Academic Dress Hire
Online Reservation
All students attending graduation ceremonies must wear the appropriate academic robes for their degree and division. Academic Dress can be reserved online at http://www.uatmq.com.au
History of Academic Dress
The gowns worn today have their origins in the lay costumes of the early middle ages. Education was the preserve of monasteries until the twelfth century, when universities were established at Bologna and Paris, both cathedral cities. The masters and students, those below the rank of priests, dressed in a gown, hood and cap, as did their secular contemporaries, while the Doctors and Masters of Theology, the priests, wore a full cape with slits for the arms and an opening for the head.
By the fifteenth century, the fully closed and heavy garment of the clergy had given way to a tunica which was buttoned at the front. In England, fashion dictated an open academic tunic and gradually the linings became more elaborate, eventually overflowing to visible facings of silk or fur.
Traditionally, university gowns were made from silk and today silk is still used in some facings and sleeve linings. The hoods, which grew out of the practical all-weather head covering, have now diversified in cut and linings to indicate various degrees and universities.
The trencher has evolved from the pileus or hat worn at Oxford and Cambridge around the seventeenth century. The square cap of the day had grown so large and loose that its corners drooped over the face and a board was inserted into the fabric for support, beneath this was traditionally worn a skull cap. The trencher or mortar-board grew from the marriage of convenience when the cap and overlaying square were combined.
The colours of academic dress at universities are now fully codified. At Macquarie, Doctors of Laws, Letters and Science, for example, wear gowns of scarlet with the facings and sleeve-linings of amethyst silk (Doctor of Laws), white silk (Doctor of Letters) or tartan green silk (Doctor of Science) while the gown of Doctor of the University is trimmed with gold silk. The gowns’ hoods are lined to match and the black velvet bonnet has a gold cord and tassel.
Doctors of Education or Philosophy however, wear gowns of claret with the facings and hood linings in green silk (Doctor of Education) or a lighter shade of claret silk (Doctor of Philosophy). The black velvet bonnet worn by the graduands has a claret-coloured cord and tassel.
Those who have gained their Bachelor or Master’s degree wear black cloth gowns, a hood of gold silk trimmed with a colour which denotes the Division in which they were enrolled and a black trencher .
Divisional Colours
Graduate School of Management
- Masters-Gold hood lined with the divisional colour of Smalt (blue)
- Bachelor-Lined with gold and edged with the divisional colour of Smalt.
Division of Society, Culture, Media and Philosophy
- Masters-Gold hood lined with the divisional colour of Begonia (pink)
- Bachelor-Lined with gold and edged with divisional colour of Begonia
Division of Linguistics & Psychology
- Masters-Gold hood lined with the divisional colour of Dioptase (turquoise green)
- Bachelor-Lined with gold and edged with the divisional colour of Dioptase
Division of Environmental & Life Sciences
- Masters-Gold hood lined with the divisional colour of Tartan (dark green)
- Bachelor-Lined with gold and edged with the divisional colour of Tartan
Division of Economics & Financial Studies
- Masters-Gold hood lined with the divisional colour of Mace (copper)
- Bachelor-Lined with gold and edged with the divisional colour of Mace.
Division of Information & Communication Sciences
- Masters-Gold hood lined with the divisional colour of Brick (red)
- Bachelor-Lined with gold and edged with the divisional colour of Brick.
Australian Centre for Educational Studies
- Masters-Gold hood lined with the divisional colour of Malachite (emerald green)
- Bachelor-Lined with gold and edged with the divisional colour of Malachite
Division of Law
- Masters-Gold hood lined with the divisional colour of Amethyst (lilac)
- Bachelor-Lined with gold and edged with the divisional colour of Amethyst.
Humanities
- Masters-Gold hood lined with the divisional colour of White
- Bachelor–Lined with gold and edged with the divisional colour of White.
Doctor of Philosophy-Gown
- A festal gown of claret cloth of the Cambridge pattern faced with silk of a lighter shade of claret.
Doctor of Education-Gown
- A festal gown of claret cloth of the Cambridge pattern faced with silk of malachite green.
Doctor of Business Administration-Gown
- A festal gown of claret cloth of the Cambridge pattern faced with silk of smalt (blue).
Graduate and Postgraduate Diplomas
- A gown of black cloth with a stole of gold silk edged with white silk.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Colours
Graduates of the University who wish to signify their Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background may wear a reverse stole of the following colours with their academic costume:
- Aboriginal: Equal bands of Black silk, Sulphur silk and Post Office Red silk.
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Torres Strait Islander: Lark spur silk edged on each side with Juniper silk, each colour seperated by a narrow band of black.