SUNDAY 4TH OCTOBER, 2015 – UWI TODAY
7
POMP
POSTGRADUATE
Master of Science in Agriculture and Master of Philosophy - Avocado Green
Master of Science and Master of Philosophy (The Social Sciences) - Orange
Master of Arts and Master of Philosophy (in Humanities) - Plumbago Blue
Master of Education and Master of Philosophy (In Education) - White
Master of Science and Master of Philosophy (In Engineering) - Aluminium Grey
Master of Laws - Black
Master of Science and Master of Philosophy (The Natural Sciences) - Alamanda Yellow
Doctor of Medicine (Dm) - Hood: Red and lined with Purple (No Mortar Board).
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) – Hood: Black Panama fully lined with Red and Black
Velvet Mortarboard with Black Tassel.
The mace is carried by the mace bearer at the end,
entering directly before the chancellor, who comes
in last.
The Mace
The mace is an integral part of the commencement
ceremony. It is a heavily ornamented metal or wooden
staff which symbolises the university’s authority—the
internal authority of the university’s governing body
over its members and the university’s sovereignty
from external authority. Whenever this authority is
exercised, such as in the conferring of degrees to its
students, the mace must be present.
It, too, was adapted into the ceremony from old
French and English traditions where the ceremonial
mace was carried by the King’s bodyguard, used as a
weapon to protect him.
By the 14th century, however, its practical use
began to be phased out as it became more ornate.
Encased in jewels and precious metals, the mace
grew to be a more decorative piece, gaining symbolic
importance.
Regalia
The traditional dress for graduands consists of three
elements: the gown, hood and mortarboard.
Gowns
The custom of the graduation gown began in the 12th
century, when the everyday attire at institutions of
learning consisted of a long gown or robe, covered by
a full-length cloak with a cowl (the hood of today’s
graduation garb). This remained the fashion until the
15th century when tight breeches, capes and plumed
hats became the style.
By the year 1600, the gown as a part of regular
academic garb was almost completely phased out,
being worn only by religious, legal and academic staff.
However, because duringmedieval times most scholars
belonged to a religious order, graduates of these
institutions continued to wear the gown. The tradition
has since been retained, as graduands continue to wear
POND TO EACH DEGREE TYPE ARE AS FOLLOWS
(the binding is red unless indicated otherwise):
reen
Grey
tor of Dental Surgery
manda Yellow
edge bound with Blue and White
nce,
y a panel of gold.
the gown during the commencement ceremony.
The colour of The UWI’s gown is blue, with
doctoral students wearing scarlet, and while most
universities today allow much flexibility in what their
graduands wear under their gowns, UWI’s protocol
mandates that graduating women wear white dresses
or suits and men wear dark coloured lounge suits. At
The UWI, as with most other universities, gowns for
the various degree levels differ slightly in length and
shape, with the more advanced degrees having slightly
longer sleeves and more elaborate gowns.
Hoods
The hood, a part of the original academic costume of
the 12th century, was initially meant as a head cover
for the monks who wore them. Today, however, it
has evolved into the most descriptive piece of the
graduation attire. Its length and colours of the lining
and binding indicate the wearer’s school, degree and
field of study.
The UWI’s hood is blue (with the exception of
Doctor of Medicine and PhD candidates) andmost are
bound with red, while the colour of the lining depends
on the faculty and type of degree conferred.
Though most universities have the graduands
wear their hoods with their gowns throughout the
graduation ceremony, traditionally the hoods were
presented after they received their degrees. A special
Hooding Ceremony was held for the presentation
of hoods to Master’s and PhD degree holders. This
custom is still preserved by some universities, while
others have abandoned it due to the large volume of
students that they may have to accommodate. At The
UWI, there is no special ceremony. All graduands don
their hoods before the commencement and must wear
it throughout.
The Mortarboard
The mortarboard completes the ensemble. Casually
referred to as the “cap,” it has long been a part of
graduation regalia. Though no one knows where or
when the tradition originated, there are many theories.
Employing the term “mortarboard” to describe
this headgear is a relatively recent development, dating
only as far as the mid-19th century. It is thought to
have come about due to its resemblance to the literal
mortarboard: awooden platewith a handle underneath,
used by bricklayers to carry small amounts of mortar.
The use of the mortarboard can be traced back
as early as 16th century Europe, when members of
academic institutions wore distinctive hats to show
their rank in the world of academia. Members of the
clergy and scholars wore birettas, which were similar
in appearance to the square cap of graduates today.
Their students wore a round pileus rotundus, akin to
a beret fashioned with a “stalk” or “tab” in the centre. It
is believed that the modernmortarboard design began
in the early 1500s, at the University of Paris, when
graduates merged the two hats, creating a square pileus.
Its design continued to be altered and in the 1600s
it became a skull cap, toppedwith a soft, flat, square cap.
By the 1700s, the mortarboard began to take shape as
the soft cap was replaced with a flat, stiff square that sat
atop the skull cap. The tassel was added a century later.
Traditionally, the mortarboard was reserved
for those receiving a Master’s degree, since during
medieval times this was the highest degree awarded.
While today, most academic institutions have adopted
it in the dress for graduands of all degrees, The UWI
remains true to its roots, only awarding the privilege
of wearing the mortarboard to recipients of its highest
degree: the PhD.
Additionally, universities typically stress that it is
imperative for the mortarboard to be worn correctly—
fitting snugly on the head, with the flat top parallel to
the ground.
Honorary Degrees
The honorary degree is the most prestigious form of
recognition to be given by higher education institutions.
The university waives its usual requirements—
matriculation, years of study and research, residence
and passing of examinations—expected of regular
students, and selects candidates via a nomination
process.
Recipients of an honorary degree are typically
individuals of renowned reputations, either nationally
or internationally, such as leading scholars, discoverers,
inventors, authors, artists, musicians, entrepreneurs,
social activists and political leaders.
Occasionally, it may be reserved for an individual
who has greatly affected the university itself, either
through board membership, volunteerism or making
major monetary contributions.
The recipient also need not have any prior
connection to the presenting university. Rather,
purpose of the honorary degree is for the institution to
establish ties with a prominent person and to honour
the individual’s contribution to a specific field.
