 | The University of Virginia record March 15, 1927 |  |
DEPARTMENT OF GRADUATE STUDIES
Edwin Anderson Alderman, Ph.B., D.C.L., LL.D.
President of the University
John Calvin Metcalf, M.A., Litt.D., LL.D.
Dean of the Department of Graduate Studies
ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE: The Dean and Professors Malone,
Manahan, Mitchell, Simpson; for the Summer Quarter, the Dean and Professors
Faulkner and Kepner.
HISTORICAL STATEMENT
While the original organization of the Academic Schools of the University
by Jefferson contemplated instruction of graduate grade in each School,
the first "post-graduate department" in the modern sense was instituted in
1859-60 by Basil L. Gildersleeve, then Professor of Greek in the institution.
The degree of Master of Arts continued to be conferred upon graduates in
all six Schools of the University. Professor Gildersleeve conducted graduate
courses in the School of Greek; shortly after the Civil War a "post-graduate
department" was announced for the School of Latin. Graduate courses
were offered in individual Schools, but there was no general department organization
for graduate study until 1904. In that year the Department of
Graduate Studies was established as a regular co-ordinate division of the
University, with definitely prescribed regulations corresponding to the requirements
of the Association of American Universities, in which the University
of Virginia was the first Southern university to hold membership.
The degree of Doctor of Philosophy had, however, been offered by the University
as far back as 1880. The present requirements for graduate degrees,
with minor modifications, have been in force since 1904.
THE GRADUATE HOUSE
The Graduate House, administrative headquarters of the Department of Graduate
Studies, is on West Lawn. Besides the Dean's office, this building contains
one large lecture-room for graduate classes and three seminar rooms on the second
floor specially equipped for small groups of students and professors engaged in
advanced graduate work. Each seminar room has a small library for the use
of advanced graduate students in the courses conducted in that room. The
building is therefore the administrative office of the Department and the
workshop of its humanistic section. At present the class-rooms are used by
certain C and D classes in the Schools of English, History, Philosophy, Economics,
Biblical Literature, and Political Science. The central location of
this house and its proximity to the General Library make it particularly
adapted to departmental use.
LIBRARY FACILITIES
The General Library contains about 120,000 volumes. Departmental libraries,
notably those of the Scientific Schools, the Classical, the English, and
the Heck Memorial Library of the Department of Education, have more
than 40,000 volumes. Graduate students may, through the office of the General
Library, get certain books needed in research from the Library of Congress
and the Virginia State Library. Library facilities for graduate study,
both in arts and sciences, are excellent.
GRADUATE CLUBS
Several general meetings of the students and officials of the Graduate
Department are held during the session for professional and social purposes.
Addresses are delivered by members of the Faculty or by visiting scholars,
followed by informal discussion. Besides these general conferences there
are regular weekly or bi-weekly meetings of graduate students and professors
for discussion of topics connected with graduate study. Papers are presented
on the progress of certain investigations by the writers, some of
which are published as monographs, or contributed to technical journals.
These clubs are stimulating centers of research activity. The scientific society
of Sigma Xi is an important organization for the advancement of technical
knowledge. The University Committee on Research, while not
specifically an organization of the Department of Graduate Studies, is a
valuable auxiliary of the Department. This committee administers an annual
appropriation for promoting research in the various Departments of the University,
especially in the matter of the publication of the results of original
investigation, and so aids the general cause of advanced scholarship.
SCIENTIFIC LABORATORIES
Each Scientific School occupies a separate building with an extensive
laboratory and a select departmental library. Statements in regard to laboratories
and general scientific equipment in the Schools of Astronomy, Biology,
Chemistry, Geology, and Physics may be found under the announcements
of those Schools. More detailed information is contained in the
General Catalogue.
ORGANIZATION
The immediate direction of the Department of Graduate Studies is
vested in the Dean and an Administrative Committee of six professors, appointed
by the President, two of whom serve only during the Summer
Quarter. The Faculty of the Graduate Department consists of those professors
in the Academic Schools who offer graduate courses. Courses
marked C are for graduates and advanced undergraduates; those marked
D are for graduates only. The prerequisites for each course are indicated,
varying from six to twelve session-hours of college work. The various
Group I—Languages, Literature, Fine Arts, and Music.
