Category: Faculty Regulations

Columbia. Graduate Degree Requirements in Economics for Faculty of Political Science, 1904-05

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2026-01-29

By the beginning of the 20th century the general structure of Ph.D. programs across the United States had gelled into a common form due to the demand for certification of college teachers and a desire to create the graduate research seminars of German universities. The relevant portions of the 1904-05 Ph.D. regulations for the Columbia Faculty of Political Science, within which the department of economics was housed, have been transcribed for this post.

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More Columbia Information from that time

Columbia University, Economics Courses with Descriptions, 1905-07

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Regulations for other economics programs

Chicago, 1904-05
Harvard, 1904-05
Wisconsin, 1904-05

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REGULATIONS
FOR THE UNIVERSITY DEGREES
1904-05

Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy

Candidates for the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy must hold a baccalaureate degree in arts, letters, philosophy, or science, or an engineering degree, or an equivalent of one of these from a foreign institution of learning.
Every candidate for a higher degree must present to the Dean of each school in which he intends to study satisfactory evidence that he is qualified for the studies he desires to undertake.
Candidates for the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy must pursue their studies in residence for a minimum period of one and two years, respectively.* The year spent in study for the degree of Master of Arts is credited on account of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Residence at other universities may be credited to a candidate. In certain cases and by special arrangement, time exclusively devoted to investigation in the field will be credited in partial fulfilment of the time required. No degree will be conferred upon any student who has not been in residence at Columbia University for at least one year. The satisfactory completion, at not less than four Summer Sessions, of courses of instruction having in all a value of eight hours’ work a week for one academic year will be accepted as fulfilling the minimum requirement of one year’s University residence.

*In practice three years of University residence subsequent to the attainment of the Bachelor’s degree, or its equivalent, are usually necessary to obtain the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Each student who declares himself a candidate for the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy, or either of them, shall, immediately after registration, designate one principal or major subject and two subordinate or minor subjects.
Candidates are expected to devote at least one half of their time throughout their course of study to the major subject. In the case of laboratory courses this implies two days a week, or its equivalent, as determined by each department. Each minor subject is intended to occupy approximately one fourth of the time during one year for the degree of Master of Arts, and during two years for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
Minor subjects may not be changed except by permission of the Dean, to be given only on the written recommendation of the heads of the departments from which and to which the change is desired; major subjects may not be changed except by a special vote of the Faculty in each case.
Candidates for the degree of Master of Arts or Doctor of Philosophy may, with the consent of the Dean of the Faculty concerned and of the professor in charge of his major subject, select both minor subjects within the same department, and may divide a minor subject, taking parts of two subjects germane to his major subject.
The subjects from which the candidate’s selection must be made are:

[…]

UNDER THE FACULTY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

Group I.—History and political philosophy: 1. European history; 2. American history; 3. ancient history; 4. political philosophy.

Group II.—Public law and comparative jurisprudence: 1. Constitutional law; 2. international law; 3. administrative law; 4. comparative jurisprudence.

Group III.—Economics and social science: 1. Political economy and finance; 2. sociology and statistics.

In his choice of subjects under this Faculty, the candidate whose major subject lies within its jurisdiction is limited by the following rules:

A candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy must select one minor subject within the group which includes his major subject.

A candidate for the degree of Master of Arts or Doctor of Philosophy must select one minor subject outside of the group which includes his major subject.

The choice of subjects must in every case be approved by the Dean.

To be recognized as a major subject for the degree of Master of Arts, the courses selected must aggregate at least two hours per week throughout the year, and must also include attendance at a seminar; for a minor subject for the degree of Master of Arts the attendance at a seminar is not required.

To be recognized as a minor subject for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, courses must be taken, in addition to the requirements for a minor subject for the degree of Master of Arts, aggregating two hours weekly. All the courses and seminars offered in the major subject must be taken by candidates for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

[…]

Each student is given a registration book, to be obtained at the office of the Registrar, which should be signed by the professor or instructor in charge of each course of instruction or investigation at the beginning and end of the course. This registration book is to be preserved by the student as evidence of courses attended, and should be submitted to the Deans of the several Faculties at the end of each year that the proper credit may be given, after which the registration book becomes the permanent property of the student.
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1. Students desiring to be examined for the degree of Master of Arts, Master of Laws, or Doctor of Philosophy shall make application to the Registrar of the University, on or before April 1 of the academic year in which the examination is desired, on blanks provided by the University.
2. Immediately after April 1, the Registrar shall notify the Deans of the Faculties of Political Science, Philosophy, and Pure Science, of the names of students applying for examination for higher degrees in each of these three Faculties, together with the subjects in which the candidate offers himself for examination and the degree for which he is a candidate.
3. The examination shall be held under the authority and direction of the several Deans.
4. The results of such examinations shall be reported as soon as possible to the Registrar, who shall transmit to the Secretary of the University Council the record of each successful candidate for a degree, as soon as such record is complete.
Each candidate for the degree of Master of Arts shall present an essay on some topic previously approved by the professor in charge of his major subject. This essay must be presented not later than May 1 of the academic year in which the examination is to take place. The Faculty of Political Science requires the essay to be a paper read during the year before the seminar of which the candidate is a member.
When the essay has been approved, the candidate shall file with the Registrar of the University a legibly written or typewritten copy of it. This copy is to be written on firm, strong paper, eleven by eight and a half inches, and a space of one and a half inches on the inner margin must be left free from writing.
Each candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy shall present a dissertation embodying the result of original investigation and research on some topic previously approved by the professor in charge of the major subject. After the dissertation has been approved by the said professor, it shall be printed by the candidate, under the direction of the Dean of the Faculty, and one hundred and fifty copies shall be delivered to the Registrar of the University, unless, for reasons of weight, a smaller number be accepted by special action of the University Council. On the title-page of every such dissertation shall be printed the words: “Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, in the Faculty of—, Columbia University.”
Each dissertation shall contain upon its title-page the full name of the author; the full title of the dissertation; the year of imprint, and, if a reprint, the title, volume, and pagination of the publication from which it was reprinted; and there shall be printed and appended to each dissertation a statement of the educational institutions that the author has attended, and a list of the degrees and honors conferred upon him, as well as the titles of his previous publications.
All dissertations for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy must be submitted for approval not later than April 1 of the academic year in which examination is desired.
In case of excessive cost and delay in publishing a dissertation which has been approved by a department, and accepted for publication by a reputable journal or scientific or literary association, the degree of Doctor of Philosophy may be conferred before the publication is completed. The facts in every such case concerning the publication are to be certified to the Council by the Faculty concerned.
In cases where advanced degrees are conferred before the copies of the dissertation are deposited with the Registrar, the diploma shall be withheld until such copies shall be received.
In the Faculty of Political Science, the examination on the major and minor subjects and on languages, but not on the dissertation itself, may be held before the printed dissertation is submitted.

[…]

Every candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy must pass, besides such other examinations as the Faculty may require, an oral examination on all three subjects, and must defend his dissertation in the presence of the entire Faculty, or of so many of its members as may desire or as may be designated by the Faculty to attend. The ability to read at sight French and German, to be certified in each case by the Dean of the Faculty concerned, is required by all the Faculties. The Faculty of Political Science also requires the ability to read Latin at sight; and candidates are examined on Latin, French, and German as upon other subjects, in the presence of the Faculty.

[…]

No student shall continue to be a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy for a longer period than three years from the time he ceases to be in residence.

[…]

1904-05
FACULTY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

In its course of instruction the Faculty of Political Science undertakes to give a complete general view of all the subjects of public polity, both internal and external, from the threefold point of view of history, law, and philosophy. The prime aim is therefore the development of all the branches of the political and social sciences. The secondary and practical objects are:

(a) To fit young men for the public service.

Young men who wish to obtain positions in the United States civil service—especially in those positions in the executive departments at Washington for which special examinations are held — will find it advantageous to follow many of the courses under the Faculty of Political Science — especially the courses on political history, diplomatic history and international law, government (including the governmental organization of the territories and dependencies of the United States), statistics, finance, and administration. Candidates for appointment in the administrative service of our dependencies may obtain adequate preparation by adding to the general courses on public law and on political economy and finance the special courses now offered in the School of Political Science on colonial history and administration, colonial economics, modern civil law (German, French, Italian, and Spanish), and the courses on the Spanish language and literature offered in the College and the School of Philosophy.

