Commencement Program 2023 - Flipbook - Page 19
2025
COMMENCEMENT
THE TRADITION OF ACADEMIC REGALIA
COLORS ASSOCIATED
WITH THE DIFFERENT
AREAS OF STUDY
Agriculture/Maize
Art, Letters
Humanities/White
Business Administration/
Drab
Dentistry/Lilac
Economics/Copper
Education/Light Blue
Engineering/Orange
Fine Art, Architecture/Brown
Forestry/Russet
Home Economics/Maroon
Humanities/Dark Crimson
Law/Purple
Library Science/Lemon
Medicine/Green
Music/Pink
Nursing/Apricot
Oratory/Silver Gray
Pharmacy/Olive
Philanthropy/Rose
he academic regalia worn at Commencement
is of medieval origin. The scholars of Bologna,
Salamana, Paris, Oxford, Cambridge, Louvain and
Heidelberg dressed in a manner to distinguish themselves
from the merchants and other townspeople. Since the 11th
century, when the rise of the universities began, “learned
clerks” robed themselves in gowns, caps and hoods, thus
marking a di昀昀erence between “town and gown.”
T
Each of the three academic degrees – bachelor’s, master’s,
and doctoral – has its own distinctive gown and hood. The
bachelor’s gown is distinguished by its long pointed sleeve
and is worn by community college graduates. The gown for
the master’s degree has a long, narrow sleeve, and is open at
the wrist. The doctoral gown has a full, bell-shaped sleeve
with three wide velvet bands. The velvet trim may be black
or a color which represents the wearer’s 昀椀eld of study.
Gowns for the bachelor’s or master’s degrees are untrimmed.
The doctoral gown is the fullest and most elaborate, with
velvet panels down its front. The velvet panels have colors
which are distinctive of the degree, or the institution’s colors.
Philosophy/Blue
Physical Education/
Sage Green
The master’s and doctorate degrees have distinctive hood
features with the color of the 昀椀eld of study on the outside.
Public Health/Salmon
Science/Golden Yellow
Social Service/Citron
Surgical Chiropody/Nile Green
Theology and Divinity/Scarlet
The cap is used for all degrees. With the bachelor’s and
master’s degree, the tassel on the cap may be black or the
color of the 昀椀eld of learning. The tassel on the doctor’s cap
may be gold and is sewn to the fabric of the cap.
Veterinary Sciences/Gray
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Baltimore City Community College
