University of Virginia Library

IX. Degrees

In June, 1895, the Faculty recommended for adoption
by the Board of Directors the ensuing rule for the
bestowal of the degree of bachelor of arts: the candidate
should be required to win a diploma of graduation
in at least one branch of every one of the following
courses,—and with a sufficient addition from the same
courses, in branches not at first selected, to make up a
total of nine diplomas: (1) Latin, Greek; (2) German,
French, and English languages; (3) English literature,
history, political economy; (4) logic, psychology, ethics,
and history of philosophy; (5) mathematics, mechanics
and astronomy; (6) physics and chemistry; (7) biology
and geology. It was claimed that this division of studies
for the degree would be accompanied by several substantial
advantages: (1) it would create a perfect balance
between the literary and scientific requirements, and make

certain a rational distribution between natural science in
the sixth clause and natural history in the seventh; (2)
it would remove the subject of political economy from the
section of philosophical science,—to which it was improperly
assigned originally,—and transfer it to one of
the branches of literary study; (3) it would admit the
English language to association with the cognate German,
and thus concentrate the instruction given in Teutonic
philology; (4) it would add a ninth course to the
ground to be traversed by the candidate, and thus widen
the basis on which the higher degrees of master of arts
and doctor of philosophy should rest.

These recommendations do not appear to have been
adopted.

The necessity for new attractions in the requirements
for the degree of bachelor of arts still remained. It was
announced, during the session of 1897–98, that the division
of subjects would hereafter be as follows: (1) ancient
languages—Latin, Greek; (2) modern languages,
—French, German, Italian, Spanish; (3) history and
English,—general history, English literature and English
language; (4) philosophical science,—economics,
logic, psychology, ethics, and philosophy; (5) mathematical
science,—mathematics, mechanics and astronomy;
(6) experimental science,—physics and general chemistry;
(7) descriptive sciences,—botany, comparative anatomy,
and geology.

A significant feature of this new grouping was the provision,
in 1898–99, that only the student who should select
both Latin and Greek would be exempted from the requirement
of a general course of nine studies. It was
considered by the Faculty to be adequate preparation for
entrance upon these studies should the candidate possess
a respectable knowledge of English grammar, composition,

and rhetoric; of arithmetic, algebra, and plane
geometry; and of the grammar and composition of at
least one of the classical languages. It was calculated
that the acquisition of the degree would call for the application
of at least four years.

Evenly balanced and nicely adjusted as these provisions
appeared to be, they failed to be acceptable to the college
authorities of New York and Illinois, because they did
not fulfil the conditions adopted by those States for matriculating
students with credits for their previous work
in outside institutions. In order to surmount this obstacle,
the Board, in November, 1900, determined to
confer the degree only on the student who had completed
ten of the studies presented, three of which could be
selected from any of the courses included in the list. The
remaining seven had to be chosen with at least one from
each of the seven groups. The candidate who selected
both Latin and Greek was permitted to limit his courses to
nine.

It was perceived, at an early date, that the adoption of
a too voluminous division for the baccalaureate degree
would extend too much the length of time which a professional
student would be compelled to remain in the
University. Many of the young men who expected to
enter the department of law, medicine, or engineering
after completing the undergraduate course, did not think
that they could afford to prolong so far their stay within
the precincts. The number of matriculates was soon diminished
by this fact, for a disposition, in consequence of
it, sprang up to cut down the period spent in the academic
department to two years. In order to remove the reason
for this action, the Board, in 1903–04, permitted the
candidate for the degree to choose, as one of his three
electives, a course in the department of law or medicine,

or three courses in the department of engineering.
Knowing before hand what profession he intended to pursue,
the candidate could make a selection among the
studies for the baccalaureate degree that would be precisely
adapted to the character of his proposed calling in
life. If his purpose was to become a lawyer, then it
would be expedient for him to include in his list Latin,
history, English literature, economics, and philosophy.
If, on the other hand, he aspired to become a physician,
he would be certain not to omit the subject of chemistry,
physics, biology, French and German; or if his purpose
was to enter business, then he would be sure to choose
the subject of modern history and economics, English literature,
the English language, and such continental
tongues as would probably be of most service to him.

In 1903, the Faculty recommended that biology should
be substituted for geology in the scheme adopted for the
degree of bachelor of arts; and that geology should be
transferred to the list of electives. Italian was to be
dropped from this course, in order that it might become
a part of the course for the degree of master of arts.

