Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

The Cooper Union commencement ceremony takes place in the historic Great Hall of the institution and begins at 10:30 a.m. for the class of 2025. Graduates assemble in processional fashion and the ritual follows a formal structure of processional, conferral of degrees, address, and recessional.

In terms of academic regalia, the graduation gown worn by undergraduate and graduate candidates is the traditional black gown, paired with a black mortar board (graduation cap) and long tassel attached by a button at the top of the cap. The American academic dress code followed by Cooper Union emphasises three main components: cap, gown and hood.

The hood lining indicates the awarding institution — Cooper Union’s official colours are maroon and gold. The velvet border of the hood signifies the field of study: for example, engineering is orange, science is golden yellow, architecture blue‑violet, fine arts brown, arts & letters white, etc.

Although the website does not specify exact colours for tassels, honour cords, or stoles, the standard guidance indicates the tassel may be black for any degree or may reflect the degree-associated colour, with gold metallic thread reserved for doctoral degrees or high officers. For honour cords and stoles, Cooper Union does not publish a detailed colour‑chart, so students typically follow institutional honour society or departmental traditions in addition to the standard academic regalia.

In summary: graduates wear a black gown and black mortar board, tassel either black or degree‑coloured (or gold for doctorates/officials), the hood lined in maroon & gold (Cooper Union’s colours) with velvet border reflecting major, honour cords & stoles as per departmental/honour‑society tradition. This ensures a polished academic regalia look for commencement and aligns with standard cap and gown sets, tassels, faculty regalia, graduation cap and gown sets in store offerings.

Cooper Union Graduation Regalia & Academic Costume

Celebrate your Cooper Union graduation with regalia that reflects the rich tradition and history of The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. These high-quality academic gown, cap, and hood pieces align with the official academic dress policy used in Commencement ceremonies. Ideal for Bachelor, Master, faculty, and other disciplines.

• Black Graduation Gown: All student gowns (Bachelor & Master) are traditional black in keeping with the Intercollegiate Code.
• Mortarboard Cap & Tassel: A classic black graduation cap (mortar board) with a long tassel. Cooper Union allows either black tassels, degree-colour tassels, or gold metallic thread for certain roles (e.g., doctoral or institutional officers).
• Institutional Hood Lining (Maroon & Gold): The hood lining features Cooper Union’s official colours — maroon and gold — signifying the awarding institution.
• Velvet Hood Border by Discipline: Velvet trim around the hood reflects the academic discipline:
  – Arts & Letters: White
  – Engineering: Orange
  – Fine Arts: Brown
  – Architecture: Blue‑Violet
  – Science: Golden Yellow
  – Philosophy: Dark Blue
  – (Others per code)
• Honor Cords & Stoles: Cooper Union’s publicly available commencement regalia guide does not specify fixed colours for honor cords or stoles by major or honor society. These are typically determined by individual departments or recognized honor societies and may follow standard academic traditions.
• Faculty / Officer Regalia: While most gowns are black, some faculty with advanced (especially European) degrees may wear gowns in distinctive colours. Trustees and officers may also wear gowns in Cooper Union’s institutional maroon and gold colours.

Note: To confirm the exact colors of the graduation gown, cap, tassel, honor cords, and stoles for your specific program at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, 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.