Academic Attire
Students will receive an email in mid-March with instructions to order regalia.
Regalia (cap and gown) is required for all graduates participating in Commencement ceremonies. Comfortable shoes are recommended.
Cap and Gown
Gown styles differ for Bachelor, Master and Doctoral candidates. The regalia vendor knows what is required and will provide you with the appropriate regalia selection when ordering. For further details:
- Bachelor candidates wear a black cap and robe. Tassel color is determined by school/college. Latin Honors recipients (undergraduate students only) wear an honors hood provided by Seattle University. There is no option to rent Bachelor regalia.
- Master candidates wear a black cap and robe paired with hoods in colors that correspond to academic degree. There is no option to rent Master regalia.
- Doctoral candidates wear a special red and black robe with a black tam (cap) along with a hood specific to Seattle University. Doctoral regalia is available to rent or purchase.
Stoles
Stoles are an optional add-on and not required for participation in the ceremony. Stoles may be available to students for specific club or program participation. A club or program representative will reach out to you about that opportunity if you are eligible for a stole.
Cords
Cords are an optional add-on and not required for participation in the ceremony. A club or program representative will reach out to you about that opportunity if you are eligible for a cord.
- Graduating veterans receive a special red, white and royal blue honor cord to be worn with their regalia at Commencement in recognition of their service to our country.
- Other programs may also provide cords.
Watch this quick tutorial video made by your fellow graduates!
Undergraduate Students
If you are an undergraduate student graduating with academic honors, you will be notified in early May with instructions to pick up your honors hood.
Honors at graduation are awarded with a minimum of 90 Seattle University graded credits and a cumulative GPA as follows:
Cum Laude - 3.50 to 3.69
Magna Cum Laude - 3.70 to 3.89
Summa Cum Laude - 3.90 to 4.00
Because the Commencement program is printed prior to spring quarter grading, honors printed in that program are calculated as of the winter quarter's grades. Diplomas and transcripts will reflect appropriate honors following spring quarter grading.
Graduate Students
Master's, educational specialists and doctoral degree candidates wear hoods appropriate to their degrees and are not eligible for academic honors.
Tassels are specific to each college or program of student. This can vary between undergraduate and graduate students. When you regalia, you will select your program and will be automatically provided the correct color.
| College/School | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|---|---|
| College of Arts and Sciences | White | Peacock Blue |
| Albers School of Business and Economics | Tan | Tan |
| College of Education | Not applicable |
Light Blue Old Gold (Doctoral) |
| College of Nursing | Apricot | Apricot |
| College of Science and Engineering |
Gold (Sciences) Orange (Engineering - Civil, Electrical, Mechanical) |
Orange Gold (Computer Science) |
In academic tradition, the student who has not yet earned a degree wears the tassel on the RIGHT side of the mortarboard. After the baccalaureate degrees have been conferred, graduates will be directed to move the tassel to the LEFT. Master's candidates wear their tassel on the left, to begin with and, therefore, do not move it during the ceremony.
Campus Ministry supports graduating students (with the exception of doctoral students) to access regalia for Commencement. If you are a first-gen student and/or a student of high financial need and would like to borrow a cap and gown from our Commencement Closet, please contact cmjustice@seattleu.edu.
Unsure of what to do with your regalia after Commencement? Donate it to Campus Ministry's regalia closet, which provides Redhawks of high financial need with loaner regalia. Drop your regalia off at Campus Ministry in Student Center 120 during regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m).