(b) To give an adequate economic and legal training to those who intend to make journalism their profession.

(c) To supplement, by courses in public law and comparative jurisprudence, the instruction in private municipal law offered by the Faculty of Law.

(d) To educate teachers of history, economics, sociology, public law, and jurisprudence.

To these ends courses of study are offered of sufficient duration to enable the student not only to attend the lectures and recitations with the professors, but also to consult the most approved treatises upon the political sciences and to study the sources of the same.

The courses under this Faculty are divided as follows:

GROUP I — HISTORY AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY

Subjects

1. European History
2. American History
3. Ancient History
4. Political Philosophy

GROUP II — PUBLIC LAW AND COMPARATIVE JURISPRUDENCE

Subjects

1. Constitutional Law
2. International Law
3. Administrative Law
4. Roman Law and Comparative Jurisprudence

GROUP III — ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

Subjects

1. Political Economy and Finance
2. Sociology and Statistics

A complete statement of the courses will be found in the bulletin of the Division of History, Economics, and Public Law the Announcement of the Faculty of Political Science) for 1903-05, which will be forwarded without charge upon application to the Secretary of the University.

Source: Columbia University, Bulletin of Information. Fourth Series, No. 11 (April 2, 1904). Faculties of Political Science, Philosophy and Pure Science, Announcement 1904-1905, pp. 7-12, 30-31.

Image Source: Roberto Ferrari, Unveiling Alma Mater [Sept 23, 1903]. Columbia University Libraries. July 15, 2104.

Chicago Economics Programs Faculty Regulations

Chicago. Requirements for M.A. and Ph.D. Degrees in Economics, 1934-35

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2026-01-07

The requirements for a graduate degree in economics at the University of Chicago in 1934-35 are transcribed below. First we have general Division requirements. These are followed by the specific requirements determined by the economics department.

Earlier, Economics in the Rear-view Mirror has transcribed the analogous requirements at Harvard University in 1934-35 and those for Columbia University in 1934-35.

Chicago, 1892.
Chicago, 1903.
Chicago, 1904-05 (with thick course descriptions)

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[DIVISION] REQUIREMENTS
FOR HIGHER DEGREES
UNDER THE OLD PLAN
[pp. 7-9]

In order to avoid misunderstandings, candidates for higher degrees should consult their Deans concerning all technical requirements for such degrees, including foreign language examinations, and requirements for the final oral examinations, before application is made for admission to candidacy. In all cases candidates should consult early with the chairman of the department of specialization.

Degrees will not be conferred under this plan after the Summer Quarter, 1935.

THE MASTER’S DEGREE

Two degrees are conferred, viz., Master of Arts and Master of Science.

Candidacy. —Any student who has been in attendance one quarter or more, whose undergraduate course is equivalent to that required for a corresponding Bachelor’s degree in the University of Chicago,* and whose dissertation subject has been approved by the department of specialization, may, on recommendation by the department and approval of the divisional faculty, be admitted to candidacy for a Master’s degree. The student should consult his dean with reference to the requirements for admission to candidacy. The application must be on file in that office at least two months before the degree is conferred.
Requirements.—-Students thus accepted as candidates will be given a Master’s degree on fulfilment of the following requirements:
1. At least 8 courses of satisfactory advanced work taken in residence at the University of Chicago, of which not more than the equivalent of three courses may be taken as half-courses. These 8 courses need not be all in one department, but are selected from courses taken in residence at the University of Chicago according to some rational plan approved by the chairman of the department and by the Dean at least six months before the degree is conferred.
  At the discretion of the department concerned, and corresponding registration in advance with the Deans, wide reading or other special work carried out by the student under the supervision of the department and subject to such tests as the department may prescribe, may be accepted as one or more courses of the required work.
2. A satisfactory dissertation on a subject approved by the head (or chairman) of the department at least three months (earlier at the option of the department) before graduation.
3. The delivery of three printed or typewritten copies of the dissertation together with a certificate signed by the chairman of the department, that the work, as submitted, is accepted as the candidate’s dissertation for the Master’s degree to Cobb Lecture Hall, Room 203, at least two weeks before the Convocation at which the degree is to be conferred.
4. Subsequent to admission to candidacy, a satisfactory final examination on the work taken for the degree. When the examination is oral, the candidate must file six copies of a summary of his dissertation and six copies of the list of courses submitted for the examination in the office of the Dean ten days before the date of examination.
5. Additional qualitative and specific requirements for the degree may be prescribed by any department or faculty.

[Note]

*Attention is particularly called to the fact the term “equivalent” in this connection refers to quantity only. It does not affect the question of the specific Master’s degree (Arts or Science) to which a given student’s work would lead. In case the candidate did not obtain his Bachelor’s degree at the University of Chicago, he will present to the Director of Admissions on blanks furnished for the purpose a detailed statement of his undergraduate work. The Director of Admissions cannot always report upon these statements during the opening week of the quarter.

THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is given in recognition of high attainments and ability in the candidate’s chosen field, shown, first, by a dissertation evincing power of independent investigation and forming an actual contribution to existing knowledge; and, secondly, by passing an examination covering the general field of the candidate’s subject. It is to be understood explicitly that this degree is not conferred on the completion of a specified number of courses, or after a given period of residence.

Candidacy.—Any student of graduate status in the University, who has been in attendance one quarter or more (one month, in the case of a student entering with two years of residence graduate credit from another institution), whose thesis subject has been accepted by the head (or chairman) of the department, and who has a reading knowledge of French and German, may, on recommendation of the department and approval of the divisional faculty, be enrolled as a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. On recommendation of a department, approved by the Dean, any other Germanic language may be substituted for German and any other Romance language for French. A reading knowledge of the foreign languages must be certified by the appropriate departments and the application for admission to candidacy must be filed by the applicant at the Dean’s office on the blank provided for that purpose not fewer than eight calendar months before the final examination for the degree. Responsibility for admission at the proper time rests with the student.
Requirements.—Students accepted as candidates will be given the Doctor of Philosophy degree upon the fulfilment of the following requirements:
1. Normally three years of residence work in pursuance of an accepted course of study, at least three full quarters of which shall be in residence at the University of Chicago.
2. The work offered in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in any department is outlined by that department and approved by the Dean, for each candidate, not later than the first quarter of his last year of residence work. The work required includes such courses in allied departments as may be deemed necessary by the department of specialization. The work is selected with regard to the needs of the individual student, with the double purpose (1) of giving him a knowledge of the relations of his subject to cognate branches of learning, and (2) of preparing him for productive scholarship.
3. The presentation of a satisfactory dissertation upon a subject which has been approved by the chairman of the department.
4. A satisfactory final oral examination on the subject presented for the degree.
Dissertation.—
1. Each candidate prepares a dissertation upon some topic connected with the subject of his specialization. This production constitutes an actual contribution to knowledge. Its subject is submitted for approval to the head (or chairman) of the department concerned at least twelve months before the date of the final examination.
2. The dissertation is submitted to the Department in typewritten form at least one month before the date of the final examination, unless otherwise recommended by the Department.
3. Three weeks before the Convocation at which the degree is to be conferred, unless the candidate is prepared to deposit 100 bound copies of the complete dissertation, he must deliver at the Dissertation Desk, Cobb Lecture Hall, Room 203, three printed or typewritten copies of the dissertation, together with a certificate signed by the chairman of the department that the work, as submitted, is accepted as the candidate’s dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and approved for publication without alteration.
4. For details concerning the publication and distribution of dissertations, the candidate is referred to the Handbook of the Divisions and the Professional Schools, obtainable at the office of the Dean.
Final examination. —After admission to candidacy the student may present himself for the final oral examination as soon as he has fulfilled the other general and departmental requirements. The candidate prepares a typewritten or printed brief of his work, including an analysis of the dissertation, and files six copies of the same with his Dean ten days before the time set for the examination.
The examination for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy shall be taken at least ten days before the Convocation at which the degree is to be conferred
Non-resident work.—After being admitted to graduate status, the student, in some cases, may be allowed to substitute non-resident work for resident work to a limited extent, under conditions to be arranged in consultation with the Dean and the heads of the departments concerned.
Work done in other universities.—Graduate work done in another university will be accepted as equivalent to resident work in the University of Chicago, provided the institution in which the work was done is of high standing, and adequate evidence is furnished that the work done there was satisfactorily performed. Graduate work done in other institutions, and credit allowed for non-resident work, cannot reduce the residence requirement at the University of Chicago to a period of less than one year (three full quarters), during which the major part of the student’s time will be spent in the department in which he expects to take his degree.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

ECONOMICS, HIGHER DEGREES
[ DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS]
[pp. 282-284]

The Department expects that students who are candidates for the Master’s or the Doctor’s degree in Economics will observe the special departmental requirements set forth below, in addition to the general regulations of the Division, stated on pages 274-75 of the Announcements.

THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS

Candidates for the Master’s degree should file with the Departmental Examiner, on or before the opening of their second quarter of residence, a complete statement of the work they intend to offer. The Examiner will submit this schedule to the Department for approval.

The specific requirements for the Master’s degree are:

A minimum of 8 courses, or their equivalent (of which at least 6 must be in Grades II and III above). At some previous time the candidate should have covered the substantial equivalent of the requirements for the Bachelor’s degree in Economics. This equivalence may be shown by courses taken or by examination. The candidate must also have the preparation in the other social sciences required for the Bachelor’s degree at the University.
A thesis involving research of at least semi-independent character. The thesis should be completed and three copies delivered to the office of the Department for examination at least six weeks before the Convocation at which the degree is to be conferred.
A final examination. This may be either oral or written as decided by the Depart-ment. The examination will be on the thesis and its field; and one other field proposed by the candidate and approved by the Department.
All candidates for the Master’s degree, whether or not courses in general economic theory are included among the courses specifically offered for the degree, are expected to show, in examination and throughout their work, ability to think clearly and effectively on abstract economic questions, and familiarity with the terms and common concepts of economic science.

THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

A candidate for the Doctor’s degree in Economics is expected to have a reading knowledge of French and German, or one of these languages and a second modern language approved by the Department, the preparation in the other social sciences required for the Bachelor’s degree at the University, and such grounding in other technical, scientific, or philosophical subjects as may be necessary for an intelligent pursuit of the studies in which he proposes to specialize. He should have covered the substantial equivalent of the requirements for the Bachelor’s degree in Economics at the University, and must be able to deal on a graduate level with the range of material covered in the sequence for that degree. The following courses or their equivalents should be included as part of his preparation: 209, “Intermediate Economic Theory”; 210, “Introduction to Accounting”; 211, “Introduction to Statistics”; 220, “Economic History of the United States”; 221, “Economic History of Classical and Western European Civilization”; and 230, “Introduction to Money and Banking.”

The candidate is expected to have general training in the important fields listed below and to specialize in three fields, one of which must be Economic Theory, including Monetary and Cycle Theory, and another must be the field of his thesis. The fields to be chosen (in addition to Economic Theory) may be taken from (1) Statistics; (2) Accounting; (3) Economic History; (4) Finance and Financial Administration; (5) Government Finance; (6) Labor and Personnel Administration; (7) Trusts and Public Utilities; (8) International Economic Relations; (9) some other field proposed by the candidate. A field proposed by the candidate may be in Economics or in another social science, the arrangement in either case being made with the Department of Economics. It is desired to develop that program of work which best meets the needs of the individual student. This usually involves the election of some courses in other departments and possibly the development of a field in another social science as a substitute for one of the fields in economics.

The candidate’s grasp of his three fields of specialization is tested by preliminary written examinations which must be passed to the satisfaction of the Department before admission to candidacy. The final oral examination is on the field of concentration and on the thesis. The written examinations can be taken in one quarter or they can be divided between two quarters, not necessarily consecutive quarters, at the option of the candidate. The written examinations are given in the sixth, seventh, and eighth weeks of the Autumn, Spring, and Summer quarters. The written examination in general economic theory, including monetary and cycle theory, is in two parts and will require five hours in all. The written examination in each of the other fields requires from three to four hours. Notice of intention to take any written examination must be filed with the Department at least three weeks before the examinations begin. In written examinations for the doctorate the questions cover both the theoretical and administrative aspects of the field.

The thesis must indicate power of independent investigation and form a significant contribution to existing knowledge.

The final examination for the Doctor’s degree is an oral examination in the field of the student’s special work and on the thesis. The purpose of this examination is to test the quality of the candidate’s scholarship as evidenced by his mastery of his special field and by his ability to deal originally, critically, and authoritatively with problems in that field. He is expected to show a discriminating acquaintance with the literature and with both the historical and theoretical aspects of his subject, and to have intelligent opinions on current events within the range of his special knowledge. He will not be expected at the final examination to answer detailed questions on subjects not immediately related to his specialty.

It is the desire and policy of the Department that advanced students, in planning their studies, should not confine their attention to courses of formal instruction. Students of proved ability are so far as is practicable relieved from the routine requirements of ordinary courses of instruction and given large opportunities for individual reading and inquiry in connection with special courses of research.

Source: The College and the Divisions for the Sessions of 1934-35 in Announcements [of] the University of Chicago, Vol. 34.

Image Source: Coat of arms of the University of Chicago.

The University Coat of Arms, a shield displaying the phoenix below and the book and motto above, was adopted by the Board of Trustees on August 16, 1910. The University motto Crescat scientia; vita excolatur was adopted by the Board on January 17, 1911 and added to the Coat of Arms on the pages of the open book.
The Coat of Arms was designed by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose, a heraldic specialist in Boston working under contract to the Board of Trustees. No surviving documents make clear precisely why the phoenix was adopted as the central element on the Coat of Arms, but the most probable assumption is that the phoenix can be seen as a symbol of the city of Chicago, which was seriously damaged by the great Chicago Fire of 1871 and then was successfully rebuilt, or reborn, within just a few years.

Columbia Economics Programs Faculty Regulations

Columbia. Requirements for M.A. and Ph.D. Degrees in Economics, 1934-35

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2026-01-05

The requirements for a graduate degree in economics at Columbia University in 1934-35 are transcribed below. First we have the common requirements of the Faculty of Political Science (of which Economics constituted one of four departments). Next we have the specific requirements set by the economics department.

Earlier, Economics in the Rear-view Mirror has transcribed the analogous requirements at Harvard in 1934-35.

Columbia. Organization of Graduate Education, 1908-10
Columbia Requirements for Ph.D., 1916
Columbia Requirements for Ph.D., 1920
Columbia Requirements for Graduate Degrees, 1946-47
Columbia Requirements for Ph.D., 1954-55

_______________________

FACULTY REQUIREMENTS
[pp. 11-13]

MASTER OF ARTS

Residence. Every candidate for the degree must register for and attend courses aggregating not less than thirty tuition points distributed over a period of not less than one academic year or its equivalent.
Courses. The candidate must satisfactorily complete, from the courses for which he has registered to satisfy the residence requirements, courses aggregating not less than twenty-one tuition points, of which at least fifteen must be selected from the general courses listed in this Announcement.
Essay. The candidate must present a satisfactory essay prepared under the direction of some member of this faculty.
Departmental Requirements. For special departmental requirements see Appendix, pages 46–52, of this Announcement. Departmental requirements are in addition to, not a substitute for, the faculty requirements.

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

General. The degree will be conferred upon students who satisfy the requirements as to preliminary training, residence, languages, subjects, and dissertation.
Preliminary Training. The candidate must have received a Bachelor’s degree from Columbia University or from some other approved university or college, or have had an education equivalent to that represented by such a degree, and must have been regularly accepted as a graduate student by the University Committee on Admissions.
Residence. The candidate must have pursued graduate studies for at least two academic years, one of which must have been spent at this University, and the other of which, if not spent here, at an institution accepted as offering courses of similar standard. A year’s residence at this University is defined as registration for and attendance upon courses aggregating not less than thirty tuition points distributed over a period of not less than one academic year or its equivalent. Those desiring credit for graduate work completed elsewhere should send to the Director of University Admissions as soon as possible a request for the evaluation of such graduate work.
Languages. The candidate must have demonstrated his ability to express himself in correct English and to read at least one European language other than English and such additional languages as may, within the discretion of the Executive Officer of the appropriate department, be deemed essential for the prosecution of his studies. Normally, the language requirements for each subject are as indicated in the following paragraph.
Subjects. The candidate must have familiarized himself with one subject of primary interest and at least one subject of secondary interest, chosen from the following list of subjects:

• Ancient history (French, German, Latin, and Greek)
• Medieval history (French, German, and Latin)
• Modern European history (French and German)
• American history (two modern foreign languages — normally French and German, but substitutions may be made with the approval of the Graduate Chairman)
• History of European thought (Latin, French, and German)
• Jewish history, literature, and institutions (Hebrew and two from the following: Greek, Latin, Arabic, French, German)
• Political and social philosophy (French, German, and Latin)
• European governments (French and German)
• American government and constitutional law (French and German).
• International law and relations (French and either German or Latin)
• Roman law (Latin and either French or German)
• Comparative jurisprudence (French and German)
• Economic theory, history, and statistics (French and German)
• Public and private finance (French and German)
• Social economic problems, including labor, industrial organization, trade, transportation, etc. (French and German)
• Sociology
• Social legislation (French and German)

With the approval of the Committee on Instruction of the Faculty, the candidate may offer as a subject of secondary interest a subject not contained in the foregoing list, such as statistics, psychology, anthropology, philosophy, etc.

