Academic Attire

The caps and gowns worn at formal academic events in American colleges are the direct descendants of the everyday costumes worn in the universities of Medieval England when each school had its peculiar dress so that an Oxford student could be distinguished from a Cambridge student. Because of the tremendous growth of American colleges, and the confusion that would result if each were to adopt a distinctive costume, the Intercollegiate Bureau of Academic Costume was organized. The Bureau has established a uniform code that over 700 institutions have adopted.

There are three types of gowns and three types of hoods for bachelors, masters, and doctors. The bachelors gown has a long pointed sleeve, whereas the masters gown has a long closed sleeve, square at the end. The doctors gown is characterized by a voluminous bell-shaped sleeve with three velvet bars.

The hoods for all degrees are lined with silk in the official academic color or colors of the institution conferring the degree and have an edging or trim of velvet, the color of which indicates the academic discipline or faculty to which the degree pertains. The bachelors hood is not worn by candidates for the baccalaureate degree but only by those upon whom this degree has been previously conferred. The masters hood is considerably longer, has a wider velvet edging, and exposes more of the lining. The doctors hood has wide panels at the side. It has the widest velvet edging, greatest length, and fullest exposure of the lining.

The black mortarboard cap with tassel is worn with each type of gown. Those holding a doctor’s degree are privileged to wear a gold tassel. Masters and bachelors wear tassels that are either black or of the color appropriate to the academic discipline in which they are graduating.

Some of the colors which may be observed at this commencement and which symbolize various faculties are as follows:

• Arts and Humanities - White
• Business Administration - Light Brown
• Education - Light Blue
• Fine Arts - Dark Brown
• Law - Purple
• Music - Pink
• Nursing - Apricot
• Philosophy - Dark Blue
• Public Administration - Peacock Blue
• Science - Golden Yellow
• Social Work - Citron