At UT Southern, the commencement ceremony is a formal event where all degree candidates wear full academic dress. Candidates must secure a proper graduation gown, a graduation cap (mortarboard for bachelor’s and master’s; doctoral as applicable), and follow the institution’s academic regalia guidelines. The university specifies that caps, gowns and tassels must be purchased in advance through the campus store.
The “cap, gown and tassels sets” expectation means students should arrive in complete regalia—gown zipped, cap properly positioned, tassel in place. Speech-level adornments such as stoles and honor cords may be worn if approved and in alignment with university policy. While UT Southern’s published page provides clear instructions on attire purchase and arrival times, specific discipline-based tassel or hood colours are not listed. However, students are told that additional approved cords, stoles or supplemental regalia may be included if they meet eligibility and are pre-approved.
Faculty and platform participants wear their own academic regalia reflecting the highest degree earned, including gowns, hoods and caps consistent with academic tradition. On ceremony day, graduates assemble and arrive at designated check-in times, grouped by degree and program to ensure smooth processing. Overall, UT Southern underscores the importance of a unified visual presentation: correct graduation gown colour/design, appropriate graduation cap, discipline- or level-appropriate tassel (or hood where required), and any authorized honor cords or stoles, together forming the complete “cap, gown and tassels sets” for commencement. This ensures the ceremony is dignified, consistent and honours academic achievement.
The University of Tennessee Southern celebrates its commencement ceremony as a formal and time-honored tradition symbolizing academic achievement and university pride. Each graduating student is required to wear the approved academic regalia, which includes the graduation gown, graduation cap, and tassel. These elements collectively represent a student’s degree level and academic discipline. The ceremony, held annually on the Pulaski campus, emphasizes elegance, uniformity, and the rich heritage of academic excellence at UT Southern.
For bachelor’s degree candidates, the graduation gown color is traditionally black, paired with a mortarboard graduation cap and a tassel that represents the graduate’s field of study. Students may also wear honor cords and stoles to recognize academic honors or membership in approved organizations. Master’s graduates wear black gowns with oblong sleeves, symbolic of their advanced degree. The master’s tassel typically matches the academic discipline, while the optional hood carries a velvet trim color corresponding to the specific field. Doctoral graduates wear more elaborate gowns featuring velvet panels and bars on the sleeves, with tassels often in gold or degree-specific colors. The doctoral hood represents both the discipline and the University of Tennessee Southern’s official colors.
Faculty members wear faculty regalia colors representing the universities where they earned their highest degrees. Each faculty hood features a lining in the institution’s official colors and a velvet trim corresponding to their academic field, reflecting the traditions of higher learning. The University of Tennessee Southern Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology aligns with national academic regalia standards, incorporating discipline-specific color codes for all other programs such as agriculture, business, education, nursing, and engineering.
Overall, the cap, gown and tassels sets at UT Southern embody the institution’s commitment to academic excellence, tradition, and unity. Whether for bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral candidates, these graduation regalia pieces allow each graduate to proudly showcase their scholarly accomplishments and university spirit during the commencement ceremony.
Honor your achievements with the traditional academic regalia of the University of Tennessee Southern — the perfect symbol of your dedication and success.
Note: To confirm the exact colors of the graduation gown, cap, tassel, honor cords, and stoles for your specific program at University of Tennessee Southern , 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.