Since the University of Göttingen has been around since 1734, years before the United States was even a country, the university has had time to establish some traditions that are still followed today. Since moving to Göttingen in September, I have been able to witness one of the German graduation traditions – the PhD hat.
While working with PhD students in my lab, I have seen some of them give their final PhD research presentation (called a “dissertation defense”) where they present the work they have been doing for the past four years. In Göttingen, it is a tradition for the other students in the lab to give the newly-graduated student a special PhD hat. The hat resembles the black graduation caps that we wear at graduation in the United States, but it is not solid black. The other students in the lab make the hat out of cardboard and decorate it with pictures and three-dimensional decorations.
While there is not one specific year when this tradition began, it centers around being a very academically focused area. This PhD hat tradition seems to only occur in Germany for the most part, and it is a great way for students to celebrate their peers’ graduation success.
