Academic dress

The origins of the academic regalia

For universities in the English-speaking world, there are normally three separate garments that make up the academic regalia:

• the gown
• the hood
• the hat (trencher or bonnet)

Gown

The gown is the loose outer garment common to lawyers and university lecturers. Often, the cut of the sleeve indicates whether the wearer holds a Bachelor's or a Master's degree. Doctor's gowns may be decorated.

Hood

The hood originally served to keep the head dry and warm, and will vary depending on the university. Today, the hood is much larger than it used to be as it is purely ornamental. The lining and sometimes the binding, indicate the discipline which presents the candidate for graduation.

Hat (trencher or bonnet)

Since the hood is no longer worn on the head, graduates of most universities wear a hat. In general, Bachelor and Master wear a hard cap with a tassel known as a mortarboard or trencher. Doctors wear a soft velvet cap with a tassel known as a bonnet.

La Trobe University academic regalia

La Trobe University graduates wear the appropriate academic dress, also called academic regalia, during graduation and ceremonial events. Graduation attendance consists of a registration fee and academic dress hire fee. You may also choose to purchase your own regalia gown set as part of the online graduation registration process.

Subdegree graduates

The academic dress worn by sub-degree graduates is:

• a gown in Oxford blue cloth
• a 10-centimetre wide stole lined with silk in the colour of the discipline, worn around the neck and draped down the front of the gown
• no trencher is worn.

Bachelor graduates

The academic regalia worn by Bachelor graduates is:

• a gown in Oxford blue cloth
• a Burgon-style Oxford hood with 10-centimetre wide silk facing in the colour of the discipline
• the hood’s silk exposed on the right shoulder
• a black cloth trencher.

Bachelor with Honours graduates

The academic dress worn by Bachelor with Honours graduates is:

• a gown in Oxford blue cloth
• a Burgon-style Oxford hood with 10-centimetre wide silk facing in the colour of the discipline
• the hood’s silk exposed on the left shoulder
• a black cloth trencher.

Graduate Certificates or Graduate Diplomas

The academic dress worn by Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma graduates is:

• a gown in Oxford blue cloth
• a 10-centimetre wide stole lined with silk in the colour of the discipline, worn around the neck and draped down the front of the gown
• a black cloth trencher.

Master graduates

The academic dress worn by Master graduates is:

• a gown in Oxford blue cloth, with long squared sleeves that feature a horizontal slit just above the elbow
• a Burgon-style Oxford hood fully lined with silk in the colour of the discipline
• the hood’s silk exposed on the right shoulder
• a black cloth trencher.

Master with Honours graduates

The academic dress worn by Master with Honours graduates is:

• a gown in Oxford blue cloth, with long squared sleeves that feature a horizontal slit just above the elbow
• a Burgon-style Oxford hood fully lined with silk in the colour of the discipline
• the hood’s silk exposed on the left shoulder
• a black cloth trencher.

Professional Doctorate graduates

The academic dress worn by Professional Doctorate graduates is:

• a gown in Oxford blue cloth with a ten-centimetre wide Signal red silk facing and cuffs
• an Oxford doctorate hood in Oxford blue fully lined with Signal red silk
• the hood’s silk exposed on both shoulders
• and a black velvet Tudor bonnet with a Signal red cord and tassel
• the hood’s silk exposed on both shoulders.

Professional doctorates include the degrees of Doctor of Education, Doctor of Health Psychology, Doctor of Nursing, Doctor of Psychology and any other doctorates determined by Council to be professional doctorates.

Doctor of Philosophy graduates

The academic dress worn by Doctor of Philosophy graduates is:

• a gown in Signal red cloth with 10-centimetre wide Vitrix blue silk facing and cuffs
• an Oxford doctorate hood in Signal red fully lined with Vitrix blue silk
• the hood’s silk exposed on both shoulders
• a black velvet Tudor bonnet with a Post Office red cord and tassel.

Honorary degrees

The academic dress worn by Honorary degree recipients is the same dress as Doctor of Philosophy, except for the colour of the silk facing, cuff and hood lining:

• Doctor of the University – Signal red
• Doctor of Laws – Crocus
• Doctor of Letters – Turquoise
• Doctor of Science – Saffron

Indigenous stole

Graduates of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent may also opt to wear, in addition to the appropriate academic dress as described above, a stole ten centimetres wide of the following colours:

• Aboriginal: Equal bands of Jet Black, Saffron and Post Office red silks
• Torres Strait Islander: Larkspur silk edged on each side with Juniper silk, each colour separated by a narrow band of black piping.

Hoods, facings and stole colours

Colour references are to the British Colour Council Dictionary of Colour Standards.

Double and multiple degree graduates

• Double degrees wear the colour of the discipline that runs the course. For example, Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts wears the colour for Law.
• Multiple degrees wear the academic dress for the highest award. For example, Graduate Diploma in Education/Bachelor of Arts wears the academic dress for the Graduate Diploma.