Faculty colors for the graduation laurel wreath: the complete guide
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You have the date, you have the outfit, you’ve decided on the restaurant. Then comes the question no one warned you about: what color should the laurel wreath ribbon be?
You search online and find five different, contradictory lists. One says Law is red, another says it’s blue. Who is right?
We’ll answer right away, because it’s the most useful thing we can tell you.
THERE IS NO NATIONAL RULE
Faculty colors are not established by any law or ministry. They are academic traditions born within individual universities and passed down from generation to generation of graduates.
That is why Economics is yellow almost everywhere, but grey in Turin and Genoa. Architecture is black in most of Italy, but orange in Genoa. Psychology is grey, except in Padua where it is pink.
The lists you find online aren't wrong: they are partial. They capture the tradition of one specific university and present it as if it applies to everyone.
Below you will find the most widespread convention in Italy, along with the local variations we are aware of. Take it for what it is: an excellent starting point, not a regulation.
RED IS ALWAYS A SAFE BET
Before the table, here is the shortcut that solves ninety percent of your doubts.
Red is the color of the graduate as such, regardless of the faculty. It comes from the red toga that, in ancient Rome, was worn by the highest political and judicial authorities, as well as poets. It is the oldest tradition of all, and it predates the division by departments.
If you can't figure out your faculty's color, if your degree program is too new or too interdisciplinary to fall into a category, or if you simply don't like the official color: red is not a fallback, it is the most classic choice that exists.
FACULTY COLOR TABLE
| Faculty or department | Color | Known variations |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine and Surgery | Red | — |
| Law | Blue | — |
| Engineering | Black | — |
| Arts and Philosophy | White | — |
| Economics and Commerce | Yellow | Grey in Turin and Genoa |
| Architecture | Black | Orange in Genoa |
| Political Science | Purple | Light blue in Macerata, dark blue in Bologna |
| Psychology | Grey | Pink in Padua |
| Pharmacy | Garnet red | Green in Bologna |
| Veterinary Medicine | Dark red | — |
| Nursing | Dark red | — |
| Agriculture | Dark green | — |
| Mathematics | Light green | — |
| Sciences (Biology, Natural Sciences, Biotechnology) | Green | — |
| Foreign Languages and Literatures | Burgundy | Dark green, amaranth in Bologna, white in Macerata |
| Education and Pedagogy | Grey | White in Bologna, pink in Padua |
| Communication Sciences | Wine red | — |
| Sociology | Orange | — |
| Statistics and Social Sciences | Bluette | Yellow in Rome and Bologna |
| Banking Sciences | Light blue | — |
| Sports Science | Red and white | — |
| Fine Arts Academy | Sky blue | — |
HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT COLOR FOR YOUR UNIVERSITY
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Ask at the academic registrar's office. This is the only source that truly counts for your department. An email is enough.
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Ask those who graduated before you. A colleague from last year, the degree program group, the student association. They know what is used at your university and will answer in ten minutes.
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Look at photos from your university's graduation ceremonies. Search for your degree program's hashtag on Instagram: in the photos of recent graduation sessions, the recurring color is the answer.
And if after all this you are still in doubt, go back to the previous paragraph: red is always correct.
THE RIBBON ISN'T THE ONLY PLACE TO PUT YOUR COLOR
Here is something you can't do with fresh laurel.
A crown of real leaves is green, and that’s that: the only space for your faculty color is the ribbon. Nature has already decided the rest.
Our laurel wreaths are 3D printed, so the color isn't a detail added at the end: it is the wreath itself. You can wear your degree program color on your head, not just hanging behind you.
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Navy Blue — for Law, and for Banking Sciences in the version with powder blue leaves. Check out the classic wreath.
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Shaded black — for Engineering and Architecture, in versions with red or magenta highlights. And if you are in Engineering or Computer Science, there is also the version with circuit board paths engraved on the leaves.
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Burgundy — for Languages, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine, and Nursing. With red leaves, it becomes the red of Medicine.
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Green — for Agriculture, Mathematics, Biology, and all Sciences, also in a two-tone version with olive green leaves.
And if you are graduating in Music or at the Conservatory, there is the wreath with the engraved staff; if you want your wreath to also express who you are, there is the seven-color Pride version.
The satin ribbon remains, and the choice is yours: if the color of the wreath is already that of your faculty, many people pair it with a classic red ribbon. Two traditions on the same head.
TWO THINGS WE ARE OFTEN ASKED
Is the wreath worn for a bachelor's degree too? Yes. Bachelor's, master's, doctorate, academic diploma: it is worn at every graduation ceremony. It is not reserved for the master's degree, although some still believe so.
Can I use a color that has nothing to do with my faculty? Of course. There are no rules to follow, and no one will stop you at the door. Many choose the color they prefer, or the one that goes best with their outfit. Tradition is a suggestion, not an exam.
🎓 Your wreath, in your color, forever. 3D printed and hand-finished leaf by leaf: as thick as a real one, but it doesn't wither. Eight color combinations, engraving with your name, and 10 lucky leaves included. Discover the 3D laurel wreaths.