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Category Statutes
Type Statute
Approved by Approved by Council – 22 November 2011
Date Statute Took Effect 1 January 2012
Last approved revision 11 October 2022
Sponsor Registrar and Secretary to the Council
Responsible officer 

Content

  1. Title and Commencement

    1. This is the Academic Dress Statute 2011.
  2. Commencement

    1. This Statute shall come into effect on 1 January 2012.
  3. Wearing of Academic Dress

    1. Members of the University must appear in their prescribed academic dress:
      1. at all public ceremonies of the University where such dress is customarily worn; and
      2. at such other occasions at which the Vice-Chancellor has advised that academic dress should be worn.
    2. Appropriate formal dress specific to Māori, Pasifika and other cultures may be worn by members of the University in addition to the academic dress prescribed for them under this Statute.
    3. Graduates of other universities may wear the academic dress of those universities.
  4. Academic Dress of University Officials

    1. Chancellor: The robe is a black silken damask gown, lined with blue silk or silk-like fabric.
      The collar and facings are trimmed with gold lace bands, and shields of the University's arms and Māori symbols of steps to higher learning (Poutama) are embroidered in coloured silk and gold on the front edges of the collar. The cap is a black trencher with a gold lace band and a gold button and tassel.
    2. Pro-Chancellor: The robe is a black gown, lined with silver silk or silk-like fabric.
      The collar and facings are trimmed with silver lace bands and shields of the University's arms and Māori symbols of steps to higher learning (Poutama) are embroidered in coloured silk and gold on the front edges of the collar. The cap is a black trencher with a silver lace band and a silver button and tassel.
    3. Vice-Chancellor: The robe is a black gown. The collar and facings are of blue silk or silk-like fabric, trimmed with gold lace bands, and shields of the University's arms and Māori symbols of steps to higher learning (Poutama) are embroidered in coloured silk and gold on the front edges of the collar. The cap is a black trencher with a gold lace band and a gold button and tassel.
    4. Other members of the Council: The robe is a black gown with blue facings, and the cap is a black cloth trencher with tassel. Alternatively, members of the Council may wear the academic dress proper to their degrees.
    5. Registrar and Secretary to Council: The robe is a black gown, with facings and sleeve linings of purple, trimmed with silver lace bands. The cap is a black trencher with a silver lace band and a silver button and tassel.
  5. Academic Dress of Graduates of the University

    1. Bachelors (Ordinary):
      1. The gown for all Bachelors' degrees is a black gown as for the Cambridge Bachelor of Arts degree.
      2. Except as specifically provided elsewhere in this Statute, the hoods for Bachelors' degrees are the same size and shape as for the Cambridge Master of Arts degree, and are black, lined with coloured silk or silk-like fabric according to the Schedule, and bordered with white fur.
    2. Bachelor of Education (Teaching): The hood for the degree is of a special shape (broadly similar to that for degrees of the University of Edinburgh) and is of midnight blue (BCC 90) silk or silk-like fabric, lined with similar material of Indian yellow (BCC 6). The neckband of the hood is of midnight blue with a central band of Indian yellow.
    3. Bachelors with Honours: The costume for a Bachelor's degree with Honours is the same as for the corresponding ordinary Bachelor's degree except that the lining of the hood is bordered with white grosgrain instead of fur.
    4. Bachelor of Education (Teaching) Honours: The hood is as for the degree of Bachelor of Education (Teaching) with the addition of a narrow edging of Indian yellow (BCC 6).
    5. The cap for all Bachelors' degrees is a black cloth trencher with tassel.
    6. Masters: The gown for all Masters' degrees is a black gown as for the Cambridge degree of Master of Arts. Except as specifically provided elsewhere in this Statute, the hoods for Masters' degrees are the same size and shape as for the Cambridge Master of Arts degree, and are black, lined with silk or silk-like fabric of the same colour as for the corresponding Bachelors' degrees or, for those degrees for which there are no corresponding Bachelors' degrees, the colour and, where provided for, the border, specified in the Schedule.
    7. Except as specifically provided elsewhere in this Statute,  the cap for Masters' degrees is a black cloth trencher with tassel.
    8. Master of Education (Teaching): The hood for the degree is as for the corresponding Bachelor's degree with the addition of a broad edging of Indian yellow (BCC 6). The cap for the degree is a black cloth trencher with tassel and with an edging around the lower edge of victrix blue grosgrain (BCC 47) with a thin central strip of metallic gold braid.
    9. Doctor of Philosophy and Doctors in Professional Programmes:
      1. The gown for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and for Doctors in Professional Programmes is as for the Cambridge degree of Master of Arts, but is made of ruby red (BCC 38) silk, silk-like fabric, or cloth.
      2. The hoods for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and for Doctors in Professional Programmes are the same size and shape as for the Cambridge Master of Arts degree, and are of ruby red silk or silk-like fabric, lined with silk or silk-like fabric in colours according to the Schedule.
    10. Other Doctors:
      1. The gown for all Other Doctors' degrees is as for the Cambridge degree of Master of Arts but is made of cardinal red (BCC 186) silk, silk-like fabric, or cloth.
      2. The hoods for Other Doctors' degrees are the same size and shape as for the Cambridge Master of Arts degree, and are made wholly of coloured silk in colours according to the Schedule.
    11. The cap for all Doctors' degrees is a black velvet cap as worn by Doctors of Scottish Universities provided that Doctors who graduated before 1992 may elect instead to wear a black cloth trencher with tassel.
  6. Repeal

