Faculty regalia and doctoral regalia are two phrases frequently used when professors shop for academic dress. Because the terms are sometimes used interchangeably in product descriptions and commencement conversations, it is easy to assume they mean exactly the same thing.
They do not.
The simplest distinction is this:
Faculty regalia describes academic dress worn by faculty members, while doctoral regalia describes academic dress associated with the doctoral degree level.
Those categories can overlap. A professor who has earned a doctorate may wear doctoral regalia while participating as a faculty member in commencement. But not every faculty member necessarily wears doctoral regalia because professors and other faculty can hold different academic degrees.
This guide explains faculty regalia vs. doctoral regalia, how the two categories overlap, what professors should wear at commencement and how to choose the appropriate gown, hood, academic headwear and tassel.
What Is Faculty Regalia?
Faculty regalia is a broad term used to describe academic dress worn by professors, instructors, academic administrators and other participating faculty during formal academic ceremonies.
Faculty members may wear academic dress during:
- Commencement
- Convocation
- Doctoral hooding ceremonies
- Academic installations
- Faculty processions
- Other formal academic events
The phrase “faculty regalia” does not by itself specify a degree level.
A participating faculty member might wear bachelor’s-, master’s- or doctoral-level academic dress depending on the earned degree being represented and the institution’s requirements.
What Is Doctoral Regalia?
Doctoral regalia is academic dress associated with an earned doctoral-level degree.
Depending on institutional tradition, a doctoral ensemble may include:
- Doctoral gown
- Doctoral academic hood
- Doctoral tam or other approved academic headwear
- Tassel
Doctoral gowns commonly have more elaborate construction than bachelor’s and master’s gowns, although designs vary among institutions.
The Main Difference Between Faculty and Doctoral Regalia
Think of the difference as role versus degree level.
Faculty describes the person’s role within an educational institution.
Doctoral describes an academic degree level.
Therefore:
- A professor with a doctorate may wear doctoral regalia.
- A professor with a master’s degree may wear master’s regalia.
- A faculty member should not automatically wear doctoral regalia simply because the person teaches at a university.
Is a Faculty Gown the Same as a Doctoral Gown?
Sometimes, but not always.
A retailer, university or rental provider may use the phrase “faculty gown” as a general description for gowns intended for faculty participation.
However, the actual gown still needs a degree-level specification.
When shopping online, determine whether a product labeled “faculty gown” is actually:
- Bachelor’s-level academic dress
- Master’s-level academic dress
- Doctoral-level academic dress
- A custom institutional faculty gown
Do not rely on the word “faculty” alone.
Why Do Faculty Members Often Appear in Doctoral Regalia?
Many university faculty members have earned doctorates, so doctoral academic dress is commonly visible in faculty processions.
This visual association can create the impression that faculty regalia automatically means doctoral regalia.
It does not.
The professor’s earned academic credential and the institution’s academic-dress expectations should guide the choice.
Does Being a Professor Mean You Can Wear Doctoral Regalia?
A faculty title alone does not establish a doctoral credential.
Professional titles can include:
- Professor
- Associate Professor
- Assistant Professor
- Lecturer
- Instructor
- Department Chair
- Program Director
These titles should not be confused with bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree levels.
What Should a Professor With a Doctorate Wear?
A professor representing an earned doctorate may wear doctoral-level academic dress when appropriate under the institution’s requirements.
A typical ensemble may involve:
- Doctoral gown
- Doctoral hood
- Doctoral tam, mortarboard or other approved headwear
- Tassel
Institution-specific academic dress may differ from standard designs.
What Should a Professor With a Master’s Degree Wear?
A professor representing an earned master’s degree would generally look to master’s-level academic dress, subject to institutional practice.
This may include:
- Master’s gown
- Master’s academic hood
- Mortarboard or approved academic headwear
- Tassel
The professor should not select a doctoral gown merely because doctoral regalia appears more formal.
Faculty Rank vs. Academic Degree
Faculty rank and academic degree are separate concepts.
A full professor is not automatically entitled to a more elaborate degree-level gown than an assistant professor.
For example, two professors who are both representing earned doctorates may wear doctoral-level academic dress even if one is an assistant professor and the other is a full professor.
Does Tenure Change Faculty Regalia?
Tenure status should not automatically be interpreted as a separate academic-dress level.
Academic dress is not simply a visual ranking system for:
- Years of employment
- Tenure status
- Faculty seniority
- Administrative authority
Institutional ceremonial offices may have distinctive regalia, but those are separate traditions and should be verified with the institution.
How Is a Doctoral Gown Different?
