Tufts University

Tufts University holds a formal and traditional commencement ceremony grounded in academic regalia custom. According to the Tufts “What to Wear” guide, graduates are required to wear a mortarboard cap and gown, and the university discourages extra adornments like stoles or pins, following the American Council on Education’s Academic Costume Code.

Tufts regalia for undergraduates, master’s, and doctoral candidates adheres to classic academic dress styles. Bachelor’s gowns have pointed sleeves and are meant to be worn closed, master’s gowns feature elbow‑length pointed sleeves, and doctoral gowns have bell-shaped sleeves trimmed in velvet.

The hood that accompanies master’s or doctoral gowns is lined with Tufts’ official school colors — **brown and blue**. The velvet edging (trim) of the hood varies by field: for example, yellow for science, orange for engineering, green for medicine, lilac for dental medicine, blue for philosophy/PhD, and gray for veterinary medicine.

Tassels at Tufts are generally **black**, but the university also permits tassels in discipline‑specific colors based on the degree earned; for doctoral graduates, a **gold tassel** is typically used.

Regarding honor cords and stoles, Tufts’ official commencement guidelines strongly discourage addition of adornments like stoles or pins. There is no widely published policy on honor cords in Tufts’ official regalia documents. Faculty regalia must be rented or custom‑ordered via the Tufts Bookstore, with hoods reflecting their highest earned degree.

In summary, Tufts University’s commencement style emphasizes a dignified, traditional academic appearance: a black graduation gown, mortarboard cap, minimalist tassels, and hoods lined in brown and blue with velvet trim by discipline — while minimizing additional decorations like stoles or cords.