    1. The Academic Dress Regulations Statute 1991 and all regulations made under that Statute are repealed with effect from the commencement of this Statute.

Schedule – Colours

The colours referred to in this Schedule are defined using the British Colour Council Dictionary of Colour Standards (“BCC”) or the Munsell Book of Colour system of colour classification (“Munsell”).

Ordinary Bachelors and Related Degrees

Interdivisional

  • Bachelor of Arts and Science – jet black (BCC 220) with an outer border (next to the fur) of lido blue (BCC 89) and an inner border of rose pink (BCC 32)
  • Bachelor of Arts and Commerce – jet black (BCC 220) with an outer border (next to the fur) of tangerine (BCC 55) and an inner border of rose pink (BCC 32)
  • Bachelor of Commerce and Science – jet black (BCC 220) with an outer border (next to the fur) of lido blue (BCC 89) and an inner border of tangerine (BCC 55)

Humanities

  • Arts – rose pink (BCC 32)
  • Music – white (BCC 1)
  • Performing Arts – dusk (Munsell 5 RP 4/4)
  • Social Work, and Social and Community Work – sulphur (BCC 112)
  • Laws – powder blue (BCC 193)
  • Teaching – flame (BCC 95)
  • Theology – kingfisher blue (BCC 164)

Sciences

  • Science – lido blue (BCC 89)
  • Applied Science – Straw gold (BCC 51) or (for graduates in 2012 or earlier) salvia blue (BCC 146)
  • Surveying – reseda (BCC 77)

Commerce

  • Commerce – tangerine (BCC 55)
  • Entrepreneurship – grass green (BCC 103)

Health Sciences

  • Dental Surgery – spectrum violet (BCC 214)
  • Dental Technology – parma violet (BCC 216)
  • Oral Health – amethyst (Munsell 7.5 P 6/8)
  • Health Sciences – magenta (BCC 198)
  • Biomedical Sciences – fuchsia (BCC 199)
  • Medical Laboratory Science – petunia (BCC 108)
  • Medicine and Surgery – lilac (BCC 176)
  • Medical Science – crocus mauve (BCC 177)
  • Pharmacy – spectrum green (BCC 100)
  • Physiotherapy – peacock green (BCC 123)
  • Radiation Therapy – purple grape (Munsell 2.5 RP 3/10)

Masters' Degrees Not Otherwise Provided For

Interdivisional

  • Higher Education – graphite (BCC 155)

Humanities

  • Fine Arts – rose pink (BCC 32) bordered with sky green (BCC 101)
  • International Studies – rose pink (BCC 32) bordered with pompadour (BCC 194)
  • Peace and Conflict Studies – rose pink (BCC 32) bordered with bottle green (BCC 25)
  • Planning, and Regional and Resource Planning – rose pink (BCC 32) bordered with claret (BCC 36)
  • International Development and Planning – rose pink (BCC 32) bordered with sapphire (BCC88)
  • Archaeological Practice – rose pink (BCC 32) bordered with mistletoe (BCC 9)
  • Politics – rose pink (BCC 32) bordered with violet grey (BCC 41)
  • Indigenous Studies – fawn (BCC 138) bordered with ruby (BCC 38)
  • Education and Learning – coral (BCC93) bordered with purple navy (BCC219)
  • Teaching and Learning – flame (BCC 95)  bordered with mid-blue (Munsell 6.25 PB 4/14)
  • Chaplaincy – kingfisher blue (BCC 164) bordered with purple navy (BCC 219)
  • Ministry – kingfisher blue (BCC 164) bordered with violet grey (BCC 41)
  • Faith-based Leadership and Management – kingfisher blue (BCC164) bordered with Alice blue (BCC43)