Previous to the year 1892, the round of studies prescribed
for the degree of master of arts was, as we have
shown, an inflexible one. There was no room to be found
in it for the exercise of a choice of subjects. It was designed
for the promotion of mental discipline rather than
for the acquisition of information, although well adapted
to this latter end also. But the expansion in the scope of
the higher academic classes, and the introduction of more
courses in science, rendered it inevitable that the curriculum
of the degree of master of arts would undergo in
time very material alterations to suit the special tastes of
the young men who should desire to win it. The number
of those whose inclinations leaned, not so much to mathematics

and the ancient languages, as to English literature
and history, natural science, natural history, the
Teutonic and Romanic languages, was steadily growing
larger. This disposition could not be permanently
brushed aside. A complete revolution in the character
of the degree was brought about when it was decided to
award it to the candidate who had obtained diplomas in
four specified elective courses, but it was essential that he
should have beforehand won the degree of bachelor of
arts, either at the University of Virginia, or at some other
approved institution, as a foundation for these advanced
studies, and as a guarantee of the culture necessary to
their fruitful prosecution.

Among the practical benefits to be gained by these
changes was the assurance which it gave (1) of a closer
bond to be created between the academic work of the
Southern college and the similar work of the University
of Virginia; (2) of a more powerful influence to be
brought to bear for the further expansion of the higher
courses of the latter institution; and (3) of a more vigorous
encouragement to be given to specialization on the
part of both student and professor. Under the rule
that formerly existed, a candidate for the degree of master
of arts, who had previously received a degree in another
college, was still called upon to win a diploma in
every school belonging to the old curriculum. Even the
bachelor of arts of that college was required to stand
an examination on the subjects which had not been already
traversed by him.

"Experience has proven," says Professor Thornton,
in commenting on the abandoned regulation, "that this
onerous provision was useless. The work of the Southern
colleges grew better and better. It seemed unreasonable
to keep these men back from their special work.

The policy of the University is to admit a bachelor of arts
of a good college to full advanced study, and to permit
him to take in each department of his work the highest
class which he can profitably pursue. The Faculty reserves
the right in extreme cases to exact examinations and
to require the pursuit of supplementary courses of undergraduate
study. But their attitude in general is advisory
and not mandatory. It is essential to the aspirant
for the degree of master of arts who has been educated
elsewhere that his preliminary training shall have been
ample and thorough, and such studies as may be needed
to fill up his training will be arranged for him. He must
receive his degree of master of arts upon a course of
study as comprehensive, as thorough, as enlightening, as
liberal, as that of his brother bachelor of arts of the
University of Virginia."

In 1896, the Faculty asked the Board of Visitors' consent
to the admission to the University's advanced
courses, as candidates for the degree of doctor of philosophy,
of all bachelors and masters of arts from other
seats of learning with whose preparation they had reason
to be satisfied, after an examination by two professors.
Having obtained the approval solicited, this body,
during the session of 1897–98, announced that the pursuit
of three studies would be required as the first condition
for the attainment of the degree, whether by a candidate
from the University itself or from another institution.
These were to be a major subject,—in connection
with which a dissertation was to be written,—a cognate
minor, and an independent minor. The second condition
was that the entire course was to be spread over a
period of three years as a minimum. The study of the
major subject was to be continued throughout this interval;
of the first minor, through two years at least; but

of the second minor through only one. A third condition
was that the candidate should possess a "reading knowedge"
of French and German; and a fourth, that, at
the end of the third session, he was to pass a successful
examination on the whole ground covered by the major
and minor subjects.

In 1895, in order, as they said, to liberalize the requirements
for the degrees in the engineering department,
and to bring the practice of the University of
Virginia into harmony with that of the foremost American
and European schools, the Faculty recommended:
(1) that the existing degrees of civil engineer, mining
engineer, and mechanical engineer should be abolished;
and that in their place, the degree of bachelor of science
should be established, with some special earmark
to show the branch in which it had been won; (2) that
this new degree should be awarded to the student who
had obtained diplomas in seven courses, two of which
should consist of electives. As we have already mentioned,
this distribution was subsequently revoked, and
there was a return to the original scheme, to which the
degree of electrical engineer was now added.

During the first eighty sessions in the history of the
University of Virginia, (1825–1904), the degree of bachelor
of arts was won by three hundred and sixty-one students;
the degree of master of arts by three hundred and
ninety-three; of doctor of philosophy by thirty-five; of
civil, mining, mechanical and electrical engineer by ninety-nine;
of doctor of medicine by twelve hundred and fifty-seven;
and of bachelor of law by thirteen hundred and
thirty-five. If the number of students enrolled, during
this interval, is considered, there was perhaps not another
institution which could show so small a proportion
of graduates for the same period.