University of South Carolina Union Commencement Ceremony and Academic Regalia Summary

The University of South Carolina Union, part of the USC System, celebrates academic achievement through a formal commencement ceremony that honors graduates from various disciplines. This event recognizes years of hard work and dedication as students proudly walk across the stage wearing their official graduation cap and gown. The ceremony upholds the academic traditions of the USC System, ensuring every graduate is properly attired in authentic academic regalia that symbolizes scholarly excellence.

All students participating in commencement are required to wear a cap, gown, and tassel approved by the university. The traditional graduation gown color is black for undergraduate and master’s students, while doctoral candidates wear more elaborate robes with velvet panels and sleeve bars. The graduation cap is a standard mortarboard for bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and doctoral students typically wear a soft tam. Tassels are color-coded based on academic discipline following USC’s official regalia chart—for example, white for arts and humanities, light blue for education, drab for business, and apricot for nursing.

Honor cords represent academic distinction and membership in recognized honor societies. Gold cords generally indicate Latin honors (Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Summa Cum Laude). Stoles may be worn to represent academic organizations, cultural heritage, or university-approved programs, but must comply with USC Union’s ceremony standards. Each element of the cap and gown set reflects the student’s academic journey and discipline.

Faculty regalia at the University of South Carolina Union follows the Intercollegiate Code of Academic Costume, with hood linings reflecting university colors—garnet and black—and velvet trimming representing the faculty’s field of study. All other discipline regalia colors adhere to national academic standards.

In summary, the University of South Carolina Union graduation regalia includes the official black gown, mortarboard cap, tassel in discipline color, and optional honor cords or stoles. Students are encouraged to order their complete cap, gown, and tassel sets from the authorized vendor to ensure full compliance with USC’s academic regalia traditions and to celebrate their milestone with pride and elegance.

USC Union – Campus of Applied Sciences & Technology Graduation Regalia

Get ready for your graduation at the University of South Carolina Union. Our official cap and gown, graduation gown, academic regalia sets and tassels are aligned with university guidelines and commencement ceremony traditions.

???? Bachelor’s Degree Regalia

• Graduation gown: Standard black gown for bachelor’s candidates.
• Graduation cap & tassel: Select the correct tassel colour for your field (White for Arts/Letters, Drab for Business, Apricot for Nursing, etc.).
• Honor cords & stoles: Gold braided cord for Cum/Magna/Summa Cum Laude; approved stoles for honor/interest groups.

???? Master’s Degree Regalia

• Graduation gown: Master’s gown style (typically black) for graduate candidates.
• Graduation cap & tassel: Correct tassel colour based on discipline; hood or stole may be included.
• Hood/Stole & cords: Follow the institution’s advanced degree regalia guidelines.

???? Doctoral Degree Regalia

• Graduation gown: Doctoral style with velvet panels and sleeve bars.
• Cap/tam & tassel: Doctoral tassel often gold or discipline‐specific; special headwear may apply.
• Stoles, hoods, cords: Discipline colour codes apply; confirm with campus bookstore or registrar.

???? Cap & Gown Sets – All Levels

• Includes: gown, cap or tam, tassel. Optional hood or stole depending on level.
• Gown colour: Primarily black; doctoral gowns may feature institutional trim.
• Tassel/honor cord/stole colours: Use discipline colour chart (e.g., Light Blue for Education; Orange for Engineering; Pink for Music).

????‍???? Faculty & Discipline Regalia Colours

• Faculty regalia: Official academic robes with discipline hood/trims reflective of field and rank.
• Discipline colours: Business = Drab; Science = Golden Yellow; Music = Pink; Public Health = Salmon Pink; Physics/Engineering use standard chart.

Ensure your graduation cap and gown set meets the University of South Carolina Union requirements and walks you confidently across the stage.

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