At Georgia State University (GSU), participation in commencement requires wearing the university’s official academic regalia. Students must order the custom GSU cap and gown via the campus bookstore or Herff Jones. The regalia is made from royal gabardine fabric with black velvet panels and two GSU seal patches on the chest for associate, bachelor’s, and master’s candidates.

Undergraduates and master’s candidates wear the traditional mortarboard cap. For doctoral graduates, GSU uses a black velvet, eight-sided tam, complemented by a gold silk tassel. Doctoral hoods are required and designed with the “approved Georgia State school lining” and a border color that reflects the graduate’s field of study.

Honor recognition at GSU includes university-level honors, which are signified by gold honor cords. registrar.gsu.edu These cords overlay the cap, gown, and tassel set to highlight high academic achievement. The exact colors or stoles for academic or organizational honors beyond this level are determined by student groups or societies and are not universally defined on the GSU commencement site.

Faculty and staff regalia is also tailored for GSU: custom regalia can be ordered through Herff Jones, and is designed to reflect faculty status while maintaining the university’s formal academic regalia style.

Logistics-wise, GSU’s commencement ceremonies span multiple days, with specific ceremony times for Ph.D. hooding, graduate, and undergraduate events. According to university guidelines, correct regalia — including cap, gown, and tassel — is required in order to march.

Georgia State University Commencement Regalia – Cap, Gown & Honors

Key Features

• Royal gabardine gown with black velvet panels and embroidered GSU seal
• Standard mortarboard cap (Bachelor’s/Master’s) or black velvet eight-sided tam (Doctoral)
• Gold silk tassel for doctoral graduates; tassel included for all eligible candidates
• Ph.D. hood with Georgia State school lining and velvet border matching academic discipline
• Gold honor cord available for eligible honors students
• Faculty and doctoral regalia available via Herff Jones from GSU Bookstore
• Order your full cap, gown and tassel set by Nov 14 at GSU Bookstore or pick up at Commencement Fair

Details

Georgia State University’s commencement regalia is crafted to reflect academic achievement and school pride. The gown’s royal gabardine fabric and velvet accents offer a refined look, while the mortarboard or velvet tam paired with a gold tassel underscores the milestone of graduation. Honor cords in gold recognize outstanding students, and doctoral hoods showcase the graduate’s discipline via colored borders. Faculty regalia is similarly styled for consistency. Be sure to place your regalia order by November 14 through the GSU Bookstore or at the campus Commencement Fair.

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