Commencement ceremonies are one of the few occasions where American faculty dress in full academic regalia. MU faculty participants' garments reflect degrees earned both at Mizzou and at other national and international institutions.

Individuals taking part in MU ceremonies and/or receiving bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees are required to wear academic regalia representing their respective degrees. For specific regalia ordering information, visit the Regalia page in this site.

• History Behind the Cap and Gown
• Tassels and Trimmings

History Behind the Cap and Gown

Academic dress dates back to the formation of early universities in Europe, beginning around the 12th century. At this time the dress of scholars - be they students or teachers — was the dress of clerics. Historians presume long gowns were worn by these individuals to keep warm in unheated buildings. Hoods seem to have been used to keep bare heads warm, in place of the traditional skull caps.

This tradition of attire continued for hundreds of years, without much standardization. As a result, today European institutions' traditional academic regalia is diverse.

American institutions, on the other hand, adopted a code of academic dress at the end of the 19th century. Since then, the codes have been revised in 1932, 1959 and 1986 by a committee on costumes and ceremonies, supervised by the American Council on Education.

These codes recommend that gowns for bachelor's degree have pointed sleeves and are worn closed. Master's degree gowns should have oblong sleeves that open at the wrist. The gown for the doctorate degree holders has bell-shaped sleeves. Colors for these gowns at the University of Missouri-Columbia are the recommended color: black. Other institutions sometimes select alternate colors.

These gowns are worn with caps or mortarboards, and adorned with a variety of tassels and trimmings.

Return to top of page.

Tassels and Trimmings

Gowns for both bachelor's and master's degrees are untrimmed. Traditionally, doctoral gowns are trimmed with velvet on the front and sleeves. These velvet trimmings may be a color representing the earned degree, or the institution from which the degree was earned.

Hoods, attached to the back of gowns, also vary in length. Master's degree hoods are three and one-half feet long and doctorate hoods are four feet long. The lining of hoods are usually lined with the official colors of the university awarding the degree.

Again, the assignment of colors to areas of study were varied in the beginning days of educational institutions, and was not standardized until the 19th century in America.

The trimming colors on gowns, hoods, tassels and caps are associated with the following disciplines at the University of Missouri-Columbia:

On doctoral gowns and hoods:

Doctor of Education — Light blue
Doctor of Fine Arts — Brown
Doctor of Humane Letters — White
Doctor of Laws — Purple
Doctor of Letters — White
Doctor of Medicine — Green
Doctor of Music — Pink
Doctor of Philosophy — Dark blue
Doctor of Science — Yellow gold
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine — Gray
Doctor of Nursing — Apricot

On master's hoods and tassels on baccalaureate caps:

College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources — Maize
     School of Natural Resources — Russet
     Parks, Recreation and Tourism — Rose

College of Arts and Science — White
     School of Fine Arts — Brown
     Music — Pink

College of Business and Public Administration — Drab
     Public Administration — Peacock blue
     School of Accountancy — Drab

College of Education — Light blue
     Library and Informational Science — White

College of Engineering — Orange

School of Health Professions — Green and gold
     Bachelor of Health Studies (CSD & DMU) — Sage
     Master of Physical Therapy — Teal
     Master of Occupational Therapy — Ink

College of Human Environmental Sciences — Maroon
     School of Social Work — Citron

School of Journalism — Crimson

School of Law — Purple

School of Medicine — Green

School of Nursing — Apricot

College of Veterinary Medicine — Gray

For details on the proper attire for bachelor's, master's and doctoral graduates, visit the Regalia page in this site.

For more information about purchasing or renting caps, gowns and tassels visit the University Bookstore web site.

Return to top of page.