What does a black tassel mean?
Asked by: Mike Collins | Last update: March 17, 2026Score: 5/5 (42 votes)
A black tassel at graduation often signifies a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree, business/commerce fields, or is simply the standard color for bachelor's/master's degrees at many institutions, representing achievement, pride, and the culmination of studies, though specific meanings vary by university and degree level. While discipline colors (like white for arts or orange for engineering) exist, black remains a common choice for many graduates.
What does the black tassel mean?
Beyond academic disciplines, tassel colors can also reflect the graduate's level of education. High school and associate degree graduates commonly wear black tassels, while bachelor's degrees may use black or school-specific colors. Master's and doctoral graduates often wear gold or discipline-specific tassels.
What do tassel colors mean?
Most schools and colleges have one color for undergraduates, including: the College of Engineering (orange), College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (maize), Wisconsin School of Business (sapphire), School of Pharmacy (olive), School of Nursing (apricot), School of Human Ecology (maroon), and School of Medicine and ...
What is a black graduation cord for?
Lastly, business administration, accounting, and business education graduates wear the classic black graduation cord. Black is the absence of color, and it symbolizes power, authority, and prestige.
What does a tassel symbolize?
Tassels symbolize achievement, transition, authority, and remembrance, representing completion in academia (graduation), spiritual devotion (Judaism's tzitzit), status (military/clergy), or protection (ancient talismans), with colors often denoting specific fields or honors. They visually signify rites of passage, cultural identity, and adherence to rules, tying together loose threads of yarn or thread into decorative knots.
What do different color graduation tassels mean?
What does the Bible say about tassels?
Numbers 15:38-41 New King James Version (NKJV)
“Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners.
What is this 🎓 called?
That is a Graduation Cap, also commonly called a Mortarboard, which is part of academic dress symbolizing graduation and academic achievement, featuring a square board with a tassel attached to the center. The emoji 🎓 represents this cap, used to signify success, education, or upcoming graduations.
What color cord for 4.0 GPA?
For a 4.0 GPA, you typically earn a gold honor cord, signifying Summa Cum Laude or top academic honors, though colors can vary by institution, with some using double gold cords or gold/crimson combinations for perfect scores, representing the highest distinction. Always check your specific school's policy, as some may use other colors like red for 4.0, or medallions instead of cords.
What does the black graduation cap mean?
The traditional black caps and gowns worn by students and faculty in the academic procession have been the historic regalia of scholars since medieval times. Because many scholars of that period were members of monastic orders, the academic regalia probably represents an adaptation of ecclesiastical dress.
What cord do you get for a 3.5 GPA?
Cum Laude cords (silver) are for students who have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better. Magna Cum Laude cords (maroon) are for students who have a cumulative GPA of 3.7 or better. Summa Cum Laude cords (silver and maroon) are for students who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.9 or better.
What color tassel is law?
Purple tassels and trims are designated for School of Law graduates, while green tassels and trims are worn by those graduating from the David Geffen School of Medicine. Students receiving a bachelor's degree from the Herb Alpert School of Music wear pink tassels.
What GPA do you get cords for?
The GPA needed for graduation cords varies by institution, but generally, cords signify Latin honors: Cum Laude (around 3.5+ GPA), Magna Cum Laude (around 3.7+ GPA), and Summa Cum Laude (around 3.9+ GPA), though requirements can also be based on class rank or specific program achievements. Schools set their own specific GPA cutoffs for these tiers, and cords might also be awarded for departmental honors or participation in honor societies.
Why is black tassel good?
An exceptionally powerful polearm that also offers a simple but elegant solution to the issue of the easily stained white tassel. Black Tassel is a 3-Star polearm. It is part of the 3-Star Bane Series.
Do tassel colors mean anything?
It's not just for looks—it's a symbol of your academic journey and the field you mastered. The color of your graduation tassel has a specific meaning, representing the academic discipline or field of study you have successfully completed.
What are the three highest honors in high school?
The top graduates in high school are traditionally called the Valedictorian (first place) and Salutatorian (second place), with the third-place student often recognized as an Honor Graduate, though titles and specific criteria (like GPA, course rigor) vary significantly by school. Some schools might have multiple valedictorians/salutatorians or use different Latin honors like Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, or Summa Cum Laude for top-ranking students.
What does graduating in black mean?
This Black Color
For academic regalia colors and hoods for graduates shades of black (specifically darker drab colors and darker brown colors) are used to indicate a degree in Accounting, Commerce, Business Administration, Business Education, Dramatic Arts, Commercial Science, and Industrial Labor Relations.
What clubs give cords high school?
High schools award graduation cords for membership in honor societies (like NHS, Spanish NHS), academic/career clubs (FBLA, DECA, FFA, HOSA, TSA), performing arts (Thespians, Music Honor Societies), leadership groups (Student Government, Key Club), and sometimes for significant community service or Eagle Scout achievements, with colors often matching the organization's official colors.
Are tassel colors universal?
Most Bachelor and Associate degree candidates will wear a solid color tassel related to field of study, while it is common for Master and Docotral candidates to wear black, a field of study color, or as is often the case with PhD... Old Gold.
Are graduation cords a big deal?
These cords are symbols of academic or extracurricular distinction. They're not given to all students, as they must be earned. Graduation stoles and cords are examples of regalia that showcase students' stellar achievements.
What honors is a 3.9 GPA?
A GPA of at least 3.9 earns the honor of summa cum laude (meaning, with highest honors), a GPA of at least 3.7 and less than 3.9 earns magna cum laude (with high honors), and a GPA of at least 3.5 and less than 3.7 earns cum laude (with honors).
What color is valedictorian?
Gold: Without a doubt, gold is the classic. It's the most common color for valedictorian stoles because it instantly communicates success, prestige, and the highest level of achievement.
What does 👨 🎓 mean?
A man who is engaged in education. Generally depicted wearing a black graduation gown and cap, and occasionally holding a degree certificate or diploma. The Man Student emoji is a ZWJ sequence combining 👨 Man, Zero Width Joiner and 🎓 Graduation Cap.
What is the slang for graduation cap?
One of the most iconic items that come to mind is the graduation cap, also known as the academic cap or mortarboard.
What is a trencher graduation?
The trencher is the graduate hat worn by graduates receiving a Bachelor, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma or Masters award. The small peak goes to the front. The flat top should be horizontal. If it's not horizontal - you have your hat on back to front. The tassel is worn to the right.