Gowns

[Curious Magistrand]

Well aware of the rich and intricate traditions associated with this wonderful institution I have nonetheless managed to get to 4th year without really understanding the proper wearing of gowns.

I think the rules are if you're an undergraduate in arts or science then you wear a "Scarlet red cloth gown with open sleeves half the length of the gown and burgundy velvet collar". And if you're an undergrad studying divinity then you wear a "Black stuff gown of knee length with short open sleeves and with a violet Cross of St Andrew in the left facing."

But if you were doing a joint honours degree and studied an arts subject + a divinity, or a science + a divinity, what are you allowed to wear?

Then you can, once graduated, wear a hood with a design relevant to what you graduated with. e.g. Master of Arts (M.A.): Black silk with cherry silk lining, Bachelor of Science (B.Sc): Purple-lilac silk or cloth bordered with white fur. Where would you acquire one of these and for how much? Does anyone bother? Do you slip it on the moment you finally get your degree at graduation?

[hoopy froodette]

1. But if you were doing a joint honours degree and studied an arts subject + a divinity, or a science + a divinity, what are you allowed to wear?

You wear the gown of the Faculty you are a member of, so in general if you were studying for an MA you would wear a red gown, if you were studying for an MTheol you would wear the black and purple one etc.

2. Then you can, once graduated, wear a hood with a design relevant to what you graduated with. e.g. Master of Arts (M.A.): Black silk with cherry silk lining, Bachelor of Science (B.Sc): Purple-lilac silk or cloth bordered with white fur. Where would you acquire one of these and for how much? Does anyone bother? Do you slip it on the moment you finally get your degree at graduation?

You would acquire one from Ede and Ravenscroft (http://www.edeandravenscroft.co.uk/). Most people just hire the gown (plain black, not the red or black and purple ones you wear as a an undergraduate) and hood for the day of their graduation. You wear the black gown to graduation and the hood is put on you on the stage.