Academic Regalia

academIc REGALIA

Hoods

The academic hood identifies the level of the degree, the discipline in which the degree is awarded and the institution which awarded it. The bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral hoods are commonly three feet, three-and-a-half feet and four feet, respectively.

The colors of the hood lining identify the school awarding the graduate or honorary degrees. Scarlet and gray lining reflects Friends University. The colors of the velvet border of the hood identify the discipline:

Maize – Agriculture White – Arts, Letters and Humanities Drab – Commerce and Business Copper – Economics Light Blue – Education Brown – Fine Arts Peacock – Health Care Leadership Crimson – Journalism Lilac – Juris Doctorate Lemon – Library Science Pink – Music Apricot – Nursing Dark Blue – Philosophy Sage Green – Physical Education Golden Yellow – Science Citron – Social Work/Social Science Silver Gray – Speech Scarlet – Theology

Gowns

Black gowns are the rule, but a few universities use other colors. Doctoral gowns are most readily recognizable by three horizontal velvet bars on each sleeve, either black or in the color of the university in which the degree was granted; some also have velvet panels down the front.

In an effort to sustain the environment, Friends University graduates are wearing environmentally-friendly gowns that will decompose in soil in one year.

Caps and Tassels

The familiar hard-topped mortarboard, or Oxford cap, has long been a standard, but a few universities use a soft tam. The tassels for faculty members are either black or in the color of the university who awarded the degree; or gold in the case of some doctoral degrees. The color of the tassel on the caps of the graduating class indicates Friends University’s colors, scarlet and gray.

Honor Cords

Honor cords, draped from the graduate’s neck, are worn by members of the University’s honor societies. Please see descriptions on the following pages.