Group II—Social and Philosophical Sciences.
Group III—Mathematical and Natural Sciences.
REGISTRATION
Every graduate student, new or old, is required to register at the office
of the Dean of the Department, Graduate House, West Lawn, who will advise
him in regard to a program of studies. The first three days of the session
are devoted to registration. Every applicant for admission to the
Graduate Department as candidate for a degree must file with the Dean an
official transcript of his college record. Admission to the Department does
not necessarily imply acceptance for candidacy to a degree. All applications
will be passed upon by the Committee on Rules and Courses of the Department
of Graduate Studies early in the first term, and each applicant will be
formally notified by the Dean of the tentative approval of his candidacy. The
final approval of his candidacy will depend upon his record during the first
term, or quarter, of his residence.
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
Admission to the Department.—For admission to the Department of
Graduate Studies a baccalaureate degree from a recognized institution of collegiate
rank is required, for men and women alike. In order to become a
candidate for a degree, the student must be advanced to candidacy by the
Committee on Rules and Courses upon formal application, as set forth below.
Advancement to Candidacy for a Degree.—Any graduate student who
wishes to become a candidate for a degree must file with the Dean of the
Department his application on a blank form to be secured from the Dean's
Secretary. This application must include a proposed program of work arranged
in accordance with the requirements for the several degrees as stated
below, and must be accompanied, in case the applicant does not hold an academic
degree from this University, by an official transcript of the applicant's
academic record made out by the Registrar of the institution from which the
baccalaureate degree was received, and by a catalogue of that institution,
marked to show the courses of study pursued. The application will be submitted
by the Dean to the Committee on Rules and Courses, who will consider
it in conference with the professors concerned. The Committee will
have the right to require that the applicant add to his program any courses.
undergraduate or graduate, considered necessary to supply his deficiencies, or
to enable him to pursue with profit the courses he has selected. When the
program has been finally approved, the Dean will report to the applicant his
advancement to candidacy for a degree.
It should be distinctly understood that graduate degrees are not conferred
time spent in resident or non-resident work, but upon the basis of the quality
and scope of the candidate's knowledge, and his power of investigation in his
chosen field of study. Candidates whose training and attainments are inferior
cannot expect to secure a degree in the normal length of time estimated below
for the respective degrees.
REQUIREMENTS FOR DEGREES
Master of Arts.—The degree of Master of Arts will be conferred upon
the holder of a degree of Bachelor of Arts who has fulfilled the following requirements:
(1) The successful completion, in not less than one full year of resident
graduate work, of the program of studies approved for the candidate by the
Committee on Rules and Courses, as embodied in his formal application for
advancement to candidacy. This application must be submitted not later
than one week after registration, in the year in which it is expected that the
degree will be conferred. The program must form a consistent plan of work,
to be pursued with some definite aim, and grouped around some one subject
to be known as the candidate's Major Subject, the name of which will be
incorporated in the body of each diploma conferring the degree. The program
should be arranged in consultation with the professors concerned, and
must be approved in writing by a professor of the candidate's Major Subject,
who shall be designated by the Dean of the Department of Graduate
Studies, after consultation with the candidate.
(2) The preparation and submission of a thesis, to be accepted as satisfactory
by the professor of the candidate's Major Subject. Two copies of
the thesis, typewritten on paper of prescribed quality and size, and substantially
bound, must be deposited in the office of the Dean of the Department
of Graduate Studies not later than May 15 of the year in which it is expected
that the degree will be conferred. The back of the cover must bear the title
of the thesis and the writer's name, and the title page must bear the words:
A thesis presented to the Academic Faculty of the University of Virginia in
candidacy for the degree of Master of Arts.
(3) A final comprehensive examination, oral or written, after the acceptance
of the candidate's thesis, conducted by the candidate's major professor
and one or more of his departmental colleagues.
Master of Science.—The degree of Master of Science will be conferred
upon the holder of a degree of Bachelor of Science who fulfills requirements
corresponding to those stated above for the degree of Master of Arts.
