WVU graduation tassel colors represent your academic field more than the school itself. Before you can show off those colors in photos, it helps to know what they mean. Not every Mountaineer wears the same tassel, and those differences matter. This guide will explain what each tassel color means by discipline and degree, and share ideas for using them in your graduation portraits.
WVU Tassel Colors: What They Mean and Why They’re Different for Everyone
West Virginia University’s old gold and blue are used for the cap, gown lining, and hood. The tassel, however, is different. Its color is not about WVU, but about your academic field.
Most colleges and universities use a standard color code to assign tassel colors to each academic discipline. WVU’s guidelines list some of the most common tassel colors: golden yellow for Science, orange for Engineering, light blue for Education, crimson for Journalism, purple for Law, apricot for Nursing, olive green for Pharmacy, dark blue for Philosophy and most doctoral degrees, and white for Arts, Humanities, and Liberal Arts. Business graduates wear drab, a khaki-brown shade that may sound plain but looks warm in photos. Music graduates wear pink, and Fine Arts and Architecture graduates wear brown.
Your degree level also affects tassel color. For example, a BA from Eberly College of Arts and Sciences usually wears white, while a BS from the same college wears golden yellow. PhD candidates wear a dark blue gown with velvet trim, which is different from bachelor’s gowns. If you are not sure which tassel color fits your degree, check with the WVU Bookstore or your college’s graduation coordinator before ordering. The Herff Jones WVU portal and the bookstore carry regalia, but you cannot buy it at the ceremony, so plan ahead.
Hoods, Cords, and the Rest of the WVU Regalia Picture
Other pieces of graduation regalia, like the hood, are also important. In close-up photos, the hood often stands out the most and adds meaning to your portrait. WVU’s guidelines say the velvet trim on the hood matches your discipline color, just like your tassel. The satin lining shows WVU’s blue and gold, linking you to the university. The size of the hood indicates your degree level: a master’s hood is about 3.5 feet long, and a doctoral hood is 4 feet long. This difference may be small in person, but it stands out in photos where the hood drapes over your shoulder.
Graduation cords are a different kind of achievement. WVU gives Latin honor cords to graduates who earn cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude, and military honor cords to service members who verify their service with the WVU Veterans Office. Other cords may come from approved academic programs, honor societies, or student organizations. WVU allows up to five adornments in total, including cords, medallions, and stoles, so if you have several honors, be sure to count them before commencement.
Double majors have one more detail to consider. If you earn two majors, wear the color for your highest degree. If both degrees are at the same level, wear the color of the group you will sit with during the ceremony. Custom or nonstandard regalia is not allowed; only full military dress uniform is an approved substitute. If you have questions about your situation, contact the WVU graduation coordinator first.
WVU Tassel Colors by Major: Quick Reference
If you are not sure which color matches your field, here is a quick summary of the most common WVU tassel colors by major, based on the standard intercollegiate academic color code used at WVU commencement:
| Academic Field | WVU Tassel Color |
| Arts, Humanities, Liberal Arts | White |
| Business / Commerce | Drab (khaki-brown) |
| Education | Light Blue |
| Engineering | Orange |
| Fine Arts / Architecture | Brown |
| Journalism / Communications | Crimson |
| Law | Purple |
| Music | Pink |
| Nursing | Apricot |
| Pharmacy | Olive Green |
| Philosophy / Most Doctoral Degrees | Dark Blue |
| Science | Golden Yellow |
Always confirm your WVU tassel color with your college’s graduation coordinator.
Photography Techniques That Make Regalia Feel Emotionally Powerful
A close-up photo of the tassel can be just as powerful as a full portrait. Using a shallow depth of field makes the background soft, the tassel sharp, and brings the graduate’s expression into focus. From my experience as a photographer, the moment right after the tassel moves from right to left is often the most emotional and genuine part of commencement. That moment is easy to capture if you are ready for it.
Mix candid ceremony moments along a few planned, styled photos. The cap toss, a hug with a parent, and walking across the stage are all meaningful on their own. But adding some posed shots with your regalia, holding your diploma, the tassel over a bouquet, or the hood against a campus background, gives you frame-worthy memories along with the spontaneous ones. The best graduation photo collections show both what happened and what it meant.
Your Tassel Earned Its Place in the Frame
Your WVU tassel color is more than a dress code rule. It stands for your field, your degree, and everything you did to earn it. Whether you wore apricot for Nursing, orange for Engineering, crimson for Journalism, or golden yellow for Science, that color is yours in a way the cap and gown are not. It deserves the same attention in photos as your wedding flowers or your first dance.
Know your WVU graduation tassel colors and hood specifications before you order; the details vary by discipline and degree level in ways that sincerely matter for how your regalia will look and photograph.
If you’re a WVU grad who wants a photographer who genuinely loves photographing both the cap toss and the champagne spray, Carrie White Photography is ready for you. Get in touch and tell us about your degree, your props, and when you’re ready to celebrate!
Ready to celebrate your WVU graduation? Fill out the contact form to get more information about booking and scheduling!
Frequently Asked Questions About WVU Graduation Tassel Colors
What are the WVU tassel colors by major?
Academic disciplines determine WVU tassel colors under the standard intercollegiate color code. In addition, common examples include apricot for Nursing, orange for Engineering, crimson for Journalism, light blue for Education, golden yellow for Science, purple for Law, and dark blue for most doctoral degrees. See the quick-reference table above for a full list, and confirm your specific color with the WVU Bookstore or your college’s graduation coordinator.
Are WVU graduation tassel colors the same as WVU’s school colors?
No. WVU’s school colors, old gold and blue, appear on the cap, gown lining, and hood satin, but the tassel color is determined by your academic field, not your school affiliation. That’s why two graduates walking across the same stage can wear completely different tassel colors.
Where can I order official WVU regalia?
Official WVU regalia is available through the Herff Jones WVU portal and the WVU Bookstore. Regalia is not sold at the commencement venue, so order early to ensure your correct WVU tassel color and hood specifications arrive in time.
Ready to book your WVU graduation photos? Contact us today to reserve your date before the season fills up. Let’s go, Mountaineers!
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