The Aquinas Institute of Philosophy and Theology probably designed its own hood lining patterns in 1968 when the institute was first accredited to confer degrees. Aquinas used two different hood linings to indicate the degrees granted by the two academic Schools within the Institute. According to information compiled by Kevin Sheard in Academic Dress and Insignia of the World (1970), degrees conferred by the School of Philosophy used hoods lined white above yellow-gold (probably divided per chevron), and above the yellow-gold were two royal blue (dark blue) chevrons. For degrees conferred by the School of Theology, the white above gold lining was the same, but the two chevrons were scarlet. The chevron colors are relatively consistent with the Philosophy (dark blue) and Theology (scarlet) degree colors authorized by the Intercollegiate Code of Academic Costume in 1895.

On this website, the Intercollegiate Registry of Academic Costume has assigned a single hood lining pattern to the Aquinas Institute that is more consistent with Intercollegiate Code standards. Because the school seal incorporates a shield divided per reversed chevron, and the chief (upper half) of the shield features an image of the sun, the institute’s hood lining has been divided per reversed chevron, with gold placed above white. The degree colors formerly used for the double chevrons are instead displayed on the velvet edging of the hood, as dictated by the 1895 Intercollegiate Code of Academic Costume.