Academic Regalia

Undergraduate Students

Associate’s and Bachelor’s

Additional approved accessories include the gold Latin honor cord for undergraduate students (issued by the Office of the Registrar), the red, white, and blue veteran cord (issued by the VA School Certifying Official), and approved graduation adornments associated with official university organizational membership.

Cap decorations are allowed for individuals who would like to do so. Decorations must remain flush with the cap so that the decoration does not impede the view of other candidates. Profane or explicit messaging will not be permitted.

Undergraduate students may also purchase a graduation stole to wear during the ceremony. However, this is not required. A graduation stole is a decorative sash worn by students to represent student organizations, athletic teams, academic programs, etc.

Graduate Students

Master’s, Ed.S., Doctorate

The graduate academic hood symbolizes scholarly achievement and is considered an honor beyond the traditional undergraduate regalia.

As the most significant part of the academic regalia, the hood should not be worn with any other medallions, stoles or cords, and the mortar board or cap should be free of adornment. The hood is edged in velvet, and its color represents the academic college where the graduate student earned their degree.

• Ernst & Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education – Light Blue
• College of Science and Engineering – Gold
• Elmer R. Smith College of Business and Technology – Drab
• Caudill College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences – White