Carolina University

Carolina University (CarolinaU) requires students participating in commencement to purchase their academic regalia via its contracted vendor, Herff Jones, as detailed on the Registrar’s regalia page. The minimum regalia package must include a gown, mortarboard cap, hood, and tassel “associated with the specific program of study being completed.”

According to the Carolina University Commencement Program (2021), the standard academic gown is black. Bachelor’s candidates wear a plain black gown, master’s gowns have “tippet sleeves,” and doctoral gowns feature velvet panels on the sleeves to denote doctoral status. The cap is typically a mortarboard; doctoral graduates may wear a soft tam.

Tassel color at Carolina University varies by discipline: the commencement program specifies that the tassel indicates the field of study, while doctoral tassels are metallic gold. The hood worn by master’s or doctoral graduates is also color-coded: the outside velvet color represents the academic discipline, and the lining inside the hood reflects Carolina University’s institutional colors.

For academic honors, Carolina University awards honor cords that are presented to graduates during ceremony lineup.

Gold & White for Summa Cum Laude / With High Distinction /p>
Gold & Navy for Magna Cum Laude
Gold for Cum Laude / With Distinction

In addition, a red, white, and blue cord is reserved for U.S. veterans or active military graduates. As for stoles, Carolina University’s public documents (commencement program, registrar page) don’t detail a systematic stole-color chart tied to specific honors or student organizations — highlighting that stoles may be customized or handled at a departmental or organizational level.

Faculty regalia at Carolina University follows classic academic costume: faculty with advanced degrees likely wear doctoral gowns and hoods, with velvet trim on the hood denoting their discipline, and hood lining matching the institution’s school colors (as indicated for students).

Given this structure, students ordering “graduation gown, academic regalia, cap gown tassel sets” should use Carolina University’s regalia policy, choose their package via Herff Jones, and confirm their discipline’s velvet/cord color with the Registrar or their program department.

Carolina University Academic Regalia – Graduation Guide

Order your CarolinaU commencement regalia with clarity. This guide covers gown, cap, tassel, hood, and honor cord color policies based on official Carolina University regalia guidance.

Gown & Cap: Standard black gown across all degree levels; mortarboard for bachelor’s/master’s, soft tam possible for doctoral.
Tassel Colors: Field‑specific tassels for most disciplines; gold tassel for doctorate.
Academic Hood: Velvet trim color denotes discipline; lining displays CarolinaU’s institutional colors.
Honor Cords: - Summa / High Distinction: Gold & White - Magna: Gold & Navy - Cum Laude / With Distinction: Gold - Military / Veteran: Red, White & Blue
Stole Options: Stoles are not color-standardized publicly — likely vary by academic department or student organization.
Faculty Regalia: Faculty wear doctoral robes and hoods; velvet trim reflects academic discipline, lining in university colors.
Ordering Instructions: Purchase regalia via the contracted vendor, Herff Jones. Use keyword combinations like “graduation gown,” “academic regalia,” “CU tassel set,” etc. Always verify hood color and honor cord eligibility with the Registrar or Herff Jones before finalizing your order.

Note: To confirm the exact colors of the graduation gown, cap, tassel, honor cords, and stoles for your specific program at Carolina University, you can reach out directly to the college's administration or the office responsible for commencement and student services. They can provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding academic regalia.