Location
Presentation ceremonies are held on campus in the Peacock Theatre on Portugal Street. For a map of the location, and travel information (including car parking facilities) please see the links below.
Post-ceremony receptions| are held at various locations around the LSE and the specific location will be printed on the graduand ticket.
Seating
The theatre will open for seating about one hour before the ceremony is due to begin. You should then make your way to the theatre stalls, collecting, if you wish, a commemorative brochure at the top of the stairs. Your guests will either be seated in the stalls or in the dress circle; theatre staff will be on hand to help them locate their seats.
Students must be seated at least 30 minutes before the ceremony is due to start, and guests at least 10 minutes before. Students will be seated separately from their guests, in the order that they will be presented.
Please note that you must sit in the seat indicated on your ticket. This is to ensure that you are presented in the correct order.
Name Cards
Upon arrival in the auditorium, students will be handed a card with their personal details. When told to leave your seat and go to the stage, please ensure that you take this card with you. The presenter will read your name from this card.
The Ceremony
The ceremonies normally last between one and one and a quarter hours.
At the start of the ceremony, students and guests will be asked to stand as the academic procession arrives in the theatre. Once the ceremony has been declared open, a speech by a senior member of the faculty or School Directorate will follow. After a short musical interlude and slide show, a senior member of each department will then present their students, all wearing appropriate academic dress, to the School Director.
When instructed, please climb the steps to the stage and hand your namecard to the presenter who will read out your name. As your name is read out, you should walk to the middle of the stage where the Director will shake your hand. If, for cultural or religious reasons, you do not wish to shake hands with the Director, please hold the ceremony brochure in your right hand as you walk across the stage. Please also note that you may not wear your hat on stage. If you have a hat, you should leave this on your seat, or carry it in your left hand as your walk across the stage.
Once you have shaken the Director's hand, you should leave the stage by the steps on the opposite side, walk up the aisle and return to your seat, where you will remain until the ceremony is over.
At some ceremonies honorary degrees or honorary fellowships will then be awarded.
The Director and Chair of the Court of Governors will then make their closing remarks and students and guests will be asked to stand as the academic procession leaves the theatre.
Post-ceremony receptions| are held immediately following the ceremonies and the location will be printed on the graduands' tickets.
Certificates
Please note that you will not receive your degree certificate during the ceremony; please see the Degree Certificate| web page for information regarding certificate collection.
Duration
Ceremonies usually last between sixty and ninety minutes. The receptions immediately following the ceremonies usually last approximately 60 minutes.