Dissertation. The main test of the candidate’s qualifications is the production of a dissertation which shall demonstrate his capacity to contribute to the advancement of learning within the field of his selection. Such dissertation must give evidence of the candidate’s capacity to present in good literary form the results of original researches upon some approved topic. The dissertation must be printed in a form acceptable to the Faculty before the degree will be awarded.
Departmental Requirements. For special departmental requirements see the Appendix, pages 46-52, of this Announcement. Departmental requirements are in addition to, not a substitute for, the faculty requirements.

[FACULTY] PROCEDURE
FOR FULFILLING PH.D. REQUIREMENTS

Notice of Prospective Candidacy. As soon as possible after the beginning of his graduate residence the student shall give notice of prospective candidacy to the Executive Officer of the department in which the subject of his primary interest lies, and in consultation with him make a choice of subjects.
Languages and Written Work. As soon as possible after giving notice of prospective candidacy, the student shall submit to the Executive Officer of the department concerned an essay or other paper giving satisfactory evidence of his ability to make researches and to express himself in correct English. At the same time the student shall be tested, by some officer of instruction designated by the Executive Officer of the department, as to his ability to read the required languages.
Examination on Subjects. Having pursued graduate studies in this University, or in some other institution approved by it, for the equivalent of at least six months after the satisfactory completion of the tests on languages and written work, the student, upon the advice of the professor in charge of the subject of his primary interest or of his researches, shall make application, through the Executive Officer of the department concerned, to the Dean for examination in subjects. Such application may be made at any time, but to secure the examination in any given academic year the application must be made before April 1. The applicant will be notified by the Dean of the date of his examination. This examination is an oral examination, which may be supplemented by a written examination when required by the department concerned, and is conducted by a committee of the Faculty appointed by the Dean. By it the applicant will be expected to demonstrate an adequate knowledge of the subjects of his primary and secondary interest and of the literature pertaining thereto.
Matriculation. Upon the successful passing of the required examination in his subjects, the applicant will be recommended by the Executive Officer of the appropriate department to the Dean for matriculation, which is admission to candidacy for the degree.
Dissertation. Investigations and researches for the dissertation may be pursued either in connection with the work of some research course or under the direction and supervision of some member of the Faculty independently of any course. In either case a very considerable part of the time of the candidate or prospective candidate for the degree should be devoted to work upon his dissertation. The dissertation may be completed either during the period of residence, or in absentia. In advance of its being printed for presentation to the Faculty it must be approved by the professor in charge and accepted by the Executive Officer of the department concerned. Such acceptance, however, is not to be construed as acceptance by the Faculty.
Final Examination: Defense of the Dissertation. At least one month in advance of the time at which he wishes to present himself for the defense of his dissertation, but not later than April 1 in any academic year, the candidate must make application therefor to the Dean, who will thereafter notify him of the date of the final examination. This examination is an oral examination conducted by a Committee of the Faculty appointed by the Dean. By it the candidate will be held to a defense of his dissertation in respect of its content, the sources upon which it is based, the interpretations that are made, the conclusions that are drawn, as well as in respect of the candidate’s acquaintance with the literature and available sources of information upon subjects that are cognate to the subject of his dissertation.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

ECONOMICS
[ DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS]
[pp. 49-50]

As soon as possible after deciding upon economics as the subject of primary interest for the Master of Arts or Doctor of Philosophy degrees, the prospective candidate should report through the secretary of the Department of Economics, 508 Fayerweather Hall, to a designated member of the Committee directing the work of graduate students in economics to receive fuller instructions. Before being permitted to matriculate for a graduate degree in economics, the prospective candidate must satisfy the committee that his prior preparation in economics has been adequate.

MASTER OF ARTS

General Requirements. Students whose subject of primary interest is in the field of economics must include graduate courses in economics aggregating not less than fifteen points among the courses aggregating not less than twenty-one points, which they are required to complete before being recommended for the degree. Of these twenty-one, not less than eighteen points must be chosen from the general courses listed in this Announcement. It is also desirable, when the candidates’ own qualifications permit, that they should attend research courses aggregating six points.
Essay. The candidate must select his essay subject and submit it to the appropriate professor within two months after registration as a candidate for the degree. The selection of a subject of importance within the field of his interests must be made by the student himself, and the ability to make a proper choice will normally be regarded as an essential qualification for the degree. The completed essay must be submitted for approval not later than four weeks before the date on which copies of the approved essay are to be filed with the Registrar. Under no circumstances should the candidate proceed beyond the preparation of his detailed program of investigation and the completion of a preliminary chapter or section without submitting his work to his adviser. In the approval of an essay attention will be paid to excellence of presentation and to expression in correct English as well as to specific content and to ability to use original material.

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Every candidate must satisfy the Department of his grasp of seven of the subjects listed below. The candidate will be expected to show a thorough knowledge of the facts, principles, and literature of the subjects. Three of these subjects must be economic theory, economic or industrial history, and statistics. The procedure for meeting this requirement is as follows :

The candidate must offer himself for oral examination in four of the subjects listed below. Of these four, one must be economic theory. The examination will be on subjects, not on courses;
Before making formal application for this oral examination on subjects, the candidate must satisfy the appropriate professors that he has done work which is adequate both in scope and in quality in three other subjects, also chosen from those listed below, and different from the four subjects which the candidate proposes to offer in his oral examination. This requirement may be met in any manner satisfactory to the professors concerned — by taking courses, by formal or informal examination, or in other ways ; but when the requirement has been met, the candidate must secure corresponding written certification from the professors concerned. It will be noted that if the candidate does not propose to offer economic or industrial history on his oral examination, he must satisfy the requirement for that subject in the manner specified in this paragraph; and that the same requirement also applies to statistics

The subjects are as follows :

1. Accounting
2. Agriculture
3. Corporation and trust problems
4. Economic or industrial history
5. Economic theory
6. Insurance
7. International trade
8. Labor problems and industrial relations
9. Marketing
10. Mathematical economics
11. Money and banking
12. Public finance
13. Socialism
14. Statistics
15. Transportation
16. Any other approved topic within the field of economics. Optional subject may be outside of the Department. In such case this subject must be one of the four presented for the oral examination.

The candidate will be expected to show acquaintance with the main trends in economic thought, as well as intimate acquaintance with the writings of one prominent economist, the candidate’s selection to be approved by the Committee directing graduate work in economics. Before applying for the oral examination on subjects, the candidate must again consult the Committee.

Except when special permission has been granted by the Department, the candidate must satisfy these requirements on subjects before proceeding with the preparation of a dissertation.

Source: History, Economics, Public Law, and Social Science: Courses Offered by the Faculty of Political Science for Winter and Spring Sessions, 1934-1935. Published as Columbia University, Bulletin of Information (34th series, No. 33) May 19, 1934.

Faculty Regulations Harvard Regulations

Harvard. Changes in A.M. and Ph.D. economics degree requirements, 1956

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2025-05-08

The explicit rules of the game of paper chase to an advanced degree in economics at Harvard have evolved over the years. This post adds to our collection of the rules and regulations, interpretations and exceptions that defined the procedural world faced by the earlier cohorts of economics graduate students at Harvard.

_________________

Department of Economics

August 1, 1956

CHANGES IN DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE

These changes are to take effect for students taking their General Oral Examinations after February 1, 1957.

