The wearing of academic costume is a tradition that has persisted from the Middle Ages, when the first Universities were founded. The regalia vary slightly from one University to another, and within a University, according to the status of the wearer. At the University of British Columbia, the undergraduate’s and Master’s gowns are black.

Doctoral Degrees
| Degree | Name | Colour |
|---|---|---|
| Ph.D. | Doctor of Philosophy | Gown – Maroon with front panel & sleeves of university blue with gold piping Hood – Blue silk outside with gold lining Hat – Decanel bonnet of maroon silk with gold cord and tassel |
| Ed.D. | Doctor of Education | Gown – Black with front panel and sleeves of university blue with gold piping Hood – Light blue, with chevron of university blue, white and gold Hat – Decanel bonnet of black with gold cord and tassel |
| D.M.A. | Doctor of Musical Arts | Gown – Black with front panel and sleeves of university blue with gold piping Hood – Pink with chevron of university blue and gold Hat – Decanel bonnet of black with gold cord and tassel |
Graduate Degrees
| Degree | Name | Colours |
|---|---|---|
| M.A.S.A. | Master of Advanced Studies in Architecture | Fully lined scarlet with white and grey cord |
| M.A.S.L.A. | Master of Advanced Studies in Landscape Architecture | Fully lined maize with white and grey cord |
| M.A.Sc. | Master of Applied Science | Fully lined scarlet |
| M.Arch. | Master of Architecture | Fully lined scarlet with white cord |
| M.A.S. | Master of Archival Studies | Fully lined university blue with silver and yellow cord |
| M.A.S./M.L.I.S | Master of Archival Studies/Library and Information Studies | Fully lined yellow with blue and silver cord |
| M.A. | Master of Arts | Fully lined university blue |
| M.A.(A.P.P.S.) | Master of Arts in Asia Pacific Policy Studies | Fully lined university blue |
| M.A.(Child Lit.) | Master of Arts in Children’s Literature | Fully lined university blue with yellow cord |
| M.A.(Plan.) | Master of Arts in Planning | Fully lined university blue with green and grey cord |
| M.B.A. | Master of Business Administration | Fully lined grey with black and grey cord |
| E.M.B.A. | Executive Master of Business Administration | Fully lined grey with black and red cord |
| I.M.B.A. | International Master of Business Administration | Fully lined grey with red cord |
| M.Ed. | Master of Education | Fully lined white with university blue cord |
| M.E.L | Master of Engineering Leadership | Fully lined scarlet |
| M.E.T. | Master of Educational Technology | Fully lined white with university blue and yellow cord |
| M.Eng. | Master of Engineering | Fully lined scarlet with dark blue cord |
| M.F.A. | Master of Fine Arts | Fully lined university blue with magenta cord |
| M.F.R.E. | Master of Food and Resource Economics | Fully lined maize with gold and red cord |
| M.F.S. | Master of Food Science | Fully lined maize with gold and red cord |
| M.F. | Master of Forestry | Fully lined brown with green cord |
| M.H.A. | Master of Health Administration | Fully lined scarlet with blue cord |
| M.H.L.P. | Master of Health Leadership & Policy | Fully lined scarlet |
| M.H.Sc. | Master of Health Science | Fully lined scarlet with grey cord |
| M.H.K. | Master of Human Kinetics | Fully lined malachite green |
| M.I.F. | Master of International Forestry | Fully lined brown with green and yellow cord |
| M.J. | Master of Journalism | Fully lined university blue with black and white cord |
| M.Kin. | Master of Kinesiology | Fully lined malachite green |
| M.L.W.S. | Master of Land and Water Systems | Fully lined maize with white and grey cord |
| M.L.A. | Master of Landscape Architecture | Fully lined maize with scarlet cord |