Many traditional doctoral gowns include recognizable features such as:
- Full doctoral sleeves
- Velvet or velvet-like front facings
- Three velvet or velvet-like bars on each sleeve
Exact construction can vary, particularly with institution-specific doctoral gowns.
How Is a Master’s Gown Different?
Master’s gowns use distinctive sleeve construction and generally do not use the same traditional three-bar doctoral sleeve treatment.
When buying faculty regalia, verify the actual degree level instead of assuming all advanced-degree gowns are interchangeable.
What About Bachelor’s Faculty Regalia?
A faculty member representing a bachelor’s credential may wear bachelor’s-level academic dress where appropriate.
Bachelor’s gowns generally have simpler construction and traditional bachelor-style sleeves.
Again, the individual’s role as a faculty member does not automatically change the degree level represented by the gown.
Faculty Hood vs. Doctoral Hood
The phrase “faculty hood” can also create confusion.
An academic hood should be selected according to the appropriate degree and academic-dress specifications rather than simply because it will be worn by a professor.
A doctoral faculty member may need a doctoral hood.
A master’s-level faculty member may need a master’s hood.
The two should not automatically be treated as interchangeable.
What Does the Academic Hood Represent?
Under traditional U.S. academic-dress conventions, different parts of an academic hood can communicate different information.
Depending on the system being followed, these can include:
- Degree level
- Degree-granting institution
- Academic discipline
The University Where You Teach May Not Determine Your Hood
Suppose a professor earned a doctorate from one university but currently teaches at another.
The academic hood may represent the earned degree and degree-granting institution rather than simply using the current employer’s colors.
This is why faculty members should verify hood specifications rather than selecting colors visually.
Traditional Academic Hood Colors
Traditional academic-dress conventions associate certain colors with fields of learning.
Commonly referenced examples include:
- Arts, Letters and Humanities: White
- Business, Commerce and Accountancy: Drab
- Education: Light Blue
- Engineering: Orange
- Fine Arts: Brown
- Law: Purple
- Library Science: Lemon
- Medicine: Green
- Music: Pink
- Nursing: Apricot
- Philosophy: Dark Blue
- Physical Education: Sage Green
- Public Administration: Peacock Blue
- Public Health: Salmon Pink
- Science: Golden Yellow
- Social Science: Citron
- Theology and Divinity: Scarlet
These traditional associations are general educational references and should not be treated as a universal hood-ordering chart.
Academic-dress practices can vary. Verify the actual hood specification associated with the degree and institution.
Does Every PhD Professor Wear Dark Blue?
Do not assume that every PhD faculty member should simply order an identical dark-blue hood.
Dark blue has a traditional association with philosophy, but the complete hood specification can involve degree-level construction, institutional lining and other requirements.
The degree-granting institution should be consulted when the correct configuration is uncertain.
Faculty Tam vs. Doctoral Tam
Similar terminology issues occur with academic headwear.
A product described as a “faculty tam” is often intended for professors or other faculty participants, but the term faculty does not create a separate academic degree level.
Doctoral tams are commonly associated with doctoral academic dress.
Do All Faculty Members Wear Tams?
No.
Academic headwear can include:
- Mortarboards
- Four-sided tams
- Six-sided tams
- Eight-sided tams
- Institution-specific academic caps
The appropriate choice depends on the academic dress being represented and institutional requirements.
Do More Tam Sides Mean Higher Faculty Rank?
The number of sides should not automatically be interpreted as a faculty hierarchy.
Four-, six- and eight-sided tams describe different constructions or styles. They do not by themselves establish whether the wearer is:
- An assistant professor
- An associate professor
- A full professor
- A department chair
- Tenured
Faculty Tassel vs. Doctoral Tassel
Tassels can also vary.
Gold-colored tassels are commonly seen with doctoral academic dress, but they should not be treated as universally required.
When selecting faculty headwear, verify:
- Tassel color
- Tassel material
- Attachment
- Institutional requirements
Do Faculty Move Their Tassels?
Graduating students may participate in a tassel-moving tradition during commencement.
Faculty members should follow the host institution’s ceremony instructions rather than automatically participating in a ritual intended for graduating students.
Standard Doctoral Regalia vs. Custom Faculty Regalia
Another source of confusion is custom institutional academic dress.
A university may have distinctive doctoral or ceremonial regalia that looks significantly different from standard black doctoral dress.
Custom designs can incorporate:
- Institutional colors
- Special panels
- Colored velvet
- Piping
- Embroidery
- Distinctive sleeve treatments
- Custom headwear
These features should not be interpreted as creating a universal category called “faculty regalia.”