The requirements for the M.A. shall be identical with those for the Ph.D., with the following exceptions:
1. No thesis or special oral examination shall be required.
2. The language requirement shall remain as it was: a fluent reading knowledge, to be tested by a rigorous two-hour written examination, of advanced economic texts in one of the following languages: French, German, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, a Scandinavian language, or Russian.

The above [sic, below] involves the following major changes in the M.A. requirements:

Two years’ residence (no exceptions); one of these may be taken elsewhere, as for the Ph.D.
Five fields are now to be presented, including economic theory, economic history, and statistics.
The requirement regarding the fifth field of study is usually fulfilled by the passing of the equivalent of a full-year graduate course offered in the Department of Economics at Harvard and completed with the grade of B plus or higher. Seminars offered by the Graduate School of Public Administration are not acceptable for such “write-off” purposes. If the requirement for the write-off is not met prior to the General Oral Examination, the candidate will be examined in all five fields in the Generals. One half-course must have been completed in the write-off field with a grade of B plus or higher before the General Examination.
Candidates for the Master’s degree may be excused from final examinations in courses on the same basis as candidates for the Ph.D.

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE.

General Oral Examination:

If the requirements for the write-off field have not been met prior to the General Oral Examination, all five fields must be included in the General Oral Examination.

Thesis:

The thesis should be written in one of the fields taken in the General Oral Examination. The candidate will obtain written consent for his proposed topic from the faculty member who has agreed to supervise his thesis and submit it to the Chairman within six months after passing the General Oral Examination. The student must make a report of progress on his thesis to the Department once a year until the thesis is submitted finally for approval.
Beginning in the year 1957-58, theses will be due in the Department Office in final bound form on December 1^st for a degree at Midyear and on March 1^st for a degree at Commencement.

Special Oral Examination:

The Special Oral Examination will consist of an extensive examination in the student’s special field as well as in a defense of his thesis. It will normally last one hour to one-and-one-half hours, not less than one-half hour to be devoted to intensive examination in the special field without primary reference to the thesis. This ruling is to take effect for Specials taken after September 1, 1957.

Source: Harvard University Archives. Department of Economics, Correspondence and Papers 1930-1961 and some earlier (UAV 349.11). Box 13, General Exams to Haberler. “Graduate Degree Requirements”.

Image Source: Clipped and borrowed from the blog Disorder of Things.

Faculty Regulations Fields Harvard

Harvard. Rules for Economics PhD Exams. 1941 or 1942

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2025-05-03

Starting in 1942 the administrative task of tracking the progress of Harvard economics Ph.D. candidates was delegated to the departmental level from the Division of History, Government and Economics*. A typewritten memo was prepared that described in detail the procedures in use by the Division up to that time, along with an explicit list of examiners’ names by field used for putting together committees for the general and special examinations.

The graduate records for Paul Samuelson and Gardiner C. Means have been transcribed earlier and are typical cases of the procedures described here.

The internal memo transcribed below appears to be a draft with some hand-marked deletions, substitutions, and additions. But it might be the case that the changes were noted on the memo over the course of time. I include the original text that has been marked for deletion (crossing out that text) and use italics to designate revisions/additions.

Fun facts: Joseph Schumpeter and John D. Black were not to be put on the same examination committee. The sociologist Sorokin was not to be named as an examiner for the field of sociology, but instead Talcott Parsons was much preferred. Also of interest is the fact that Harvard professors were paid a modest honorarium for examining Radcliffe Ph.D. candidates.

* The records up through 1942 are found in Harvard University Archives, Division of History, Government and Economics: Ph.D. Material [1873-1942], 20 Boxes (UAV. 453.270).

Degree Rulings (October 25, 1930) have been transcribed and were posted already in May 2015! The fourth artifact of Economics in the Rear-view Mirror.

__________________________________

[Handwritten comment at top of page:
Notes taken by CCTDik[?] when Division office closed and each Dept took over responsibility for PhD. Examinations 1941 or 1942.]

When someone wants a general examination, get Plan of Study. Approval of Plan of Study: Follow the rules as set up in Economics. Be sure Economic Theory, History, and Statistics are in the plan. Ask for a month’s notice for scheduling an examination. First, send for transcript of record at Graduate School Office. Write to members of committee asking if they can serve on that date two and one-half weeks in advance. Mimeographed sheet giving details. Also send postcard I can or I cannot serve. Be sure to put name of Professor on card so that you will know who returns it.

Send reminder so that they will receive it about four days in advance.

Look through Plan and pick a preliminary Committee.

Theory: Schumpeter, Chamberlin, Haberler, Triffin, Monroe (use on an examination where everyone else is directly in his own field), Sweezy, Leontief (interchangeable),

Mason, Taylor (particularly for Economic Policy)

Economic History: Usher and Cole if have to.

Statistics: Frickey, Staehle, Crum

Money and Banking: Hansen, Williams, Harris, Schumpeter, Goodwin, Bennion, Haberler

Economic Fluctuations and Forecasting: Schumpeter, Haberler, Hansen, Harris, Laursen

Transportation: Cunningham, Chamberlin

Industrial Organization: Dunlop, Sweezy, Mason if here.

Public Finance: Burbank, Butters. (If chiefly Fiscal Policy Seminar, Hansen)

International Trade: Laursen, Harris, Haberler, Leontief. Schumpeter for specials.

Agriculture: Black, Usher, Hansen. (Consult Black in advance for schedule)

Labor: Slichter, Dunlop, Healy, Staehle, Harris,

Socialism and Social Reform: Sweezy, Leontief, Taylor

Economic History before 1750: Usher

Commodity Distribution and Prices: Staehle, Black, Sweezy

Public Utilities: Chamberlin, Mason, or Business School people.

Land Utilization: Black

(Do not use Black and Schumpeter together on a board if possible)

Get schedules from Hansen, and others, who are away a great deal from secretary before scheduling examinations.

Sociology: Do not use Sorokin. Anyone else. Parsons good because was in Economics.

Economic Policy: O.H. Taylor, Sweezy, Chamberlin used chiefly.

For Chairman of the Committee if at all possible pick the men with whom he is to write the thesis. In Theory pick the man with whom candidate has had course work. If do not know about thesis, pick senior member or Theory man.

Check with Miss Loftus for fields in Government.

Check on languages. Be sure that they have passed one before the generals.

Check the fields with the candidate. Write-off does not need to be completed until time of special examination. Check grade to be sure it is sufficiently good.

Schedule examinations all the time, concentrated in Reading Periods if possible. Ordinarily at 4 o’clock; sometimes at 11; and once in a while to suit the committee.

Write candidate about four or five days before examination.

“Dear Mr. ——

The arrangements have been completed for your general examination for the degree of Ph.D. in Economics. It is to be held on Tuesday, May 5, at 4 o’clock in Littauer M-10.

Sincerely yours,
Secretary

Material for examination: Send to chairman the Plan of Study, back side filled in by this office. Mimeographed form. Transcript of course record. The examination report if already taken general. On mimeographed sheet write everything in full, —Full name, Tuesday, May 5, 1942, at 4 o’clock. Department of Economics. Fields examined: 1, 2, 3, 4, following order on Plan of Study. The committee certifies that the general (cross out special).

Committee: Professor ——, chairman, and list rest in order of fields as far as possible. Be careful about titles (Professor, and Dr.). This must be signed by every member of the examining board.

For special: Full name, etc. Special field: —— Follow the fields for titles as listed in the pamphlet. Thesis: —— (Give full title as on bound thesis) Three people on special examination board.

Pro-seminar: Follow Department rules.

Check on write-off field. Bracket in red pencil.

After the examination: Chairman returns the papers, then write letter to Miss Gifford Priest in the Graduate School of Arta and Sciences.

Dear Miss Gifford Priest: I wish to report the following examinations for the degree of Ph.D. in Economies:

Robert Brown General for Economics May 26 Passed

(In case of failure — Failed, no bar to reexamination)

If Public Administration, write same letter to Miss Bourneuf Mrs. Bright Miss Hunter.

On back of Plan of Study put date of general examination, passed, and initials of Chairman of the committee.

Keep a check-list of examinations for the degree of Ph.D. in Economies 1941-42. Candidate’s name, date, board, grade, in red pencil, when reported to Miss Gifford Priest. If special comment say, “See comment” after grade.