Doctor of Philosophy.—The degree of Doctor of Philosophy will be conferred
upon the holder of a baccalaureate degree who has fulfilled the following
requirements:
(1) The successful completion, in not less than three full years of graduate
on Rules and Courses, as embodied in the student's formal application
for advancement to candidacy. This application must be submitted not
later than October 1 of the session preceding the final year of candidacy for
the degree. The program of studies must include a Major Subject, pursued
for at least three years, and one Minor Subject, pursued for at least one
year. The Minor Subject must be closely related to the Major Subject,
and the program as a whole must contribute to the mastery of some definite
field of knowledge as an object of study and research. The name of
the Major Subject will be incorporated in the body of the diploma conferring
the degree. At least two years of graduate study must be spent in
residence. By special permission of the Committee on Rules and Courses
the student may be allowed to complete his dissertation in absentia.
Upon advancement to candidacy the Dean will appoint a special committee
of not less than three Professors, under the Chairmanship of the Professor
of the candidate's Major Subject, and including a representative of
the Committee on Rules and Courses. This committee will conduct the candidate's
final examinations, and pass upon his dissertation.
(2) A reading knowledge of French and German sufficient to enable the
student to use these languages for purposes of research. This knowledge
shall be attested by passing examinations in French and German, set by the
professors of these languages, in consultation with the Professor of the
Major Subject, not later than Oct. 1 of the session preceding the final
academic year of candidacy for the degree. Upon recommendation of the
professor of the Major Subject, and at the discretion of the Committee on
Rules and Courses, some other language may be substituted for either
French or German.
(3) A final examination, written, oral, or both, in addition to all examinations
in course, upon such phases of the Major Subject and of allied subjects,
as the special committee shall prescribe. No candidate can be
admitted to the final examination until his dissertation has been accepted.
Preliminary examinations may in addition be required by individual schools,
as stated under the announcements of these Schools.
(4) A Dissertation exhibiting independent research in some branch of the
candidate's Major Subject, submitted to the Special Committee not later than
April 15 of the last year of candidacy. The copy submitted shall be typewritten
upon paper of prescribed quality and size, and shall be substantially
bound. The cover shall bear the title of the dissertation and the name of the
writer, and the title page shall bear the words: A Dissertation presented to
the Academic Faculty of the University of Virginia in candidacy for the degree
of Doctor of Philosophy. Upon approval of the dissertation the candidate
must arrange for the publication, at the earliest practicable date, of
the whole or such portions of the dissertation as the special committee shall
direct. If publication prior to the conferring of the degree be impracticable,
the candidate must deposit with the Bursar a sum of money sufficient to
Two copies, in addition, must be placed in the office of the Dean of
the Graduate Department.
Grade.—A graduate student's standing in a course is indicated not by
a numerical grade, but by one of the following terms: Distinguished, Satisfactory,
Unsatisfactory.
Only those courses marked C and D may be counted toward a graduate
degree.
Summer Session.—The Master's degree may be won by properly qualified
persons in three full Summer Quarters. In no case will this degree be conferred
without resident graduate study during three quarters, the equivalent
in time of the regular session. Not more than two graduate courses each
term of the Summer Quarter will be credited toward the degree except by
special permission of the Dean and the Committee concerned. At least
twelve session-hours of graduate work are required for the Master's degree.
A candidate for the Master's degree in the Summer Quarter must register
with the Dean of the Graduate Department and submit a program of
studies in accordance with the regulations prescribed for admission to candidacy
for that degree in the regular session. In addition to the preparation
of a thesis, a final examination, written or oral, upon the program of study
and acceptable to the Professor of the candidate's major subject in the regular
session of the University, will be required.
Scholarships and Fellowships.—A list of Scholarships and Fellowships
available for graduate students will be found in the catalogue of the Department.
A special Bulletin of the Department of Graduate Studies is issued
each year. This contains detailed information as to courses and regulations
of the Department, and should be consulted by persons interested.
This Bulletin and further information will be supplied by the Dean of the
Graduate Department.
| The University of Virginia record March 15, 1927 | |