The previous post provided the list of graduate courses in economics and related fields (Politics, Sociology, and Statistics) offered at the University of Pennsylvania in 1897-98. This post adds the regulations governing admission, residence requirements, degree requirements for the M.A. and Ph.D. and tuition fees (plot spoiler: annual tuition was $100).
The graduate courses of instruction were arranged in sixteen groups that together constituted the Department of Philosophy. Hence, the doctoral degrees awarded for a major subject (e.g., economics) within one of these groups was logically called “doctor of philosophy”, i.e., Ph.D.
The unit of instructional account was the “standard course” which would be a lecture course of one hour per week for one academic year” so a two hour course for one term would be credited as one standard course and a one hour course for one term would be credited as 1/2 standard course. The overwhelming majority of courses offered in the group “Economics, Politics, Sociology and Statistics” were two-hour, one-term courses.
A Master’s degree required at least twelve standard courses, i.e. twelve hours of lectures to attend per term for two terms, the normal load for one academic year. A doctoral student was required to complete at least twenty-four standard courses, so two-years of course work. A doctoral student was to declare three “branches of learning” in which proficiency was to be achieved. The choice of the three branches was subject to the approval of a Group Committee. The major subject would be the principal subject selected within the particular group and two minor subjects, one of which was recommended to be taken from outside of the group, presumably from history, philosophy, ethics or psychology if one’s major was, say, economics. “In every case the minor subjects shall be so related to the major as to conduce to some recognized and approved end.” The minimum foreign language requirement was a good reading knowledge of two European languages besides English, at least one of which had to be “a modern tongue”.
Following the presentation of a thesis “upon some topic in the line of his major subject, showing high attainment or power of original and independent research” and its approval by the Group Committee in which his major lies, the candidate for the Ph.D. had to pass “a private written examination conducted by his instructors” as well as a public oral examination covering both the major and minor subjects.
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Regulations for Graduate Degrees in the Department of Philosophy
University of Pennsylvania, 1897-98
The Department of Philosophy offers advanced instruction in the various branches of Literature and Science The instruction is intended primarily for persons who have profited by the advantages of a full college course, and who are desirous of continuing their studies upon lines more strictly defined and specialized. Others, however, may be admitted to study in the Department, under conditions hereinafter specified.
The session of 1897-98 will begin on Friday, October 1.
ARRANGEMENT OF COURSES.
The courses of instruction offered in this Department are arranged under the sixteen following groups:
- Semitic Languages.
- American Archaeology and Languages.
- Indo-European Philology.
- Classical Languages.
- Germanic Languages.
- Romanic Languages.
- English.
- Philosophy, Ethics, Psychology and Pedagogy.
- History.
- Economics, Politics, Sociology and Statistics.
- Mathematics.
- Astronomy.
- Physics.
- Chemistry.
- Botany and Zoology.
- Geology and Mineralogy.
All persons authorized to give instruction within a group constitute the Group Committee. To the several Group Committees are entrusted the arrangement of their respective courses, and the oversight of students taking majors within the group.
The instruction given within a group is subdivided into lecture courses, seminary courses and laboratory courses.
In stating the minimum requirements for residence and degrees a ”standard” course is used; this is a lecture course of one hour per week for one academic year. The lecture courses as actually given will be either multiples or fractional parts of this standard. The ratio of value of the several seminary and laboratory courses to the standard is variable, and will be set in each case by the Group Committee.
ADMISSION.
Students desiring to enter this Department must present themselves in person to the Dean.
Any person may be admitted by the Dean as a special student, not a candidate for a degree, upon the presentation of written statements from the instructors with whom he desires to work, certifying to his fitness and consenting to his admission.
Any person holding the degree of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science from some college or university whose degrees are recognized by this University as equivalent to its own may be admitted by the Dean as a candidate for a higher degree. In such cases the applicant’s diploma must be submitted to the inspection of the Dean.
Students who are allowed to become candidates for a higher degree are termed regular students. Those who are not candidates for a degree a.e termed special students.
If the degree has been taken five or more years before the date of application, the Dean may at his discretion require of the applicant further evidence of his ability to pursue with profit his studies in the Department.
Persons who do not hold a Bachelor’s degree may, in exceptional cases, be admitted as candidates for a degree; provided they satisfy the Executive Committee of the Faculty, by examination, or in such other way as the Committee may in each case determine, that they possess not only the knowledge necessary to the profitable pursuit of the subjects they may select, but also that general cultivation and training which is the result of a properly conducted college course.
Students already registered as candidates for a degree in other Departments of the University are allowed to pursue courses in this Department, and regular students of this Department are allowed to pursue courses in other Departments by the concurrent action of the respective Deans.
After admission, each student will be furnished with a matriculation card; no student who cannot show his matriculation card will be allowed to take any course. These cards are good only for the year in which they are issued, and must be renewed from year to year. For such renewal, personal application must be made at the office.
RESIDENCE.