Sciences

  • Dietetics – straw gold (BCC 51) bordered with bottle green (BCC 25)
  • Sport Development and Management – mistletoe (BCC9) bordered with marigold (BCC56)
  • Science Communication – lido blue (BCC 89) bordered with guardsman red (BCC 126)
  • Wildlife Management – lido blue (BCC 89) bordered with eau-de-nil (BCC 21)

Commerce

  • Accounting and Finance, Business Data Science, Economics, Finance, International Business, Marketing, and Sustainable Business – tangerine (BCC 55) bordered with Alice blue (BCC 43)
  • Business Administration – tangerine (BCC 55) bordered with grenadine red (BCC 94)

Health Sciences

  • Community Dentistry – spectrum violet (BCC 214) bordered with pompadour (BCC 194)
  • Dentistry – spectrum violet (BCC 214) bordered with buttercup (BCC 53)
  • Bioethics and Health Law – lilac (BCC 176) bordered with powder blue (BCC 193)
  • Advanced Nursing Practice – magenta (BCC 198) bordered with sapphire (BCC 88)
  • Nursing Science – magenta (BCC 198) bordered with violet grey (BCC 41)
  • Aviation Medicine, and Occupational Medicine – lilac (BCC 176) bordered with violet grey (BCC 41)
  • General Practice – lilac (BCC 176) bordered with imperial purple (BCC 109)
  • Ophthalmology – lilac (BCC 176) bordered with amethyst (BCC 28)
  • Primary Health Care – lilac (BCC 176) bordered with purple navy (BCC 219)
  • Public Health – lilac (BCC 176) bordered with fuchsia (BCC 199)
  • Travel Medicine – lilac (BCC 176) bordered with pompadour (BCC 194)
  • Clinical Pharmacy – spectrum green (BCC 100) bordered with sky green (BCC 101)

Doctor of Philosophy and Doctors in Professional Programmes

  • Philosophy – ruby red (BCC 38)
  • Musical Arts – white (BCC 1)
  • Education – coral (BCC 93)
  • Business Administration – tangerine (BCC 55) bordered with grenadine red (BCC 94)
  • Clinical Dentistry – spectrum violet (BCC 214)

Other Doctors

  • Literature – rose pink (BCC 32)
  • Music – white (BCC 1)
  • Laws – powder blue (BCC 193)
  • Divinity – violet grey (BCC 41)
  • Science – lido blue (BCC 89)
  • Commerce – tangerine (BCC 55)
  • Dental Surgery or Dental Science – spectrum violet (BCC 214)
  • Medicine – lilac (BCC 176)

Historical Degrees No Longer Offered by the University

Ordinary Bachelors and Related Degrees

Humanities
  • Education Studies – rustic brown (Munsell 10 R 3/10)
  • Education – coral (BCC 93)
  • Divinity – violet grey (BCC 41)
Sciences
  • Home Science, and Consumer and Applied Sciences – straw gold (BCC 51)
  • Physical Education – mistletoe (BCC 9)
  • Mineral Technology – rust (BCC 58)
Commerce
  • Tourism – purple brown (BCC 136)

Masters' Degrees Not Otherwise Provided For

Humanities
  • Literature – cardinal red (BCC 186)
  • Public History – rose pink (BCC 32) bordered with imperial purple (BCC 109)
  • Social Welfare – straw gold (BCC 51) bordered with imperial purple (BCC 109)
  • Jurisprudence – turquoise blue (BCC 118)
  • Emerging Technologies Law – powder blue (BCC 193) bordered with guardsman red (BCC 126)
Sciences
  • Design – straw gold (BCC 51) bordered with guardsman red (BCC 126)
  • Dance Studies – mistletoe (BCC 9) bordered with buttercup (BCC 53)
Commerce
  • Accounting, Professional Accounting – tangerine (BCC 55) bordered with Alice blue (BCC 43)
  • Business – tangerine (BCC 55) bordered with peony (BCC 37)
Health Sciences
  • Aeromedical Retrieval and Transport – lilac (BCC 176) bordered with violet grey (BCC 41)
  • Manipulative Physiotherapy – peacock green (BCC 123) bordered with purple navy (BCC 219)

Note: This Statute was amended by resolution of the University Council on 9 October 2012, 8 April 2014, 13 December 2016, 11 April 2017 and 10 September 2019.

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