They may instead represent a particular institution’s academic-dress tradition.
Why Faculty Regalia Can Look So Different in the Same Procession
One of the distinctive visual features of a university commencement is the variety of academic dress worn by faculty.
Professors may have earned degrees from many different institutions.
As a result, the faculty procession can contain:
- Standard black academic gowns
- Distinctive university doctoral gowns
- Different hood linings
- Different hood edging colors
- Mortarboards
- Doctoral tams
- Other institution-specific academic headwear
These differences can reflect different academic credentials and traditions rather than faculty seniority.
Faculty Regalia vs. Doctoral Regalia Comparison
| Feature | Faculty Regalia | Doctoral Regalia |
|---|---|---|
| What the term describes | Academic dress worn by faculty | Academic dress associated with a doctoral degree |
| Degree level | Can vary | Doctoral |
| Who may wear it | Participating faculty members | Individuals representing an earned doctorate when appropriate |
| Gown style | Depends on degree and institution | Doctoral-level gown |
| Academic hood | Depends on represented degree | Doctoral-level hood when applicable |
| Headwear | Varies by degree and institution | Tam, mortarboard or other approved doctoral headwear |
| Faculty rank determines it? | No | No |
When Faculty Regalia and Doctoral Regalia Are the Same
The terms overlap when a faculty member representing an earned doctorate wears doctoral academic dress.
For example, a professor may wear:
- Doctoral gown
- Doctoral academic hood
- Doctoral tam
- Tassel
In that situation, the ensemble is both faculty regalia and doctoral regalia.
When Faculty Regalia and Doctoral Regalia Are Not the Same
The terms differ when the faculty member is wearing academic dress at another degree level.
For example, a professor representing a master’s degree may wear:
- Master’s gown
- Master’s academic hood
- Mortarboard
- Tassel
That is faculty regalia because a faculty member is wearing it, but it is not doctoral regalia.
Should Faculty Buy Doctoral Regalia?
Faculty members should first ask whether doctoral academic dress is appropriate for the credential they are representing.
If the professor has earned a doctorate and doctoral regalia is appropriate under institutional requirements, purchasing a personal ensemble may be practical for repeated ceremonial use.
When Owning Doctoral Faculty Regalia Can Be Practical
Ownership may be worth considering when a professor regularly participates in:
- Annual commencement
- Multiple commencement ceremonies
- Doctoral hooding
- Convocation
- Academic installations
- Other formal university events
When Renting May Be Practical
Rental may remain useful when:
- The professor rarely participates
- The required gown is highly specialized
- The institution provides convenient rentals
- The faculty member does not want to store academic apparel
Can Faculty Reuse Their Own Graduation Regalia?
Potentially.
A professor who retained academic dress from a previous graduation may be able to use it again if:
- It remains appropriate for the degree being represented
- It satisfies the host institution’s requirements
- It still fits properly
- All necessary components are present
- The regalia remains in suitable condition
Inspect Old Regalia Before Commencement
Before reusing an older ensemble, inspect:
- Gown fabric
- Zipper or closure
- Sleeve trim
- Front facings
- Academic hood
- Tam or mortarboard
- Tassel
Allow enough time to replace a missing or damaged component.
Can Faculty Mix Regalia Pieces?
Faculty members sometimes already own part of an ensemble and need only a replacement component.
For example, a professor may keep an appropriate doctoral gown while replacing a worn tam.
However, compatibility should be verified before mixing components from different sources.
Questions to Ask Before Buying Faculty or Doctoral Regalia
- What earned degree am I representing?
- What academic-dress level does that require?
- Does my institution have specific faculty regalia rules?
- Is a standard gown appropriate?
- Is institution-specific regalia expected?
- What academic hood do I need?
- What institutional lining is appropriate?
- What hood edging should be used?
- Should I wear a tam or mortarboard?
- What tassel is appropriate?
- Do I already own usable components?
- Will I wear this ensemble repeatedly?
Faculty and Doctoral Regalia Shopping Checklist
- Verify degree level
- Verify degree-granting institution
- Review host institution requirements
- Choose the correct gown
- Confirm gown color and design
- Check gown sizing
- Verify academic hood
- Confirm institutional hood lining
- Confirm hood edging specification
- Select appropriate headwear
- Measure for fitted headwear when required
- Verify tassel
- Review package contents
- Review processing timeline
- Review shipping timeline
- Review return or exchange conditions
- Conduct a complete fitting before commencement
Faculty and Doctoral Academic Regalia From Cap and Gown Outlet
Cap and Gown Outlet is an independent academic regalia retailer serving graduates, professors, faculty members and qualifying group and institutional customers.
