Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota — Commencement & Academic Regalia Summary

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota conducts formal commencement ceremonies that emphasize traditional academic regalia and institutional identity. Graduates wear the mortarboard graduation cap and appropriate gowns: bachelor’s and master’s candidates typically wear standard academic gowns, while doctoral recipients wear the university’s distinctive blue doctoral gown. The graduation gown color for undergraduate and master’s levels is the classic black; doctoral regalia is intentionally blue to reflect the school’s identity.

Hoods & Discipline Colors

Academic hoods are worn by master’s and doctoral graduates; hoods are lined in the university colors and trimmed with velvet that designates academic discipline. Velvet trim colors follow conventional academic color codes (for example: light blue for Education, yellow for Science, pink for Music, dark blue for Philosophy, green for Medicine, orange for Engineering, brown for Fine Arts, etc.). Hood length and trim vary by degree level to clearly indicate bachelor, master and doctoral status.

Tassels, Honor Cords & Stoles

Tassels accompany each cap and gown set and are typically distributed before Commencement. Tassel color may be black for most bachelor’s and master’s degrees, while doctoral tassels and select honor tassels are gold or another distinguishing color for high academic distinction. Honor cords and stoles are permitted according to university policy and denote Latin honors, membership in honor societies, military service or special academic programs. When allowed, multiple cords, stoles or medals may be worn together with the cap and gown to reflect combined honors and affiliations.

Faculty & Institutional Regalia

Faculty regalia follows standard Intercollegiate Code conventions with discipline-specific velvet trim and institutional identifiers. University leadership and regents wear distinctive robes that set them apart in processions.

Summary: Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota blends classic academic regalia conventions—graduation cap, graduation gown, hood and tassel—with school-specific elements such as a blue doctoral gown and university-colored hood linings. Together, the cap, gown and tassels sets, plus discipline-trimmed hoods and approved cords or stoles, visually communicate degree level, academic field and honors at Commencement.

Short Description

Official Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota academic regalia guidance — black cap & gown for bachelor/master, blue doctoral gown, school-color hood lining and discipline-trimmed hoods, with full cap, gown and tassel sets.

Long Description – Cap, Gown, Tassel & Regalia Details

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota commencement regalia follows traditional academic-dress conventions while preserving institutional identity and academic-discipline distinction. For bachelor’s and master’s graduates, regalia comprises a black graduation gown, mortarboard cap, and tassel — forming standard cap & gown tassel sets.

Doctoral graduates wear a distinctive blue doctoral gown (with the university logo over the heart), paired with a hood lined in the school colors (red & white). The hood’s velvet border indicates the academic discipline, using a comprehensive discipline-color code: white for Arts & Letters/Journalism, scarlet for Theology, purple for Law, green for Medicine, dark blue for Philosophy, yellow for Science, brown for Architecture & Fine Arts, pink for Music, orange for Engineering, light brown (drab) for Business, light blue for Education, olive for Pharmacy, lemon yellow for Library Science, peacock blue for International Affairs, citron yellow for Social Work, salmon pink for Public Health, lilac for Dentistry, apricot for Nursing, among others.

Cap, gown and tassel sets may be enhanced with optional honor cords or stoles when permitted — for Latin honors, honor societies, or special student affiliations — though SMUMN’s publicly available materials highlight hood lining and trim as the main signals of degree and discipline.

Faculty and institutional regalia follow the academic-dress code: doctoral-style robes, discipline-trimmed hoods, and the school’s red & white hood lining to maintain unity and tradition across commencement ceremonies.

Regalia by Degree Level & Use

• Bachelor / Master Cap & Gown Set: Black gown, mortarboard cap, tassel — standard for undergrad and master’s graduates.
• Doctoral Regalia Package: Blue doctoral gown with university logo, cap or tam, hood with red & white lining and discipline-color velvet trim, suitable for PhD or doctoral graduates.
• Discipline-Specific Hood Trim & Optional Honors Accessories: Hoods trimmed in colors that match the graduate’s discipline (as listed above), with optional cords or stoles for honors or affiliations, allowing full customization of academic regalia.
• Faculty / Institutional Regalia: Full academic-dress robes with discipline-trimmed hoods and institutional hood lining — consistent with university tradition and commencement protocol.

Note: To confirm the exact colors of the graduation gown, cap, tassel, honor cords, and stoles for your specific program at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota , 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.