Claremont Graduate University (CGU) holds its annual commencement ceremony in May on the scenic Mudd Quadrangle, with the 2025 event scheduled for May 17. The ceremony begins with a procession of graduate students and faculty in full academic dress, followed by degree conferral, hooding (for master’s and doctoral graduates), and celebratory remarks.

According to the CGU 98th Commencement program, the academic regalia consists of a three-part costume: gown, mortarboard or tam, and hood. The bachelor’s (or master’s-level) gowns are typically black; the master’s gown has a closed or glove sleeve, while the doctoral gown is more elaborate, with velvet panels down the front and velvet chevrons on the sleeves. Doctoral graduates order a red-and-black “keeper” gown for permanent use, along with a hood, tam, and tassel via Jostens.

The hood’s velvet trim is discipline-specific: for example, the CGU commencement program uses drab (light brown) for management, white for arts & humanities, dark blue for politics/economics, salmon for community & global health, light blue for education, and golden yellow for information systems & technology. The hood lining features CGU’s university colors, serving to visually identify the granting institution.

On honor cords and stoles, public CGU materials are more limited: there is no published standardized color scheme for honor cords or stoles by department in the official regalia or commencement site. CGU’s alumni resources mention ordering regalia through the Huntley Bookstore, but they don’t list a fixed color‑chart for cords.

Faculty participating in the ceremony also wear traditional academic regalia — gowns and hoods — with velvet trim matching their academic discipline according to the same CGU color standard used for student hoods.

In summary, CGU’s commencement highlights classic academic dress (black gowns, mortarboards/tams, and field‑colored hoods), with red‑and-black “keeper” regalia for doctorates, and a flexible, honors‑driven approach to cords and stoles.

CGU Academic Regalia – Claremont Graduate University Official Graduation Set

Celebrate your academic achievement with the Claremont Graduate University (CGU) official regalia set, crafted to reflect CGU’s distinguished commencement tradition.

Key Features:

• Black Academic Gown: Formal black robe designed for master’s and doctoral graduates.
• Headpiece: Mortarboard for master’s and velvet tam for doctoral graduates.
• Graduation Tassel: Included with the headpiece; part of the official, unified CGU regalia set.
• Hood with Velvet Trim: Trim color signals academic discipline: drab, white, dark blue, salmon, light blue, golden yellow, etc.
• Honor Stole & Cord Option: Optional honor adornments; CGU does not enforce a universal color scheme, allowing flexibility by department or society.
• Doctoral “Keeper” Regalia: Set includes red‑and‑black gown, tassel, tam, and hood — perfect for keepsake or long‑term use.
• Faculty Regalia: Professors wear robes and hoods matching the discipline color standard, ensuring harmonious academic dress.

Note: To confirm the exact colors of the graduation gown, cap, tassel, honor cords, and stoles for your specific program at Claremont Graduate 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.