Office of the Registrar and Student Awards

241

University History and Traditions

241.2 University Traditions

The University Motto

    The University motto, Quaecumque vera, is taken from the Latin Vulgate version of the Bible, the Epistle of St Paul to the Philippians, chapter 4, verse 8:

    De cetero, fratres, quaecumque sunt vera, quaecumque pudica,

    quaecumque justa, quaecumque sancta, quaecumque amabilia,

    quaecumque bonae famae, si qua virtus, si qua laus disciplinae, haec

    cogitate.

    Following is the same passage, from the King James version:

    Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are

    honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,

    whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report;

    if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

The Coat of Arms

    On November 15, 1909, a motion by the faculty recommended to the Senate the adoption by the University of the provincial coat of arms, with the addition of an open book above the shield and the motto Lux et Lex; the words “University of Alberta” were to be attached as might seem fit. The present motto was substituted in January 1911 for the one originally proposed. In 1950 the representation of the coat of arms was altered to conform better to the principles of heraldic design but these arms were never actually registered.

    In 1994 a new coat of arms incorporating a number of traditional symbols associated with the University or the Province, or with learning, was officially granted by the Canadian Heraldic Authority. In non-technical language, it consists of the following elements:

    Shield: a representation of the topography of Alberta (wheat fields, hills, rivers, and the Rocky Mountains) derived from the provincial coat of arms, and a book symbolizing learning.

    Crest: a Great Horned Owl, the provincial bird and a traditional symbol of wisdom.

    Supporters: a pronghorn, taken from the provincial coat of arms, and a golden bear, long the University mascot, standing on a mound of wild roses, the floral emblem of Alberta.

    Motto: Quaecumque vera.

The University Colors

    The original suggestion for green and gold University colors came from Marion Kirby Alexander, who drew her inspiration from the autumn colors of the river valley below the campus. Her husband, William Hardy Alexander, Professor of Classics, relayed the suggestion to the Faculty meeting of October 5, 1908. At its first meeting of October 13, 1908, the Senate approved the combination of green and gold as particularly appropriate to the new University of Alberta. The green represents wide stretches of prairie land flanked by deep spruce forests, and is symbolic of hope and optimism; the gold represents the golden harvest fields and is symbolic of the light of knowledge.

The University Flag

    The Flag of the University consists of the shield of the coat of arms on a gold background.

    The shield and the motto are used in accordance with the University's visual identity program.

Trademarks and Logos

    The University’s name (i.e., The University of Alberta) and acronym (U of A), and other names commonly associated with the University (e.g., Bears/Pandas), as well as the University coat-of-arms, shield, crest, logos, insignia, and other graphic and word marks are protected under the Trade Marks Act.

    Any use of these trademarks for other than official University of Alberta business requires authorization from the Vice President (External Relations) or designate. It is a serious offence to use any of these trademarks or their elements for any purpose without written permission. Unauthorized use constitutes infringement and guilty parties are subject to penalties.

    The names and marks of the University may not be used in conjunction with any other names, marks and/or trademarks of a third party, except by express written permission from the owner of those marks.

    The Official Coat-of-Arms of the University of Alberta may not be used except by the Office of the Chancellor in conducting official University business.

Academic Costume

Undergraduate Degrees

    All undergraduate and master's degree gowns are the customary Cambridge shape, i.e., a gown of black material falling below the knee with full sleeves cut to the elbow and terminating in a point. Hoods are made in the Oxford pattern of spruce green material. The Bachelor's hood has a border three inches wide of the color distinctive of the Faculty as noted below. The Masters' hood has a full lining of the color distinctive of the Faculty also noted below. Mortarboards are the standard black trencher shape with black tassels, which are worn forward and to the left.

Doctorate Degrees

    Doctors' gowns (PhD, DMus, and EdD) conform to the Intercollegiate Code in design. They are made of black material and the velvet trim on the sleeves is Philosophy Blue for the PhD and DMus, and Education Light Blue for the EdD. Doctor's hoods conform to the Intercollegiate Code in shape, size, and color. They are made of black material to match the gown, and have a full lining of gold satin with a six-inch green satin chevron. The velvet trim distinguishes the two degrees and matches the velvet trim on the gown's sleeves. There is a narrow green piping where the gold lining joins the black material. Mortarboards are the standard black trencher shape with black tassels, which are worn forward and to the left.

Honorary Degrees

    Honorary Doctors of Laws (LLD), Letters (DLitt), and Science (DSc) wear a scarlet robe faced with white silk. Hoods are made in the Cambridge form of scarlet silk with a full lining of white silk. Caps are black velvet with a gold tassel.

General Information Chart 1

Undergraduate Degrees

Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences

Grass Green

Bilingual BScEnv

Grass Green/Lavender

Arts

White

Augustana

Band of Red, Black, White

Business

Silver Grey

Bilingual BCom

Silver Grey/Lavender

Education

Royal Blue

Engineering

Light Green

Law

Scarlet

Medicine and Dentistry

 

  Dentistry/Dental Hygiene

Maroon

  Medicine

Crimson

Native Studies

White/band of Red, White, Green, Gold, and Blue

Nursing

Crimson/White

Bilingual BScN

Crimson/White/Lavender

Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Cinnamon

Physical Education and Recreation

Royal Blue/Gold

Rehabilitation Medicine

Salmon Pink

Faculté Saint-Jean

Blue/Lavender

•BA

Lavender/White

•BEd

Lavender/Blue

•BSc

Lavender/Gold

Science

Gold

Master's Degrees

Agriculture in

•Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences

Grass Green

•Human Ecology

Grass Green

•Renewable Resources

Grass Green

•Rural Economy

Grass Green

Arts in

•Anthropology

White

•Art and Design

White

•Classics

White

•Clothing and Textiles

Grass Green

•Communications and Technology

White

•Comparative Literature

White

•Drama

White

•Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (Geography)