[No longer since the new arrangement between Harvard and Radcliffe]

~~Radcliffe — report examination to Miss Davenport — same letter.~~

~~In account with Radcliffe College, Cambridge, Massachusetts]~~

~~And also send a bill to the Business Office.~~

~~For serving on the general examination for the degree of Ph.D. in Economics of Miss Penelope C. Hartland, May 19, 1942,~~

~~Edward H. Chamberlin~~	~~$6.25~~
~~Arthur H. Cole~~	~~$6.25~~
~~Alvin H. Hansen~~	~~$6.25~~
~~Edwin Frickey~~	~~$6.25~~
	~~$25.00~~

~~(On special the chairman gets $8.34; the others $8.33)~~

~~For a room call Miss Gilpatrick for a room in Longfellow.~~

Excuses from final examinations in courses. After December 1 (9½ wks out of 13 weeks of lectures) Jan. 5 and ~~after~~ April 1 May 11. (Will send copy of rule later)

If take general examination during your first year as graduate student here (1G) cannot be excused unless have a grade of good or better on the generals. Second year graduate students (2G) may be if pass the general with any grade in particular courses excused from usually pretty clear, — Courses in the fields in which examined. Ec. 117 Karl Marx — excused for Theory.

If a man passes the general for Ph.D. with a vote of 3 to 1 (if passed but did very poorly in one field) it is up to the committee to decide whether he must take the final examination in that course. Check with the committee.

Division rule for Committee of Seven (Chamberlin and Monroe from Economics). Recommendations for Ph.D. degrees sent by Committee of Seven probably. [Sent by Dept. to Dean Jones, 24 Univ. Hall and a carbon to Secretary of the Faculty, 5 Univ [?] Hall.]] If a man fails two examinations, either general or special, in order to have a third examination he has to have special permission from the Academic Board of the Graduate School and the Division Committee of Seven. The candidate petitions the Committee of Seven asking permission to come up for a third examination.

Make clear to candidate that he must check with this office to find out whether he is excused from final course examinations.

If a man fails once and comes up again, ask whether he wants the same board as far as possible. Most of time they request the same.

Special examinations: much the same. Due date on thesis December 1 Jan. 10 and April 1 May 8 and July 15 Sept. 8. Will accept on due date unbound. This year accepted unbound and sent to the Harvard Bindery and bill sent to the student care of the Department and then sent on. Harvard Bindery will call for it. If student has thesis in on due date, but has not corrected for typographical errors, or if chart is left out, or something, it has to go to reader as it was handed in, and then afterwards, before going to the Library, the candidate will be expected to fix it up. (Professor Taylor’s ruling.) Get theses out to readers as fast as they come in.

Readers: Every student expected to work with a particular man on a thesis. Ask student with whom he wrote the thesis. That person chairman of the examination. Second reader usually pretty obvious from material. In that case, where second reader not obvious, then consult the man with whom thesis was written. Then check with chairman of the Department.

Do not have to report on thesis until five days before the scheduled date of examination. Ask candidate when he wants the examination. Consult readers over the telephone are they willing, — The examination will be about May 29, — and then make arrangements for the examination as if it will be held, but tentative until have approval on the thesis. Check a week before to see if they will accept. Theses approval slip in front of thesis. Have both signatures on one slip. Paste in front of A copy before sending to Dean Mayo’s [Jones’] office.

Third reader: In the case where disagreement, pick a third reader — a person of some authority. If not passed, ask the men with whom the thesis was written to write candidate giving the reasons. If thesis is rejected keep one copy forever. Return B copy to the student.

Card file for every thesis that comes in. Author’s name, title, Note two copies of thesis, two copies of summary. Date thesis handed in. Date approved. A copy, reader. B copy, reader. Grade in special examination.

When get report on thesis write to student:

Dear Mr. ——

I am happy to inform you that your thesis for the Ph.D. degree in Economics has been approved by Professor —– and Professor —– and that the arrangements have been completed for your special examination. It is to be held on Monday, May 26, at 4 o’clock in Littauer M-10.

(Can tell student the readers. Do not tell him the third member of the board.)

Keep mimeographed list of examination committees for this year for reference.

Card for those who receive Ph.D. degrees for Division office.

Name
Degrees: Where, when
Economics — Special field
Thesis title: Readers:
Languages: Date passed
Generals Passed: (date)
Special Passed: (date)
Fields on general — committee — grade
Special field — committee — grade

Keep separate cards of those who have handed in theses and are yet to come up for special. Hold on to both copies of thesis.

Report results of special to Miss Gifford Priest. Do not let them accumulate.

On special fields of specials

On Plan of Study it will be noted. Let him know that it is approved for general fields only, and will be rechecked for special later.

By December 1 for degree at mid-years and January 15 for Commencement should file application for degree. Check special field with Plan of Study if special field disagrees it must be approved by Chairman.

For own protection:

Keep a sheet when they come in — name, address, special field (check with chairman), to Graduate School, and date signed when sent.

Applications for doctorate mid-year 1942

Name, address, Department, special field to Graduate School. If do not take it then, Miss Gifford Priest transfers forward to next list. When offer same field as on the general — Sometimes take an extra half hour on another field if decided by the Department, — special field and then other field too.

When do you have four on the special examination committee?

Recommendations for degrees through the Committee of Seven Department.

Check on residence at time of application. Two years (four terms) — 8 courses —

with at least one full year two full terms here. Check languages. Check write-off.

Check pro-seminar if used B+. Passed generals. Thesis approved. Special passed. Then send recommendations to Graduate School (they will notify of the date) and a carbon to Secretary of the Faculty.

[Now done by the Departments]

For Committee of Seven make up list of those who have completed all requirements or about to, and they will vote to recommend these men for the Ph.D. On list star those provided he passed the special examination. You will check, before sending to Dean Mayo.

~~Dear Dean Mayo:~~

~~The Division of History, Government and Economics, at its meeting of May 23, 1942 recommended the following students for the degree of Ph.D. in Economics at Commencement 1942:~~

List and star (provided that he satisfies his language requirements).

Sincerely yours,
E. H. Chamberlin

Send copy to Miss B. Woodward, University 5.

On theses handed in late Committee of Seven to decide whether they will accept it or not even if late. In any case can send it out for reading and give examination, but would not receive degree until next time.

A.E.A. thesis list. Send duplicated form to each of the men to find out who are writing theses. Faculty members for those who are working on theses under them. Get a copy of the August issue, pick out the titles of Harvard, and then write to Professor —— I find the following student writing his thesis under you. (Give title and name) Is this correct?

Send A + B copies of thesis to Graduate School just before voted the degree.

The B copy to Archives. Fill in on Plan of Study the date when degree was awarded — get from Gazette.

Source: Harvard University Archives. Department of Economics, Correspondence and Papers 1930-1961. Robertson —Schumpeter. Box 21, Folder “Rules for arranging Ph.D., Examinations 1941-42.”

Image Source: From the cover of Harvard Class Album 1946.

Economics Programs Faculty Regulations Graduate Student Support Regulations Yale

Yale. Graduate economics graduate degree requirements and curriculum brochure. 1950

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2024-08-19

For the most part today’s artefact speaks for itself. It is another historical economics program brochure added to the growing Economics in the Rear-view Mirror collection.

I entered Yale College as a freshman in the academic year 1969-70 so the Yale brochure digitized below was printed just about two decades before I became an apprentice economist. Now in my senior years two decades does not seem to be all that long but it would appear that the development of the Yale economics department from 1950 to 1970 was about as dramatic as my own from infant to college student over the same time period.

Preparing this post, I was struck by the genuinely small scale of the graduate economics program at Yale in 1950, that “microeconomics”/“macroeconomics”/“econometrics” were not yet words to be found in the course descriptions, further that the history of economic theories was a visible part of the curriculum, and finally that institutional nuts-and-bolts (as well as economic history) did receive relatively greater emphasis in 1950. I was delighted at the “sight” of four of my professors (Healy, Tobin, Lindblom, and Dahl) found in the list of the graduate economics faculty of 1950, an indication that two decades is really not all that long after all within the context of a healthy human life span.

_____________________________

A Few Other Programs,
Other Times

Harvard 1967
M.I.T. 1961
M.I.T. 1974
Chicago 1956
Wisconsin 1904
Chicago 1892
Chicago 1904

_____________________________

GRADUATE CURRICULUM AND DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
IN ECONOMICS

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
YALE UNIVERSITY
NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT
1950

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
Graduate Faculty

CHAIRMAN: Professor Kent T. Healy.

