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Speakers and student body leaders at a Baccalaureate

A baccalaureate service (or, baccalaureate mass in the case of institutions affiliated with the Catholic Church and its orders) is a celebration which honors a graduating senior class from a college or high school. The event is often, but not necessarily, of a religious nature, although it is almost invariably Christian.^{[dubious – discuss]} At many Yeshivas and other universities with religious affiliations, the baccelaureate service will be celebrated as a religious ceremony. In some parts of the US this service is called Vespers.

The baccalaureate service derives from the medieval European custom of presenting the candidates for the degree of Bachelor (bacca) with laurels (lauri) of sermonic oration. The Baccalaureate ceremony is a service of worship in celebration of and thanksgiving for lives dedicated to learning and wisdom.

The Baccalaureate Service is believed to have originated at Oxford University in 1432 when each bachelor was required to deliver a sermon in Latin as part of his academic requirements. Since the earliest universities in America were founded primarily to educate ministers, the British practice of the Baccalaureate Service was continued.

The service is held within a few days of the graduation and/or commencement ceremony, often on the Sunday or Wednesday night immediately preceding graduation. At some colleges and universities they are held directly before the graduation. Speakers selected tend to be respected community leaders, faculty members (often selected by the graduating class), students, or local religious leaders. These speeches are often intermixed with musical performances, drama, and worship. Baccalaureate addresses can range in length from under half an hour to as long as four hours.

Because of Supreme Court rulings regarding the separation of church and state, baccalaureate services are not officially school-sponsored events at public schools. However, many have student-initiated services, fully permitted under law.

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