Caps and Gowns
Caps and Gowns
Undergraduate Students Late Pick Up | Graduate Students | Wearing Your Academic Attire
Ordering Your Cap and Gown
Caps and gowns are now available for ordering through Herff Jones. If you place an order before the deadline of March 1, your cap and gown will be available at the events listed below, but only at the campus selected while ordering. Be sure to bring your email confirmation along with your student ID card.
Please keep in mind that your student account must be paid in full or appropriate arrangements made before picking up your cap and gown. Also, you must have applied online to graduate through fordham.edu or have the permission of your dean.
If you did not preorder your gown online, you may still attend the pick-up events and receive a cap and gown on a first-come, first-served basis. (Extras will not be available at the Westchester distributions.)
Bachelor’s and master’s candidates (except for the School of Law) are given keeper gowns and therefore do not need to be returned. All doctoral rental gowns must be returned following the ceremonies.
Undergraduate Students Cap and Gown Pick-up
Rose Hill Campus
McShane Campus Center, 1st Floor Multipurpose Room
Monday, April 7 | 2 – 7 p.m.
Tuesday, April 8 | 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Lincoln Center Campus
Lowenstein Center, 3rd Floor Lounge
Wednesday, April 9 | 5 – 7 p.m.
Thursday, April 10 | 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Westchester Campus
Room 147
Tuesday, April 22 | 4 – 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 26 | 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Undergraduate Students | Late Pick Up
A $10 late fee (cash only) will be charged to all who pick up their caps and gowns at the following late distributions:
Rose Hill Campus
McShane Campus Center, 1st Floor Multipurpose Room
Thursday, May 15 | 4 – 7 p.m.
Friday, May 16 | 12 – 3 p.m.
Saturday, May 17 | 8 – 10 a.m.
Graduate Students Cap and Gown Pick-up
Graduate students have an option to pick up their cap and gown order from campus free of charge or have it shipped home for an additional fee. Please be sure to pick up your cap and gown order from the campus you selected when ordering.
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education
Lincoln Center Campus
Lowenstein Center, 3rd Floor Lounge
Friday, April 11 | 3 – 6 p.m.
Saturday, April 12 | 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Rose Hill Campus
McShane Campus Center, 1st Floor Multipurpose Room
Thursday, May 15 | 4 – 7 p.m.
Friday, May 16 | 12 – 3 p.m.
Saturday, May 17 | 8 – 10 a.m.
Westchester Campus
Room 147
Tuesday, April 22 | 3 – 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 26 | 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
School of Professional and Continuing Studies (master's candidates)
Lincoln Center Campus
Lowenstein Center, 3rd Floor Lounge
Friday, April 11 | 3 – 6 p.m.
Saturday, April 12 | 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Westchester Campus
Room 147
Tuesday, April 22 | 3 – 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 26 | 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Rose Hill Campus
McShane Campus Center, 1st Floor Multipurpose Room
Thursday, May 15 | 4 – 7 p.m.
Friday, May 16 | 12 – 3 p.m.
Saturday, May 17 | 8 – 10 a.m.
School of Law
Lincoln Center Campus
Bateman Room, Law School
Thursday, April 3 | 12 – 4 p.m.
Lowenstein Center, 3rd Floor Lounge
Friday, April 11 | 1 – 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 12 | 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Rose Hill Campus:
Room 112 McShane Campus Center
Thursday, May 15 | 4 - 7 p.m.
Friday, May 16 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Saturday, May 17 | 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Caps and Gowns not picked up in advance will be available between 8 a.m. and the start of the ceremony on Monday, May 19 in the McShane Campus Center, 1st Floor Multipurpose Room at the Rose Hill campus.
Graduate School of Education
Lincoln Center Campus
Lowenstein Center, 3rd Floor Lounge
Friday, April 11 | 3 – 6 p.m.
Saturday, April 12 | 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Westchester Campus
Room 147
Tuesday, April 22 | 3 – 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 26 | 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Rose Hill Campus
Room 112 McShane Campus Center
Thursday, May 15 | 4 - 7 p.m.
Friday, May 16 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Saturday, May 17 | 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Caps and Gowns not picked up in advance will be available between 8 a.m. and the start of the ceremony on Monday, May 19 in the McShane Campus Center, 1st Floor Multipurpose Room at the Rose Hill campus.
Graduate School of Social Service
Lincoln Center Campus
Lowenstein Center, 3rd Floor Lounge
Friday, April 11 | 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Saturday, April 12 | 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Westchester Campus
Room 147
Tuesday, April 22 | 3 – 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 26 | 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Rose Hill Campus
McShane Campus Center, 1st Floor Multipurpose Room
Thursday, May 15 | 4 – 7 p.m.
Friday, May 16 | 12 – 3 p.m.
Saturday, May 17 | 8 – 10 a.m.
Caps and Gowns not picked up in advance will be available between 8 a.m. and the start of the ceremony on Tuesday, May 20 in the McShane Campus Center, 1st Floor Multipurpose Room at the Rose Hill campus.
Gabelli School of Business (master’s and doctoral candidates)
Lincoln Center Campus
Lowenstein Center, 3rd Floor Lounge
Friday, April 11 | 3 – 6 p.m.
Saturday, April 12 | 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Westchester Campus
Room 147
Tuesday, April 22 | 3 – 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 26 | 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Rose Hill Campus
Room 112 McShane Campus Center
Thursday, May 15 | 4 - 7 p.m.
Friday, May 16 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Saturday, May 17 | 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Caps and Gowns not picked up in advance will be available between 8 a.m. and the start of the ceremony on Tuesday, May 20 in the McShane Campus Center, 1st Floor Multipurpose Room at the Rose Hill campus.
Wearing Your Academic Attire
The gowns and colors of academic dress indicate the graduate’s level of academic accomplishment, discipline, and school/university affiliation. We ask for graduates’ cooperation in not modifying academic attire with personal items that may distract from the academic ritual.
The cut of the gown identifies the degree. The bachelor’s gown has pointed sleeves, while the master’s gown has oblong-cut sleeves. The doctoral gown has bell-shaped sleeves typically crossed with bands of velvet.
The length of the hood indicates the level of the degree. The color of the velvet border indicates the field of learning in which the degree was earned and includes white for arts, gold for science, brown for fine arts, dark blue for philosophy, light blue for education, purple for law, citron for social service, and drab for business. The inner lining of Fordham hoods is maroon, the University’s official color.
For the academic procession at the University Commencement, graduates carry the hood draped over the left arm with the color that represents the degree clearly visible. Candidates don their hoods after the president has conferred all degrees. The hood should be placed around your neck and shoulders so that the major portion hangs down the back and the velvet is up. The cord on the front of the hood should be fastened to your clothing. The bachelor’s and master's cap is worn with the long point of the shell to the rear and the tassel you will receive to the left. Doctoral candidates wear a tam which has an attached tassel.
Undergraduate students in Fordham College at Rose Hill, Fordham College at Lincoln Center, and the Gabelli School of Business should also wear their cap and gown (but not hood) to their respective college awards ceremonies on Friday, May 16.