The former Tigers captain joined hundreds of Business and Law graduands when he received an honorary doctorate from the university at Curve theatre on Tuesday.
Murphy was made an Honorary Doctor of Letters and presented with his doctorate by DMU deputy vice-chancellor, professor David Wilson.
Geordan arrived in Leicester in 1997 to enrol on a Property and Business degree at DMU as well as to begin his career at Tigers. It was the early days of professional rugby and he was thinking of a career in auctioneering as a back-up in case the rugby did not work out.
He needn’t have worried. He retired last season having enjoyed 16 seasons in the first team squad, with eight league titles and two European Cups under his belt. He was capped 72 times by Ireland and won the 2009 Six Nations Grand Slam and played in two World Cups, and he was capped twice by the British and Irish Lions during their 2005 tour of New Zealand.
Murphy said: “I am over the moon to receive this, I am a bit nervous to be honest! I didn't imagine something like this would happen.
“It has been quite a few years since I was at DMU but it was a great time in my life. I met a people who are still close friends to this day, and it was a great experience.
"I was very lucky at university. When I was given the chance to go professional, I was still at DMU and the university always supported me 100 per cent."
The graduation ceremonies for more than 5,500 students continue at The Curve until next Saturday.