DIRECTOR OF GRADUATE STUDIES: Professor Lloyd G. Reynolds.

PROFESSORS: E. Wight Bakke, Edgar S. Furniss, John P. Miller, Eugene V. Rostow (Law), Ray B. Westerfield.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS: Neil W. Chamberlain, Klaus E. Knorr (International Relations), Charles E. Lindblom, Richard Ruggles, James A. Tobin.

ASSISTANT PROFESSORS: Robert A. Dahl (Political Science), Challis A. Hall, Jr.

INSTRUCTOR: Robert G. Link.

THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ECONOMICS

The objective of the graduate program is to equip students with the theoretical and statistical tools of economic analysis, to broaden their historical and institutional knowledge, and to develop judgment in applying economic analysis to issues of public policy. The wide variety of research institutes and activities at the University, in addition to strengthening the teaching program, enables interested students to gain research experience at an early stage of their careers. Students are also encouraged to acquaint themselves with the techniques of other social sciences through course work in the relevant departments.

The number of graduate students admitted each year is limited, which makes possible an unusual degree of individual instruction and guidance. The fact that the number of students is small relative to the research and teaching activities of the University also enables a large proportion of the student body to be self-supporting after the first year of graduate study.

Preference in admission is given to students who plan to proceed toward the Ph.D. degree. The M.A. degree is awarded on successful completion of one year of course work (no thesis requirement), and most Ph.D. candidates take this degree as a matter of course at the end of their first year.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

BEGINNING GRADUATE STUDENTS. There are available each year several graduate fellowships, varying in amount from $450. to $1,000. It is possible also for a considerable number of students to earn between $200. and $300. per year by grading examinations in undergraduate courses.

ADVANCED GRADUATE STUDENTS. Students who do work of high quality during their first year have numerous additional opportunities during their second and subsequent years of study.

(1) The Sterling Fellowships of $1,500. each, competition for which is open to graduate students in all departments of the University.

(2) Appointment to a teaching position in Economics 10 (Principles of Economics). Advanced graduate students may be permitted to teach a maximum of six hours per week while continuing work toward their degree. Appointments are also sometimes given to students who transfer to Yale after completing one year or more of graduate study at another University and who have had satisfactory teaching experience.

(3) Appointment as a research assistant. There are several research institutes in the University, including the Conservation Center, the Committee on National Policy, the Committee on Transportation, the Institute of Human Relations, the Institute of International Studies, and the Labor and Management Center. In addition, members of the Department have individual research programs in progress on a variety of subjects, including decision-making in the business firm, market structure and price determination in the non-ferrous metal industries, wage differentials under collective bargaining, population growth in the United States, the cyclical behavior of cost-price relations in manufacturing, economic planning in selected countries of Western Europe and the determinants of personal savings and consumption decisions. A considerable number of graduate students are employed each year as part-time research assistants while continuing their graduate study. Compensation for this work is in line with that for members of the teaching staff.

(4) There are occasional opportunities for part-time teaching in other colleges in and near New Haven, and for research assistantships in other departments of the University.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

In addition to the general requirements of the Graduate School, students in Economics are expected to meet the following requirements.

PRELIMINARY QUALIFICATIONS: An undergraduate major in economics is normally required. A student whose major was in another field will be admitted in exceptional cases, but may be required to take more than the usual two years of course work. Students preparing for graduate work in economics are strongly advised to take undergraduate courses in economic theory, mathematics (at the level of differential calculus), statistics, French and German. Courses in psychology, history, and the other social sciences will also be of material benefit to the student in his graduate work.

BASIC TRAINING: Before admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree the student must have completed at least sixteen semester courses of a graduate character, of which eight must have been taken at Yale. Some of these courses may be taken in other departments or schools of the University.

GENERAL EXAMINATIONS: A certification of competence is required in the use of quantitative methods, including the statement of hypotheses and theorems in quantitative form, the use of symbolic methods in economic reasoning, and the principal statistical tools used in modern economic research. This requirement will normally be met by the satisfactory completion of the courses, Economics 103a and b, during the first year of graduate study, and must be met by the end of the second year.

At least one year before the student expects to take his degree, his general competence in economics will be tested by a written and by an oral examination. The written examination will test (a) knowledge of all aspects of economic theory, its current status and historical development, (b) knowledge of European and American history with special emphasis on the development of economic institutions in modern times, (c) ability to use theoretical tools, together with historical materials and current factual information, in analyzing issues of economic policy. Preparation for the examination will be provided not only by course work but by study of readings suggested by the department.

The oral examination, to be held within a few days of the written examination, will test for intensive grasp of two specialized fields of economics, one of which will normally be the dissertation field. The fields will be determined in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies.

Before May 1 or October 1 (as the student elects) in the calendar year prior to that in which he expects to get his degree, the student shall provide the Director of Graduate Studies with six copies of a prospectus, setting forth the subject of his proposed dissertation, the questions it proposes to answer, its potential contribution to economic science, and the research techniques and sources to be used.

COURSE OFFERINGS

Each student is expected to plan his work in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies in Economics, Mr. Reynolds.

Economics 100, General Economic Theory. Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Ruggles.

Economics 101, Development of Economic Thought. Mr. Miller.

Economics 102, Modern Economic History.

Economics 103a, Economic Statistics. Mr. Tobin.

Economics 103b, Introduction to Mathematical Economics. Mr. Tobin.

Economics 110, Aggregate Economics and Cycle Theory. Mr. Tobin.

Economics 112b, Distribution of Wealth and Income. Mr. Reynolds.

Economics 113a, Price Systems and Resource Allocation. Mr. Ruggles.

Economics 114a, National Income Theory and Measurement. Mr. Ruggles.

Economics 114b, Types of Quantitative Research in Economics. Mr. Ruggles. Economics 120, Money, Credit, and Banking. Mr. Westerfield.

Economics 122, Public Finance. Mr. Hall.

Economics 123b, Public Control of Industrial Organization. Mr. Rostow.

Economics 124, Business Firm and Market Behavior. Mr. Miller.

Economics 125, The Labor Movement and Collective Bargaining. Mr. Chamberlain.

Economics 126, Critique of Industrial Relations Theory. Mr. Bakke.

Economics 127a, Regulatory Labor Legislation. Mr. Lindblom.

Economics 127b, Protective Labor Legislation. Mr. Lindblom.

Economics 128, Critique of Economic Planning. Mr. Lindblom, Mr. Dahl.

Economics 129, International Trade and Finance. Mr. Link.

Economics 135, The Structure of the American Economy. Mr. Ruggles.

Economics 200, Individual Research and Consultation. Department Faculty. International Relations 140, International Economic Problems. Mr. Knorr.

Transportation 102, Transportation Economics. Mr. Healy.

Related Courses:

American Studies 151, American Thought & Civilization, 1620 to the present. Mr. Gabriel.

Anthropology 109a, Culture and Personality. Mr. Linton.

Anthropology 114b, Primitive Economics. Mr. Linton.

Conservation 101b, Seminar in Conservation. Mr. Sears.

Forestry 180b, Forest Economics and Policy. Mr. Zumwalt.

Forestry 128a, Economics of the Forest Products Industries. Mr. Garrett.

Geology 150, Economic Geology. Mr. Bateman.

Geology 153, Seminar in Economic Geology. Mr. Bateman.

Government 134, Constitutional Law and Public Policy. Mr. Cahill.

Government 135, National Government and the Problems of Federalism. Mr. Key.

Government 136, American Political Parties – An Introduction to the Study of Political Behavior. Mr. Key.

History 125, Mediaeval Commerce and Capitalism. Mr. Lopez.

History 154, Liberal & National Movements in Modern Europe. Mr. Kent.

History 191, American Intellectual History in the Early Twentieth Century, Mr. Gabriel.

Mathematics 42, Statistics. Mr. Ore.

Source for text and image: This 1950 graduate economics curriculum brochure was found at the hathitrust.org archive.

Tags Bakke, ChamberlainNW, DahlRA, e, Furniss, HallCA, Healy, Lindblom, LinkRG, MillerJP, Reynolds, RostowEV, RugglesR, Tobin, Westerfield

Faculty Regulations Harvard

Harvard. Statute establishing the award of the Ph.D. degree, 1872

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2023-07-10

In the beginning there was no Ph.D. degree, and then the Harvard Corporation and Board of Overseers said, “Let there be Doctors of Philosophy and Science” in the spring of 1872.

