ACADEMIC ATTIRE
All candidates for degrees and those who hold these degrees, including University officials, faculty, and visiting dignitaries, are attired in traditional cap and gown. The basic color for many caps and gowns is traditional UK blue. However, recipients of different degrees wear distinctive tassels on their caps and hoods of various hues draped down the backs of the gowns.
CAPS
Candidates for Bachelor’s degrees wear the regulation cap with the tassel appropriate to the school or division from which they are being graduated, with the exception of those who already hold Doctoral degrees and are privileged to wear gold or silver tassels. Candidates for Master’s degrees wear black tassels with their school or division represented by the color on their hood. Except during the playing of the “Star-Spangled Banner,” traditionally males in academic regalia wear their caps. The authorized list of tassel and hood colors are listed below.
GOWNS
The gown for the Bachelor’s degree has pointed sleeves. It is designed to be worn closed. The gown for the Master’s degree has an oblong sleeve, open at the wrist, like the others. The sleeve base hangs down in the traditional manner. The rear part of its oblong shape is square cut and the front part has an arc cut away. The gown is designed and supplied with fasteners so that it may be worn open or closed. The gown for the Doctoral degree has a bell-shaped sleeve on which are three velvet bars. Usually the gowns for Doctoral degrees are black but sometimes other colors, depending on the degree or the college or university. The University of Kentucky gown for the Doctoral degree is royal (UK) blue with black panels and three black bars on the sleeve.
HOODS
The Master’s hood is long, has a wide velvet edging, and exposes the lining. The outside velvet trim color designates the degree that the person is receiving. The Doctoral hood is easily recognized by the width of the velvet edging, the wide panels at the sides, the greater length, and the full exposure of the lining. The colors of the edging most frequently seen are blue for philosophy, green for medicine, purple for laws; the colors for the honorary Doctoral degrees are purple for laws, white for arts/letters/humanities, and golden yellow for science.
As you prepare for your commencement ceremony, make sure to order your regalia well in advance, ensuring that you have the right colors and correct attire for your specific degree. Wearing this timeless academic tradition brings a sense of honor and connection to the long line of graduates who have walked before you. We congratulate you on your remarkable accomplishments and look forward to celebrating your success at the upcoming commencement ceremony. Go Wildcats!