Selecting the Proper Hood Color
Regalia must be worn by all students and faculty members participating in commencement. Standard academic regalia (gown, cap, tassel and hood) can be purchased through the University Bookstore. If you wish to order a custom doctoral gown and hood, select your preferred supplier online, such as Oak Hall, GraduationAttire, Herff Jones, and others at least 8 weeks in advance to allow sufficient time for delivery.
Doctoral Regalia
The hoods for the Doctor of Philosophy regalia are edged with dark blue; Doctor of Education (EdD) hoods are edged with light blue. Doctoral gowns are faced with black velvet with three bars across the sleeves. Tassels for doctoral students are gold.
Master's Regalia
The colors for the edging of hoods for master's students are determined by the college and discipline granting the degree, as listed in the table below. The tassels of caps for Master's students are black.
Academic Regalia Colors by College |
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| College | Discipline | Color | |||
| Agriculture & Life Sciences | |||||
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All Disciplines with 1 Exception | Maize (Pale Yellow) | |||
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Biochemistry | Bright Gold (Golden Yellow) | |||
| Architecture, Arts, and Design | |||||
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Schools of Architecture and Design | Blue Violet | |||
| School of Visual Arts | Brown | ||||
| School of Performing Arts | Brown | ||||
| Pamplin College of Business | |||||
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All Disciplines | Drab (Yellow-Brown) | |||
| Engineering | |||||
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All Disciplines | Orange | |||
| Environgmental Design & Planning (Ph.D.) | Ph.D. Blue | ||||
| Interdisciplinary Degrees | |||||
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All Disciplines | White | |||
| Liberal Arts & Human Sciences | |||||
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Apparel, Housing & Resource Management | Maroon | |||
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Communication | Crimson | |||
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Educational Leadership & Policy Studies | Light Blue | |||
|
English | White |
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Foreign Language & Literatures | White |
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History | White |
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Human Development |
Maroon |
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Interdisciplinary Studies | White |
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International Studies | White | |||
| Music | Pink | ||||
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Philosophy | Ph.D. Blue | |||
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Political Science | White |
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| Public Administration | Peacock Blue | ||||
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School of Education | Light Blue | |||
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Science & Technology in Society | White |
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Sociology | White |
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Teaching & Learning | Light Blue | |||
| Natural Resources | |||||
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All Disciplines | Russet (Rust) |
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| Science |
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All Disciplines with 1 Exception | Bright Gold (Golden Yellow) | |||
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Economics | Copper |
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| Veterinary Medicine |
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VM | Gray |
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PhD | Gold Tassel / Blue Hood | |||
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MS | Black Tassel / Yellow Hood | |||
| MPH | Salmon Pink | ||||
For more information on academic regalia, please contact the Virginia Tech Bookstore .