All candidates for higher degrees are required to spend at least one year in residence at this University. To be construed in residence at this University, a student must pursue not less than six standard lecture courses or their equivalent, simultaneously. Work done at other universities may be accepted by the several Group Committees in lieu of a part of the work required for a degree.
When only one year is spent in residence at this University, it must be the last year of the student’s course.
DEGREES.
The degrees conferred in the Faculty of Philosophy are Doctor of Philosophy, (Ph.D.), Master of Arts, (A.M.), and Master of Science, (M.S.).
The right to recommend a candidate to the Board of Trustees for a higher degree is vested in a Board of Examiners, consisting of the Dean and three members of the Faculty, representing those branches of study in which the candidate has been working. Before a student can offer himself for examination, he must present to the Dean suitable written certificates from the Group Committees under whose supervision his work has been prosecuted, setting forth that he has not only complied with all conditions prescribed by the rules, but is also in the judgment of those committees fitted by his ability and attainments to receive the degree in question. No student can acquire a right to such recommendation merely by attending lectures, passing examinations, or by compliance with any prescribed conditions whatever. The requirements for degrees hereinafter specified must therefore be regarded as minimum requirements only, and it remains within the power of any Group Committee to refuse to grant any student a recommendation for the higher degree. All degrees are conferred at the annual commencement in June.
THE MASTER’S DEGREE.
Only those who have received the degree of Bachelor of Arts can proceed to that of Master of Arts.
Only those who have received the degree of Bachelor of Science can proceed to that of Master of Science.
The work for the Master’s Degree will occupy the student’s undivided time for at least one academic year. The candidate will be required to elect, with the consent of the Dean, not less than twelve standard courses or their equivalent, and to pursue them to the satisfaction of the committees offering them. He must then pass a private written examination under the direction of his instructors, and a public oral examination in the presence of the Board of Examiners, and of such members of the Faculty as desire to attend.
THE DOCTOR’S DEGREE.
The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is conferred solely in recognition of marked ability and high attainments in some definite branch of learning.
The degree will in no case be granted before the expiration of two years after the date of the candidate’s baccalaureate degree, nor upon a candidate who has not completed twenty-four standard courses or their equivalent. A student of ability, who has already had a good undergraduate course and pursues in graduate work the same topics to which he devoted special attention as an undergraduate, will usually be able to attain his degree in three years; but students whose college training has been in any respect defective, or who cannot devote their undivided attention to the work, will require a longer period of time.
The candidate for the Doctor’s degree must, upon entering the Department, elect the group within which he intends to do the greater part of his work, and will then pass under the jurisdiction of the committee in charge of that group. He must designate, with the consent of the committee, three branches of learning in which he desires to become proficient. One of these, which shall be known as his principal or major subject, shall lie within the group; although the Group Committee may direct him to courses given in other groups, and may allow them to be accounted part of the major work. The other two shall be known as his subordinate or minor subjects. It is recommended that at least one minor be taken outside the group in which his major lies. In every case the minor subjects shall be so related to the major as to conduce to some recognized and approved end.
Every candidate for the Doctor’s degree must possess a good reading knowledge of those languages which are judged by the committee in charge of the major essential to the prosecution of his major work.
Under no circumstances may a candidate present himself for his degree before he can show a good reading knowledge of two European languages besides English, one of which must be a modern tongue.
He must also present a thesis upon some topic in the line of his major subject, showing high attainment or power of original and independent research. This thesis must be presented and approved by the Group Committee in which his major lies before he can be admitted to the examinations.
The thesis must be typewritten or printed, unless upon recommendation of the committee in charge the Dean authorize the acceptance of a written thesis. The committee may require the thesis to be printed before recommending the candidate for the degree. If the thesis is written or typewritten, one copy must be deposited in the Library of the University before the student can be recommended for his degree; if printed, fifty copies must be deposited.
The candidate for the Doctor’s degree must pass a private written examination conducted by his instructors, and a public oral examination. The final examination is conducted by the Board of Examiners as hereinbefore provided, representing the candidate’s major and two minor subjects respectively, in the presence of such members of the Faculty as may desire to attend.
FEES.
For regular students the tuition fee is one hundred (100.00) dollars per annum. The graduation fee is twenty-five (25.00) dollars.
For special students a fee is charged according to the number of courses taken The fee for a course is found by multiplying ten dollars by the number of hours of instruction offered per week throughout the year, and adding five dollars to this product. If several courses be taken with the same instructor, this five dollars is added only once. Fees are payable to the Registrar in two instalments, on November 1 and February 1, strictly in advance.
Source: Catalogue of the University of Pennsylvania. Fasciculus of the Department of Philosophy. Announcements for Session 1897-98, pp. 17-21.
Image Source: University Library (built 1890, Furness, Evans & Co., architect; now Anne and Jerome Fisher Fine Arts Library), interior, reading room, 1898. University of Pennsylvania Digital Image Collection.