:
Degree(s) to be conferred (e.g.BA, M.St, D.Phil etc):
Conferral in person or in absentia:
Ceremony you would like your degree(s) conferred at:

All reservations will be confirmed in writing by email subject to availability of places. The appropriate booking form will be sent to you for completion. Please return your form as soon as possible and no later than six weeks before the ceremony in order to confirm your place. If you do not return the form by this time your reservation will be cancelled and the place offered for others to book.

As the ceremony you book may be some time off, it is important that we have an email address and telephone contact number where we can reach you after leaving college to give you updates as your ceremony date approaches.

The final list of candidates is submitted to the University two to three weeks before the ceremony. Following approval of the list, the final programme for the day will then be emailed to graduands.

If you wish to attend a ceremony on a particular date you are advised to apply during the previous year or sooner as places tend to be booked very quickly. The quota system does not affect those taking degrees in absentia.

Degrees can be taken in person or in absentia

Taking a Degree Without Attending a Ceremony (In Absentia)

It is possible to take a degree without being present at the ceremony. If you wish to have a degree conferred in this manner, you must notify the Steward’s Secretary a month before the date of the intended degree ceremony. To make arrangements to take a degree "in absentia", please contact Helen Smith, the Steward’s Secretary.

Academic Dress for MA Degrees

At the beginning of the ceremony graduands are required to wear academic dress with sub-fusc clothing:

Gowns

Upon entering the ceremony graduands will be required to wear the BA gown and hood together with the academic cap and sub-fusc (as above). On conferment of the degree the MA gown and hood is assumed.

If your ceremony is taking place in the Examination Schools you will be required to enter the ceremony wearing sub-fusc and the gown of the degree you are having conferred. At the appropriate moment in the ceremony the hood will be assumed.

Please note: the Vice-Chancellor and Proctors have recently informed all colleges that they intend to be strict about enforcing correct dress at degree ceremonies, even to the point of denying graduands entry to the Sheldonian Theatre if they are not correctly dressed. Hence, in order that the degree day of Christ Church graduands should not be marred (it would not be in the power of the Censors of degrees to make ad hoc relaxations), graduands are urged to follow the dress code meticulously.