University at Albany

University at Albany (UAlbany) Commencement & Academic Regalia Summary

The University at Albany (UAlbany) celebrates its annual commencement ceremony every May, honoring undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral graduates. Graduates are required to wear full academic regalia, including a graduation gown, graduation cap, and tassel, all of which are available through the UAlbany Bookstore. The university follows traditional American academic dress codes for gowns, hoods, and caps, ensuring a formal and ceremonial experience.

Graduation gown styles vary by degree: bachelor’s gowns feature pointed sleeves, master’s gowns include arm slits and closed sleeves, and doctoral gowns are trimmed in velvet with three velvet sleeve stripes. Tassels reflect academic level and discipline: undergraduate tassels are typically color-coded by major, master’s tassels are black, and doctoral tassels are old gold.

Honor cords and stoles vary by recognition. UAlbany offers a purple and white generosity cord for graduates contributing to the class gift, while additional cords and stoles may be awarded by honor societies. Hoods for advanced degrees are lined with the university’s official colors of gold and purple with velvet trim indicating the field of study. Academic disciplines have designated colors, such as orange for Engineering, light blue for Education, and golden yellow for Natural Sciences.

Faculty regalia follows standard academic dress practices: faculty wear gowns, hoods, and caps denoting their terminal degree, with hood velvet trim reflecting their discipline. Graduates are encouraged to verify tassel, hood, and stole colors with their department or the Registrar to ensure compliance with UAlbany’s formal commencement requirements. The University at Albany emphasizes a visually cohesive and ceremonial graduation, with a structured system for graduation gowns, caps, tassels, hoods, honor cords, stoles, and faculty regalia, creating a dignified academic tradition for all participants.

University at Albany (UAlbany) Academic Regalia Kit

Prepare for your UAlbany graduation with a premium academic regalia set that includes the essentials: graduation gown, cap, and tassel, with options for cords and hoods.

Features

Academic Gown: Standard black robe tailored to your degree level.
Cap: Mortarboard cap matching UAlbany’s commencement dress code.
Tassel: Color-coded by discipline (Engineering = orange; Education = light blue; Science = golden yellow; etc.).
Honor Cord Option: Add the purple & white generosity cord, awarded to graduates who make a class-year gift.
Hood (for Graduate Degrees): Designed with UAlbany’s signature colors, velvet border indicates your major.
Faculty / Department Use: Great for faculty or school recognition — discipline-based velvet trim aligns with UAlbany’s color code.

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