| LL.M. | Master of Laws | Fully lined amethyst violet |
| LL.M.(Com. Law) | Master of Laws (Common Law) | Fully lined amethyst violet with white cord |
| LL.M.(T) | Master of Laws in Taxation | Fully lined amethyst violet |
| M.L.I.S. | Master of Library Information Studies | Fully lined cadium yellow |
| M.M. | Master of Management | Fully lined grey with black and gold cord |
| M.M.Ed. | Master of Museum Education | Fully lined white wih university blue and red cord |
| M.Mus. | Master of Music | Fully lined university blue with light pink cord |
| M.N. | Master of Nursing, Nurse Practitioner | Fully lined scarlet with blue and white cord |
| M.O.T. | Master of Occupational Therapy | Fully lined royal blue with scarlet and white cord |
| M.P.T. | Master of Physical Therapy | Fully lined royal blue with scarlet and white cord |
| M.P.H. | Master of Public Health | Fully lined scarlet with blue cord |
| M.R.Sc. | Master of Rehabilitation Science | Fully lined royal blue with scarlet and white cord |
| M.Sc. | Master of Science | Fully lined light blue |
| M.Sc.(Bus.) | Master of Science in Business Administration | Fully lined grey with black and grey cord on light blue |
| M.S.F.M. | Master of Sustainable Forest Management | Fully lined brown with green and blue cord |
| M.S.N. | Master of Science in Nursing | Fully lined scarlet with blue and white cord |
| M.Sc.(Plan.) | Master of Science in Planning | Fully lined university blue with dark green and white cord |
| M.S.W. | Master of Social Work | Fully lined magenta |
| M.S.S. | Master of Software Systems | Fully lined light blue with grey and green cord |
Undergraduate Degrees
| Degree | Name | Colours |
|---|---|---|
| D.M.D. | Doctor of Dental Medicine | Lilac and red |
| M.D. | Doctor of Medicine | Scarlet and royal blue |
| Pharm.D. | Doctor of Pharmacy | Dark green with scarlet cord |
| J.D. | Juris Doctor | Amethyst violet |
| B.A.Sc. | Bachelor of Applied Science | Scarlet |
| B.A. | Bachelor of Arts | University blue |
| B.B.R.E. | Bachelor of Business in Real Estate | Light grey with black and red cord |
| B.Com. | Bachelor of Commerce | Light grey with black and grey cord |
| B.C.S. | Bachelor of Computer Science | Light blue with grey and green cord |
| B.D.Sc. | Bachelor of Dental Science | White with lilac and red cord |
| B.Ed. | Bachelor of Education | White with university blue cord |
| B.En.D. | Bachelor of Environmental Design | Old Gold |
| B.F.A. | Bachelor of Fine Arts | University blue with magenta cord |
| B.H.K. | Bachelor of Human Kinetics | Malachite green |
| B.Kin. | Bachelor Kinesiology | Malachite green |
| B.M.L.Sc. | Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science | White with scarlet and blue cord |
| B.Mw. | Bachelor of Midwifery | Maroon with emerald green cord |
| B.Mus. | Bachelor of Music | University blue with light pink cord |
| B.Sc. | Bachelor of Science | Light blue |
| B.Sc.(Agro.) | Bachelor of Science in Agroecology | Maize with gold and green cord |
| B.Sc.(Ap.Bi.) | Bachelor of Science in Applied Biology | Maize with gold and green cord |
| B.Sc.(F.N.H.) | Bachelor of Science in Food, Nutrition, and Health | Maize with gold and white cord |
| B.Sc.(For.) | Bachelor of Science in Forest Sciences | Brown with light blue cord |
| B.S.F. | Bachelor of Science in Forestry | Brown with green cord |
| B.Sc.(G.R.S.) | Bachelor of Science in Global Resource Systems | Maize with gold and blue cord |
| B.Sc.(N.R.C.) | Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Conservation | Brown with red cord |
| B.S.N. | Bachelor of Science in Nursing | Scarlet with blue and white cord |
| B.Sc.(W.P.P.) | Bachelor of Science in Wood Products Processing | Brown with yellow cord |
| B.S.W. | Bachelor of Social Work | Magenta |