Cap

• Caps must be black
• Tassles must be gold
• Graduates of any degree may wear mortarboard caps
• Ph.D. caps may also wear velvet tams, which may be four-sided, six-sided, or eight-sided.
• Caps must be one or another kind, beefeater tams are prohibited.

Hood

• Hood lining must bear official SBTS lining—red lining with three gold stripes
• Hood velvet corresponds to the discipline of the doctoral degree
• Only Ph.D. graduates may wear blue velvet
• PhD graduates may wear blue or red velvet
• DMin graduates may only wear red velvet
• DMiss graduates may only wear red velvet
• EdD graduates may only wear light blue velvet
• DMA graduates may only wear pink velvet

Gowns

• All gowns must be black in color
• The colors of the paneling down the chest and piping on the arms must match (e.g., one cannot have different color arm velvet and panel velvet)
• No additional embroidery or piping on the gown is permissible (e.g., embroidery of school logo, extra piping down chest like a Presidential gown is prohibited)

Explanation

• Colors correspond to the degree earned
• Philosophy = Blue
• Theology = Scarlet
• Education = Light Blue
• Music = Pink
• Thus, the PhD has the widest range of colors available, and only they can wear the royal, deep blue color on any part of their regalia
• Gold is a neutral color accepted by the American Council on Education for use of piping the outside of the velvet panels, so anyone can wear it

Color Combinations

Below is every approved combination of velvet colors doctoral graduates may wear. No exceptions should be made.

Doctor of Philosophy

Panels	Piping	Example	Notes
Black	None	link	Default Lifeway rental
Black	Red	link
Black	Gold	link
Black	Blue	none
Black	Light Blue	link	Only if PhD in Education
Royal Blue	None	link
Royal Blue	Red	link
Royal Blue	Gold	link
Royal Blue	Light Blue	link	Only if PhD in Education
Deep Blue	None	none
Deep Blue	Red	link
Deep Blue	Gold	none
Deep Blue	Light Blue	none	Only if PhD in Education
Scarlet Red	None	link
Scarlet Red	Gold	link

 

Doctor of Ministry and Doctor of Educational Ministry

Panels	Piping	Example	Notes
Black	None	link	Default Lifeway rental
Black	Red	link
Black	Gold	none
Red	None	link
Red	Gold	none

 

 

* DEdMin can wear all the same things as the DMin. Because they have a concentration in education they can wear the light, aqua blue. They cannot wear a darker royal/navy blue as that is only for PhD.

Doctor of Education

Panels	Piping	Example	Exceptions
Black	None	link	Default Lifeway rental
Black	Light Blue	link
Light Blue	None	link

 

Doctor of Musical Arts

Panels	Piping	Example	Exceptions
Black	None	link	Default Lifeway rental
Black	Gold	link
Black	Pink	none

Doctor of Missiology

Panels	Piping	Example	Exception
Black	None	link	Default Lifeway rental
Black	Red	link
Black	Gold	none