Gold

•East Asian Studies

White

•Economics

White

•English

White

•Faculté Saint-Jean (Maîtrise en arts)

White/Lavender

•Film Studies

White

•Geography

White

•Germanic Languages

White

•Hispanic Literatures

White

•History

White

•Linguistics

White

•Modern Languages and Cultural Studies

White

•Music

White

•Philosophy

White

•Physical Education and Sport Studies

Royal Blue/Gold

•Political Science

White

•Psychology

White

•Recreation and Leisure Studies

Royal Blue/Gold

•Religion

White

•Romance Languages

White

•Slavic and East European Studies

White

•Sociology

White

Business Administration

Silver Grey

Design

White

Education in

•Educational Policy Studies

Royal Blue

•Educational Psychology

Royal Blue

•Elementary Education

Royal Blue

•Faculté Saint-Jean (Maîtrise en sciences de l'éducation)

Blue/Lavender

•Secondary Education

Royal Blue

Engineering

Light Green

Fine Arts

White

Forestry

Grass Green

Health Services Administration

Crimson

Laws

Scarlet

Library and Information Studies

Lemon Yellow

Music

White

Nursing

Crimson/White

Pharmacy

Cinnamon

Public Health

Crimson

Public Management

Silver Grey

Science in

•Agricultural Engineering

Grass Green

•Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences

Grass Green

•Anatomy and Cell Biology

Crimson

•Animal Science

Grass Green

•Applied Sciences in Medicine

Crimson

•Biochemistry

Gold

•Biological Sciences

Gold

•Biology

Gold

•Biomedical Engineering

Crimson

•Botany

Gold

•Cell Biology

Crimson

•Chemical Engineering

Light Green

•Chemistry

Gold

•Civil Engineering

Light Green

•Clothing and Textiles

Grass Green

•Computer Engineering

Light Green

•Computing Science

Gold

•Dentistry

Maroon

•Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Gold

•Electrical Engineering

Light Green

•Entomology

Gold

•Environmental Engineering

Light Green

•Family Ecology and Practice

Grass Green

•Family Studies

Grass Green

•Food Science

Grass Green

•Foods and Nutrition

Grass Green

•Forest Science

Grass Green

•Genetics

Gold

•Geography

Gold

•Geology

Gold

•Geophysics

Gold

•Health Promotion

Crimson

•Human Ecology

Grass Green

•Immunology

Crimson

•Laboratory Medicine and Pathology

Crimson

•Linguistics

White

•Materials Engineering

Light Green

•Mathematical Sciences

Gold

•Mathematics

Gold

•Mechanical Engineering

Light Green

•Medical Genetics

Crimson

•Medical Microbiology and Immunology

Crimson

•Medical Sciences

Crimson

•Medicine

Crimson

•Meteorology

Gold

•Microbiology

Gold

•Mining, Materials, and Petroleum Engineering

Light Green

•Occupational Therapy

Salmon Pink

•Oncology

Crimson

•Ophthalmology

Crimson

•Oral Health Sciences

Maroon

•Paediatrics

Crimson

•Pathology

Crimson

•Pharmacology

Crimson

•Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Cinnamon

•Physical Education and Sport Studies

Royal Blue/Gold

•Physical Therapy

Salmon Pink

•Physics

Gold

•Physiology

Crimson

•Plant Science

Grass Green

•Psychiatry

Crimson

•Psychology

Gold

•Public Health Sciences

Crimson

•Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging

Crimson

•Renewable Resources

Grass Green

•Rural Economy

Grass Green

•Soil Science

Grass Green

•Speech Pathology and Audiology

Salmon Pink

•Statistics and Applied Probability

Gold

•Surgery

Crimson

•Textiles and Clothing

Grass Green

•Zoology

Gold

Speech-Language Pathology

Salmon Pink

Visual Arts

White

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Table of Contents

Calendar Home Page
Notices, Errata, Addendum, 2011-2012 PDF Calendar, 2010-2011 Calendar, Previous Calendars, University Policy Gateway

Welcome from the President

Inquiries

Academic Schedule
 11Major Deadlines from the 2011-2012 Academic Schedule
 11.1Academic Schedule 2011-2012 (monthly listing of academic events on campus)

Undergraduate Application Deadlines for Admission and Readmission

Undergraduate Admission
 13Admission to Undergraduate Programs
 14General Admission Requirements
 15Admission Requirements by Faculty
 16Admission for International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement Students
 17Admission from Outside Alberta

University Regulations and Information for Students
 20General University Policies
 21Classification of Students
 22Registration and Fees
 23Academic Regulations
 24Student Services
 25Code of Student Behaviour
 26Code of Applicant Behaviour

Programs
30Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences
40Faculty of Arts
50Augustana Faculty
60Faculty of Business
70Faculty of Education
80Faculty of Engineering
90Faculty of Extension
100Faculty of Law
110Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
120Faculty of Native Studies
130Faculty of Nursing
140Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
150Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation
160School of Public Health
170Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine
180Faculté Saint-Jean
191Faculty of Science

Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
 200The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
 201Members of the Faculty
 202General Information
 203Regulations of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
 204Graduate Program Regulations
 205Graduate Programs
 210Graduate Financial Aid

Open Studies

Course Listings
 230Details of Courses
 231Course Listings

Glossary

General Information
 241University History and Traditions
 242Constitution of the University
 243University Libraries
 244Alumni Association
 245Affiliated Colleges

University Staff
 250Continuing Academic Staff
 251Emeriti
 252Associate and Adjunct Staff
 253Honorary Degree Recipients