Graduation traditions (briefly) explained

Graduation ceremonies at modern universities have simpler graduation ceremonies than the oldest universities but some traditions such as donning gowns and mortar boards remain, even if some universities are banning the more modern tradition of throwing mortar boards into the air for health and safety reasons, in one case to edit them into official graduation photographs instead.

The dress is steeped in academia’s clerical past and is a surprisingly involved subject. Kaplan International Colleges offer a short overview but if you are interested in learning more you can click on these links to learn more about the history of:

• gowns
• mortar boards (and throwing them in the air)
• the specific dress worn at graduation at the University of Portsmouth.

Photo by neonbubble