Gowns, and Hoods, and Kilts, Oh My!

This week is Graduation Week here at the oldest University in Scotland.  Everywhere are graduands (the official name for degree candidates about to graduate) and graduates (folks who have just graduated).  They are cruising around town with their gowns billowing out behind them.  The graduating undergraduates have traded in their traditional Scarlet Robes, and are now donning their Black Gowns.  Since the gowns are open in the front, guys wear their tuxedos or formal kilts underneath.  Let me tell you, they look quite sharp!  The girls look shabby by comparison, with black skirts and white blouses.  No match for a kilt or tux, I assure you!

There is a lot of symbolism involved in the graduation rituals and ceremonies, including the change from Scarlet to black robes.  The Scarlet Robe, a signature of St. Andrew undergraduates, is known as the Robe of Ignorance.  Each year of university, the gown is slowly shed in what is jokingly called "the academic striptease".  First-years wear their gown squarely on both shoulders.  Second-year Arts students wear it off their right shoulder while Second-year Science students wear it off the left.  Third-years wear it off both shoulders, and Fourth-years wear it down their back, all the way off the shoulders, down around the elbows.  This is supposed to symbolize the shedding of Ignorance through education.  To further symbolize this transition, they graduate in Black robes.  All graduands, regardless of degree wear the same black gown.  The only difference is the hood.  Masters graduates receive bigger hoods than undergrads, and PhD receive even larger hoods than the Masters.  

Adding to the physical symbolism of the ritual, at their graduation ceremonies (each School/Department has its own ceremony), each graduand will individually kneel before the Chancellor of the University, and receive a bop on the head from the Chancellor's scarlet cloth cap (legend has it that part of it is made from John Knox's knickers!), be hooded, and officially be named "Graduate".  Since they don't do hats here (with the exception of the Chancellor's cap), there is none of that tassel nonsense!  Oh!  And its ALL in Latin.

There is an extra bit added to the PhD aspect of the ceremony.  Following the hooding, they step to the side and ceremonially do a little costume change.  Their black gown is removed and they put on a Saltire Blue gown, matching the blue hood they have just had conferred on them.  It is then that they are officially graduated.  Nothing like pulling a little Superman change to add some drama to receiving the highest degree!  (I leave it up to you to figure out what it all means!)

If all goes well with my dissertation I will be attending my MLitt graduation in November, on St. Andrew's Day.  And, God willing, I'll be pulling a "Superman change" of my own in 2011!

(On a side note, I don't know any of the people in these pictures!  I just found them online.  And for anyone who is interested, that's Prince William getting hooded and bopped on the head with John Knox's knickers, er, the Chancellor's Cap!)