250px|thumb|right|Bachelor of Science Dress at Graduation
The academic dress of Durham University has many similarities with that of other older British universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. Most colleges of Durham University insist on gowns being worn on formal occasions, including matriculation and formal halls (dinners); exceptions are Van Mildert, St Cuthbert's Society (matriculation and selected dinners only), Collingwood, Stephenson, St Aidans, and The College of St Hild and St Bede (matriculation only). Some colleges also insist on their being worn to Junior Common Room meetings, and they are often seen in college chapels. At formal halls, only gowns are worn and doctors normally wear their undress gowns; for more ceremonial occasions full-dress gowns and hoods are worn by graduates. Until 1990, the General Regulations of university 'recommended' the wearing of gowns by members of the university when attending divine service at the Cathedral – but this is now left to individual choice apart from at certain services (such as the Founders and Benefactors service). Gowns are also customarily worn to meetings of the university Senate by members of that body.
Regulations on the wearing of undergraduate gowns in college are technically set by the colleges themselves, but in many colleges the regulations are decided by the JCRs. As some colleges do not wear undergraduate gowns, it is entirely possible to pass through an undergraduate degree at Durham, graduate in absentia, and never have to wear a gown. Alternatively, by attending a college with frequent gowned formals it is possible to wear gowns frequently at Durham.
Regulations on academic dress can be found in the University Calendar.
The official robemakers to the University are William Gray and Son. The company, successor to Sewell and Son, was established in 1871 and currently has premises on Neville Street.
Gowns
There are four main gowns in the Durham scheme, corresponding to the four levels within the university: Undergraduates, Bachelors, Masters, and Doctors. With the exception of the full-dress doctors' gowns, all Durham gowns are black. For a further explanation of gown classifications, see Groves classification system.
Undergraduates
A knee-length gown gathered at the yoke with elbow-length square sleeves, but with the forearm seam opened about four inches from the bottom. Different undergraduate gowns have been used for different faculties at various times. The original undergraduate gown was short, similar to that used at Oxford, but this was changed after a petition from the students to Senate to a longer gown, similar to the Oxford scholars gown. At some time (described as "recent" in 1932) an attempt was made to introduce a purple undergraduate gown, but this did not catch on. In 1904 the undergraduate gowns were:
:Arts – no trimming on sleeve
:Medicine – gimp trimming on sleeve
:Science – black velvet trimming on sleeve.
The Science and Arts gowns remained the same in 1995, and Commerce used the same gown as arts, while Medicine was no longer offered at Durham after 1963. The shape is [u4] in the Groves classification system. The Arts, Commerce and Science gowns remained in 2012, with the Theology gown returning and being described as Oxford BA [b8] shape.
The Hild and Bede college gown, retained from before the college became a constituent college of the university, differs from other Durham gowns in being made of brocaded fabric and being shorter ([u5] – the same shape as the Oxford commoner's gown).
Bachelors
A full-length gown, coming to somewhere between mid-calf and the ankle, with pointed sleeves hanging down almost as far and a black cord and button on the yoke. The major difference between this and the BA gown worn at many other British universities is that the forearm seam is opened for 15–25 cm above the wrist, where it is held closed with a button and loop. The arm can then be passed through the opening so the arm is exposed from around the elbow rather than being covered to the wrist. The shape is referred to as [b5] in the Groves classification system.
Doctors' silks
The colour of the silk on the gown's sleeves and facings indicates which doctorate the wearer holds. The colours of the silk are: except for higher doctors in full dress, who wear soft square hats (known as John Knox caps [h3]) with a tump at the centre of the crown rather than mortarboards or Tudor bonnets.
Degrees no longer awarded
The following degrees, at one time or another, have ceased to be awarded by the University of Durham. Those in italics were linked to departments based in Newcastle upon Tyne; when, in 1963, Newcastle became a university in its own right, it retained the academical dress associated with these degrees and for the most part continues to use it.
Except where noted, the standard bachelor's or master's gown was worn (see above).
