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Honorary Degrees

At its Commencement each June, Dartmouth awards honorary degrees to select individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the arts and humanities, the sciences, business and industry or public service in the broadest sense. Degrees awarded include Doctorates of Arts, Humane Letters, Laws, Letters, Literature, and Science.

  • Annette Gordon-Reed

    Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and legal scholar Annette Gordon-Reed '81, who was among the 2021 honorary degree recipients, delivers Dartmouth's 2021 Commencement address.

  • Hilary Tompkins receives an honorary degree from Dartmouth

    Hilary C. Tompkins '90 receives the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters at Dartmouth's 2019 Commencement.

  • Yo-Yo Ma receives an honorary degree from Dartmouth

    Yo-Yo Ma, Dartmouth's 2019 Commencement speaker, listens to President Hanlon read the citation for his Honorary Doctorate of Arts degree.

Nominations

The nomination period for honorary degrees is in early fall and is open to the Dartmouth community. The call for nominations is made via e-mail and electronic announcements to all faculty, staff and members of the graduating class. Nominations must be submitted via the Honorary Degree Nominating Form. Nominees should:

  • Have made and/or be expected to make significant contributions to a field or to society in general;
  • Serve as role models for the graduating class;
  • Include individuals from historically underrepresented and marginalized groups (women, individuals with non-cisgender identities, people of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, etc.);
  • Represent a wide range of interests and fields.

All nominations are registered in a database maintained by the Office of the President and are reviewed by the Council on Honorary Degrees. The nomination process is confidential.

Nominating Deadline

The nominating period for honorary doctorates to be awarded at Commencement exercises for the Class of 2021 is closed. The nominating period for honorary doctorates to be awarded in 2022 will be announced in the Fall of 2021.

Announcement and Conferral of Degrees

Honorary degree recipients are typically announced in late spring each year, with honorary doctorates awarded in person during Commencement in June.