The Student Room Group

Oxford postgrad academic dress?

Well, this may be a stupid question, but now that I am going, I was wondering, does anyone know what is up with the whole academic robe thing? Is there a specific type one must purchase, or can the gown one wears for undergrad ceremony (I'm in the US) be "recycled"? How often are they worn, and do postgrads need something different from others? Thanks for the help with the minutia.

Oxford, MPhil European Archaeology
start Oct 2006
You can use the robe you graduated in in the US if you have your own one.

If not, you have to get a 'graduate' style gown, probably from Shepherd and Woodward or the Student's Union when you come up.

Btw. your college should send you a list of everything you need and where to get it ín Freshers week - so its a bit early to stress!
Reply 2
anyone know about continuing to wear technically undergrad gowns rather than graduation gowns? would rather not have to buy a 3rd.. :redface:

but normally the postgrad gowns seem to differ by being a longer version of the "commoner's gown" - i.e. sleeveless with trailing silly streamer things. photos are online at the Shepherd & Woodward company website passthesaltplease mentioned.


with regards to how often they're worn: matriculation & exams/vivas will probably be the definites.
Formal Hall at the majority of college gowns seem to be worn & the frequency of these vary with college again.
& sometimes other random occasions, again college dependent, i've worn mine for special church services, dinners & "collections". hope this helps. :smile:
Reply 3
Apparently you can't wear your undergrad gown when you're a grad. But you can wear your BA gown if you have one...
Reply 4
You may wear the academic dress (gown) of any previous academic institution, apart from at a Degree Ceremony or the Encaenia. Thus you may wear your BA/BS gown if you so wish at formal halls etc, however, I note that since you are from the US, US gowns tend to be of a different pattern (ie closed fronts) and thus look somewhat out of place so very few people wear them. The general gown that is worn by graduate students that do not have an Oxford degree is the graduate gown noted by other posters above- it is relatively cheap, indeed there are special offers at the start of Michealmas term which include gown, hat and bowtie/strings and in addition a free scarf or bear. There is no need to purchase it in advance to coming up to Oxford.

I tend to wear my Cambridge BA in favour of my Oxford one, although I will need the Oxford BA gown for the above two ceremonies.
Reply 5
kalen
Apparently you can't wear your undergrad gown when you're a grad.


You can.
Reply 6
Thanks PDJM, that clears it all up for me. I will go ahead and pick up the right stuff when I get over there.
Reply 7
Fluffy
You can.


The commoner's gown? I've got friends who did their undergrad here and said they can't wear that anymore, not for official stuff anyway, like Matric, Graduation etc. They can wear their BA gown, though...
Reply 8
for the purposes of the me centered questioning :redface: it would be a scholar's gown. don't know if that changes things?

although getting away with it for the less official gown occasions (Formals mostly) would save me some money at least. presumably i won't matriculate again & graduation will only be one day so i could hire as i'll have to my fancy graduation gown anyway?
*daydreams about finally graduating.. :p: *
When I was an undergrad, I wore the commoner's gown for the first year and then scholar's gown after being elected a scholar. Now, I wear the BA gown. In your case, since you didn't have a BA from Oxford or Cambridge, your gown would be a BA gown without strings ie. sleeves.
Reply 10
John_Kingston
since you didn't have a BA from Oxford or Cambridge, your gown would be a BA gown without strings ie. sleeves.


There seems to be some confusion here, I enclose the relevant section of the University regulations below. The reference to gowns with or without strings is a Cambridge thing; as you no doubt know, all Cambridge degree gowns have a set of rather nice velvet like strings hanging from the inside of the shoulder of the gown. If one was to embark upon postgraduate study at Cambridge one would depending upon one’s age wear a BA or an MA gown- for those without a Cambridge degree the strings on the gown are cut off, the gown would hence be a BA or an MA status gown rather than a gown representing the substantive degree.

The Oxford regulations are enclosed below with additional links to the Varsity shop (part of the Sheperd & Woodward chain) demonstrating photographs of the graduate gown and also the BA gown:

http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/statutes/regulations/48-012.shtml

The graduate gown is worn in the bottom photograph.

http://www.varsityshop.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Oxford_University_Student_Gowns_11.html

BA and MA gowns with hoods- the hoods however are infrequently worn, the gown often being worn without the hood.

http://www.varsityshop.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Oxford_University_Graduate_Gowns_12.html