MD (Doctor of Medicine)
:Full-dress gown: Scarlet cassimere, lined with scarlet silk faced with palatinate purple silk
:Undress gown: Black cord or corded silk, trimmed with black velvet lace
:Hood: Scarlet cassimere, lined with scarlet silk, faced with palatinate purple silk
MB (Bachelor of Medicine)
:Gown: Black cord, trimmed with gimp
:Hood: Scarlet silk, lined with palatinate purple silk, and bound with white fur
DCh (Doctor of Surgery)
:Full-dress gown: Scarlet cassimere, lined with rose silk faced with palatinate purple silk
:Undress gown: Black cord or corded silk, trimmed with black velvet lace
:Hood: Scarlet cassimere, lined with rose silk, faced with palatinate purple silk
MS (Master of Surgery)
:Hood: Rose silk, lined with palatinate purple silk
BS (Bachelor of Surgery)
:Gown: Black cord, trimmed with gimp
:Hood: Rose silk, lined with palatinate purple silk, and bound with white fur
DHy (Doctor of Hygiene)
:Full-dress gown: Scarlet cassimere, lined with scarlet silk faced with palatinate purple and white silk
:Undress gown: Black cord or corded silk, trimmed with black velvet lace
:Hood: Scarlet cassimere, lined with scarlet silk, faced with palatinate purple and white silk
BHy (Bachelor of Hygiene)
:Gown: Black cord, trimmed with gimp
:Hood: Black silk, faced with palatinate purple and scarlet silk, and bound with white fur
DDSc (Doctor of Dental Science)
:Full-dress gown: Scarlet cassimere, lined with rose silk edged with ivory white silk
:Undress gown: Black cord or corded silk, trimmed with black velvet lace
:Hood: Scarlet cassimere, lined with rose silk, edged with ivory white silk
MDS (Master of Dental Surgery)
:Hood: Rose silk, lined with ivory white silk
BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery)
:Gown: Black cord, trimmed with gimp
:Hood: Rose silk, lined with ivory white silk, and bound with white fur
BD (Bachelor of Divinity)
:Gown: same as MA
:Hood: Black corded silk, lined with black silk
BCL (Bachelor of Civil Law – see note in paragraph below)
:Hood: Palatinate silk, bound with white fur
BLitt (Bachelor of Literature)
:Hood: Old gold satin, edged with fur
BMus (Bachelor of Music)
:Gown: same as undress DMus, but without slit at back
:Hood: Palatinate purple silk, bound with brocaded white satin one inch wide (simple-shape)
MCom (Master of Commerce)
:Hood: Black silk, lined with cerise silk
BCom (Bachelor of Commerce)
:Hood: Black silk, lined with cerise silk, and edged with white fur
LLD (Doctor of Laws)
:Full-dress gown: Scarlet cassimere, lined with maroon silk
:Undress gown: same as MA
:Hood: Scarlet cassimere, lined with maroon silk
LLM (Master of Laws - see note in paragraph below)
:Hood: Maroon silk, lined with palatinate purple silk (simple-shape)
LLB (Bachelor of Laws – see note in paragraph below)
:Hood: Maroon silk, lined with palatinate purple silk, and edged with white fur
BArch (Bachelor of Architecture)
:Hood: Black silk, lined with sky-blue silk, and edged with white fur
BEd (Bachelor of Education)
:Hood: Black silk, edged with white fur and palatinate ribbon one inch wide
MPharm (Master of Pharmacy)
: Hood: Purple outer, lined with red and trimmed with fur (degree transferred to Newcastle 2017)
When, in the 1990s, Durham University re-instituted the degree of LLB (previously associated with the Newcastle division and latterly with Newcastle University), it adopted a design of hood which was essentially the old hood reversed (see above) – though for some reason this logic was not followed with the re-instituted LLM
The old BCL degree was rebranded as MJur at about the same time – leading to the peculiarity of a fur hood being worn with a master's gown for this degree. As a research degree of 50,000 words, the thesis requirement of the MJur is greater than that required for the LLM.
University officials
The Chancellor of the university wears a gown of black brocaded satin trimmed with gold lace in a distinctive pattern unique to the Universities of Durham and Newcastle. The Vice-Chancellor & Warden and the Pro-Vice-Chancellors wear black silk gowns with identical lace trimming, but in silver rather than gold. A scarlet habit is worn beneath these gowns (see below); at the neck, the chancellor wears a lace jabot, the Vice-Chancellor and his/her deputies wear white tie and bands. A black velvet mortar-board, with gold or silver tassel as appropriate, is also worn.
The office of Proctor is in abeyance at Durham, but a distinctive form of dress is prescribed for these officials, viz: a black silk gown, sleeves and front faced with black velvet and sleeves lined with palatinate purple silk; black velvet mortar-board; black velvet hood lined with palatinate purple silk.
Habits
In Durham, the early statutes require the wearing of a Convocation Habit 'under the gown' (though later statutes say 'with the gown' rather than under it). Pre-World War II graduation photographs frequently show Durham doctors who are members of Convocation wearing the habit beneath their full-dress doctoral gown and hood. The Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor were formerly directed to wear the Convocation Habit under their gold- and silver-laced gowns, "or Scarlet Habit if not holding a Doctorate". This latter usage is followed to this day, the Habit being sleeved like a cassock).