Graduation Regalia

Caps & Gowns

For Bachelor and Master candidates:

• Custom Graduation regalia may be picked up at Islander Grad Fair.
• Sizing is according to height. The Campus Store does carry try-ons so that students can select the right size.

For Doctoral candidates:

• Orders for doctoral regalia must be placed during Grad Gala or no later than 6 weeks prior to the ceremony.

In order to pre-order the Grad Regalia, please contact the Campus Store at (361)825-2603. Grad Regalia will be made available for purchase typically two weeks prior to the ceremony by visiting the Campus Store located in the University Center.

History

The academic regalia (cap, gown and hood) date to the 12th Century European universities when they were worn primarily for warmth by the students as well as by laymen. As laymen gradually changed their garb to capes and breeches, institutions of learning prescribed the gown of black for scholars, with a hood draped down the back when not worn over the head and a mortarboard cap shaped like the mortarboard of the master workman.

In 1895 in the United States, the Intercollegiate Commission prepared a code, specifying the design and color of academic regalia for colleges and universities in the United States. Under this code, the bachelor's gown has long pointed sleeves. The master's gown has an oblong sleeve. The doctor's gown has bell-shaped sleeves. Gowns are generally black; however, a number of schools have adopted special regalia for the doctor's gown.

The velvet border of the hood may represent either the color of the degree or the color of the field of study. The current trend is for the color to represent the field of study rather than the name of the degree, but in earlier years dark blue was characteristic for a Ph.D. in any field. Hoods are lined with the official colors of the college or university from which the degree is received.

Caps are the traditional mortarboard except for the doctor's degree, where a four-sided velvet tam is optional. Caps from schools with special color gowns or from foreign universities may be more distinctive. Cap tassels for the doctor's degree are gold, while the tassels for the master's and bachelor's degree are black. Holders of all these degrees wear the tassel on the left. The ritual of bachelor's degree candidates shifting the tassel from right to left marks the conferring of one's first university degree.

Cords, Medallions & Stoles

Cords, Medallions and Stoles for students will be presented to the students by their respective organizations. Academic Honors will be presented at the ceremony.

 Based on GPA

The cords are in recognition of academic excellence based on cumulative grade point average (CGPA) on all courses taken at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, excluding courses taken pass/no pass or credit/no credit. *Honor students must have completed at least forty-five undergraduate semester hours at this institution. The following honors are awarded at A&M-Corpus Christi:

Eligibility and Award Status

* The honors presented during the ceremony are calculated on the student's cumulative grade point average for the semester prior to graduation. Official honors designation, which includes the calculation of the current semester's grades, will be indicated on the final transcript and diploma.