The first academic gowns were worn to provide
warmth in the unheated buildings of the 12th and 13th centuries. As caps were
not used at that time, hoods provided cover for tonsured heads. Colors were
added in the 19th century to signify various degrees. The color used in the
hood velvet should indicate the subject to which the degree pertains. A
recipient of the degree Master of Arts in Education should wear the light blue
of Education rather than the white of the Arts. No hood should represent more
than one degree.
At the Doctoral level, the PhD
degree is represented by dark blue and is used instead of the individual
discipline colors awarded under the PhD degree.
For academic purposes, the
following colors represent some of the various degrees and disciplines.
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Arts, Letters & Humanities; History, English
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White
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Business Administration, Accounting
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Drab
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Dramatic Arts, Fine Arts
|
Brown
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Education
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Light Blue
|
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Engineering
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Orange
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Home Economics
|
Maroon
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Journalism
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Crimson
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Law, Jurisprudence
|
Purple
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Library Science
|
Lemon
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Medicine
|
Hunter Green
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Music
|
Pink
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Nursing
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Apricot
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Philosophy
|
Dark Blue
|
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Physical Education
|
Sage Green
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Physical Therapy
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Teal
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Public Health, Occupational Therapy
|
Salmon
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Science; Chemistry, Biology, Physics
|
Gold
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Social Work
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Citron
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Theology, Divinity
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Scarlet
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Veterinary Science
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Grey
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Foreign Service; Public Administration
|
Peacock Blue
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In addition to these degree colors, each
college or university has its own school colors. If you know your school
colors please let us know, but more importantly, fill in the name of your
school and its location. This will help us to determine the design of the
school colors inside your hood, ie. whether to use solid colors, chevrons,
stripes, etc. as pictured below.