Depending on current inventory and available configurations, academic-regalia selections may include:
- Doctoral gowns
- Doctoral academic hoods
- Doctoral tams
- Master’s gowns
- Master’s academic hoods
- Bachelor’s gowns
- Mortarboards
- Academic tassels
- Faculty academic regalia packages
- Graduation stoles
- Honor and recognition cords
- Diploma covers
Product availability, construction, fabrics, sizes, colors, hood configurations, headwear options and package contents may vary.
Faculty members purchasing academic dress independently should verify the academic-dress specifications associated with the degree they intend to represent and the current requirements of the institution hosting the ceremony.
Independent Retailer Disclosure
Cap and Gown Outlet is an independent academic regalia retailer and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by or officially authorized by any college or university unless an actual relationship has been established.
The availability of a faculty gown, doctoral gown, academic hood, tam, mortarboard, tassel or academic regalia package does not establish that a product is approved for a particular institution, degree or commencement ceremony.
Frequently Asked Questions: Faculty Regalia vs. Doctoral Regalia
Is faculty regalia the same as doctoral regalia?
Not necessarily. Faculty regalia broadly describes academic dress worn by faculty members. Doctoral regalia specifically refers to doctoral-level academic dress. The categories overlap when a faculty member representing an earned doctorate wears doctoral regalia.
Do all professors wear doctoral gowns?
No. Professor is a professional role rather than a degree level. Faculty academic dress should be appropriate for the academic credential being represented and institutional requirements.
Can a professor with a master’s degree wear master’s regalia?
Yes, master’s-level academic dress may be appropriate when the faculty member is representing that earned credential and it complies with the institution’s requirements.
What does a professor with a PhD usually wear?
When doctoral academic dress is appropriate, an ensemble may include a doctoral gown, doctoral hood, approved academic headwear and tassel.
Is a faculty gown different from a doctoral gown?
The term faculty gown is broad and may refer to different degree-level gowns worn by faculty. A doctoral gown specifically refers to doctoral-level academic dress.
Does a full professor wear more elaborate regalia than an assistant professor?
Not simply because of faculty rank. Academic degree level and institutional traditions are more relevant to academic dress.
Does tenure determine academic regalia?
Tenure does not automatically create a separate academic-dress degree level.
Do all doctoral professors wear an eight-sided tam?
No. Four-, six- and eight-sided tams exist, and institutional practices vary. The number of sides should not automatically be interpreted as faculty rank or prestige.
Can professors wear the academic hood from their own graduation?
Potentially, if the hood remains appropriate for the degree being represented and meets the applicable ceremony requirements.
Should a professor’s hood match the university where the professor currently teaches?
Not automatically. Under traditional U.S. academic-dress conventions, hood lining can represent the institution that granted the degree being represented.
Can faculty wear custom university doctoral regalia?
Custom institutional regalia may be appropriate when associated with the degree or when permitted by the institution. Requirements vary.
Should faculty buy or rent doctoral regalia?
Professors who participate frequently may find ownership practical, while occasional participants may prefer a suitable rental option. Institutional requirements should be checked first.
Can faculty use the same doctoral regalia every year?
Potentially. Properly selected academic regalia may be used repeatedly when it remains appropriate for the credential and ceremony.
Can a professor wear doctoral regalia at another university’s commencement?
Degree-appropriate regalia may be usable at ceremonies hosted by different institutions, but the professor should verify the host institution’s current requirements.
What is the easiest way to remember the difference between faculty and doctoral regalia?
Remember: faculty describes the wearer or role; doctoral describes the academic degree level.
Faculty Describes the Role; Doctoral Describes the Degree Level
The difference between faculty regalia and doctoral regalia becomes much clearer once the terminology is separated.
Faculty regalia is a broad category of academic dress worn by professors and other faculty participants. It can include bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral academic dress depending on the credential being represented.
Doctoral regalia is specifically associated with doctoral-level academic dress.
When a professor with an earned doctorate wears a doctoral gown, doctoral hood and appropriate academic headwear, the ensemble can accurately be described as both faculty regalia and doctoral regalia.
When a professor represents a master’s degree in master’s academic dress, the ensemble is faculty regalia but not doctoral regalia.
Before purchasing either, verify the earned degree being represented, the degree-granting institution, the academic hood specification and the host institution’s current commencement requirements.
Understanding that distinction can make it considerably easier to choose the right academic gown, hood, tam or mortarboard for years of faculty commencement participation.
