Ever wonder what different parts and colors of the graduation wardrobe represent? Well, we have your answers:

Bachelor’s Degrees

Gown
Designed to be worn closed
Black:Traditional bachelor’s degree gown
Green:University Honors Program Scholar
Gold: Latin Honors gown for graduates with distinction

Stoles
Black: Honors Scholar

Cords
Gold: Honor cord

Master’s Degrees

Sleeves
Oblong sleeve: Rear part of oblong shape is square cut, and the front has an arc cut away.

Gown
Supplied with fasteners to be worn open or closed

Doctor’s Degrees

Sleeves
Bell-shaped sleeves

Gown
Supplied with fasteners to be worn open or closed.

Trimmings

• Agriculture – Maize
• Arts, Letters, Humanities – White
• Commerce, Accountancy, Business – Drab
• Dentistry – Lilac
• Economics – Copper
• Education – Light Blue
• Engineering – Orange
• Fine Arts, including Architecture – Brown
• Forestry – Russet
• Journalism – Crimson
• Law – Purple
• Library Science – Lemon
• Medicine – Green
• Music – Pink
• Nursing – Apricot
• Oratory (Speech) – Silver Gray
• Pharmacy – Olive Green
• Philosophy – Dark Blue
• Physical Education – Sage Green
• Public Administration, including Foreign Service – Peacock Blue
• Public Health – Salmon Pink
• Science – Golden Yellow
• Social Work – Citron
• Theology – Scarlet
• Veterinary Science – Gray

For more information on the history of academic regalia, visit CSU’s commencement website.

This article was created for the 2014 Fall Graduation Guide produced by College Avenue Magazine staff.