_________________________________

Statute concerning the Academic Council
[Adopted by the Corporation and Board of Overseers
in the Spring of 1872]

[Note: The Academic Council was originally established with the institution of the University Lectures in 1863]

The Academic Council consists of the President, Professors, Assistant Professors, and Adjunct Professors of the University. The Council is empowered to recommend to the President and Fellows candidates for the degrees of Master of Arts, Doctor of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy.

Standing Votes concerning the Degrees of Master of Arts,
Doctor of Philosophy, and Doctor of Science.

Voted, That the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Science be established in Harvard University.

Voted, That the degree of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy be open to Bachelors of Arts of Harvard College, and to Bachelors of Arts of other colleges who shall have satisfied the College Faculty by examination that the course of study for which they received the Bachelor’s degree is equivalent to that for which the Bachelor’s degree is given in Harvard College, or shall have passed such additional examination as that Faculty may prescribe.

Voted, That the degree of Doctor of Science be open to Bachelors of Science of Harvard University, and to Bachelors of Science and Bachelors of Philosophy of other institutions who shall have satisfied the Faculty of the Lawrence Scientific School by examination that the course of study for which they received the Bachelor’s degree is equivalent to that for which the degree is given in Harvard University, or shall have passed such additional examinations as that Faculty may prescribe.

Voted, That the Academic Council be authorized to recommend for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy candidates, otherwise properly qualified, who, after taking the Bachelor’s degree, shall have pursued at Harvard University, for two years, a course of liberal study approved by the Academic Council in any one of the following departments, – Philology, Philosophy, History, Political Science, Mathematics, Physics, or Natural History, shall have passed a thorough examination on that course, and shall have presented a satisfactory thesis.

Voted, That the Academic Council be authorized to recommend for the degree of Doctor of Science candidates, otherwise properly qualified, who, after taking their Bachelor’s degree, shall have resided at least two years at the University, and have pursued during three years a course of scientific study, embracing at least two subjects, and approved by the Academic Council, and shall have passed a thorough examination upon that course, showing in one of the subjects special attainments, and shall have also made some contribution to science or some special scientific investigation: provided, however, that a course of study of two years only shall be required of candidates who are both Bachelors of Arts and Bachelors of Science of Harvard University.

Voted, That the Academic Council be authorized to recommend for the degree of Master of Arts candidates, otherwise properly qualified, who, after taking the Bachelor’s degree, shall have pursued for at least one year at the University a course of liberal study approved by the Academic Council, and shall have passed a thorough examination on that course.

Voted, That the Academic Council be authorized to recommend for the degree of Master of Arts candidates, otherwise properly qualified, who shall pursue at the University, for at least one year after taking the degree of Bachelor of Laws or Bachelor of Divinity in Harvard University, a course of study in Law or Theology approved by the Academic Council, and shall pass a thorough examination on that course.

Voted, That the Academic Council be authorized, in examining the qualifications of candidates for degrees, to procure the assistance of officers of instruction and government who are not members of the Council.

Voted, To open the elective courses of instruction in Harvard College to Bachelors of Arts.

Voted, That for Bachelors of Arts of Harvard College, and Bachelors of Science, Law, and Divinity of Harvard University, residence or study at the University may be partly or wholly dispensed with at the discretion of the Academic Council, as a condition for receiving a higher degree.

Source: Forty-Seventh Annual Report of the President of Harvard College, 1871-72, pp. 75-76.

Chicago Faculty Regulations

Chicago. Economics Ph.D. requirement. Either linear algebra or foreign language reading comprehension, 1968

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2023-02-07
1 Comment on Chicago. Economics Ph.D. requirement. Either linear algebra or foreign language reading comprehension, 1968

At the University of Chicago in the mid-1950s one economics Ph.D. requirement was to demonstrate an effective reading knowledge of either French or German or some other foreign language approved by the department..

The 1968 memo to graduate students transcribed below announced that the “satisfaction of either a mathematics or foreign language requirement” would be the rule for a Ph.D. in economics.

_________________________

History of Foreign Language Requirement for Ph.D.

January 12, 1968

To: Faculty, Division of the Social Sciences
From: D. Gale Johnson, Dean [of the] Division of the Social Sciences

In re: Foreign language requirements for the Ph. D

At a meeting of the faculty of the Division of the Social Sciences held November 18, 1931, the following Statement was adopted as one of the requirements for admission to candidacy for the Ph.D.:

“The ability, demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Board of Examiners, to read two foreign modern languages approved by the department or interdepartmental committee, one of which must be French or German. It is advised that this requirement be met as early as possible in the student’s program of study.”

On January 15, 1943, the faculty of the Division modified the language requirement and made it read as follows:

“Demonstration of the ability to use one or more foreign languages effectively toward the objective of the student’s academic program. This ability in the case of at least one language will be tested by: (I) the passing of an examination administered and evaluated by the board of Examinations; and (II) in addition to the examination, the writing of a paper or series of papers, or oral work, judged satisfactory by the Department in connection with the student’s program of study, in which extensive use is made of works in the foreign language. Departments may at their discretion specify the particular foreign language or languages required of their candidates for the doctorate. Exceptions in individual cases may be made by the Dean of Students on the recommendation of a Department.”

At its meeting on December 4, 1967, the faculty of the Division approved the following motion:

“That each Department or Committee in the Division should have the right to substitute for the divisional language requirement for the Ph.D. degree a requirement that the student demonstrate proficiency in a substantive field other than that of the department in question. The degree of proficiency to be required in such a field should be comparable or superior to that represented by the present divisional language requirement. The department at its option, may require that proficiency be demonstrated in a particular substantive field or may leave to the student, in some or all cases, the option of deciding whether to demonstrate proficiency in a language or a substantive field.”

If a department or committee wishes to act under the motion approved by the faculty of the Division, Mr. Zimring and I urge that it do so with reasonable promptness to permit students to make their plans with full information concerning the requirements. Until a department or committee has taken action and so informs the Office of the Dean it will be assumed that the language requirement as it existed on December 1, 1967, shall continue in force.

At the time a department or committee takes action, if any, to modify its language requirement, it should indicate the date on which any changes become effective and that date could be within a few days after action has been taken. I feel that before a departmental or committee action is made effective that Mr. Zimring should be given time to study it and to determine if his interpretation is the one that has been intended.

Mr. Zimring and I strongly urge that departments and committees accept a self-denying ordinance, namely that changes in the requirements will not be made more than once a year and that changes affecting 1968-69 be made by March 15, 1968.

The action taken with respect to the Divisional language requirement does not change current procedures with respect to examination if a department retains a language requirement. It is my interpretation that while departments can require a supplementary or additional examination to be administered by the department, it cannot dispense with the examinations given by the Office of the University Examiner.

DGJ:bp

Source: Hoover Institution Archives. Papers of Milton Friedman, Box 194, Folder 4, “Economics Dept A-G”.

_________________________

Linear Algebra
or a Foreign Language

Department of Economics University of Chicago
May, 1968

To: Graduate Students, Department of Economics
From: Arnold C. Harberger. Chairman

Re: Revision in Foreign Language/ Mathematics Requirement

Foreign Language and Mathematics Requirement

Each Ph.D. candidate, before admission to candidacy for the Ph.D., must demonstrate effective command of relevant mathematical tools, including calculus and matrix algebra. The Department of Economics will accept three courses in calculus (mathematics 151, 152, and 154, or equivalent), and one course in linear algebra (mathematics 250, 252, Business 372, or equivalent) as meeting, respectively, the calculus and matrix algebra requirements.

In place of demonstration of competence in matrix algebra, students may opt to demonstrate proficiency at a high level in a foreign language by means of an examination administered by the Office of the University Examiner and must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Department ability to translate at sight with reasonable ease material in economics in the foreign language. Any foreign language other than Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, or Swedish must be approved by the Department.

Source: Hoover Institution Archives. Papers of Milton Friedman, Box 194, Folder 4, “Economics Dept A-G”.

Tags Harberger, JohnsonDG

Economists Faculty Regulations Harvard

Harvard. Economics Graduate School Records of James Alfred Field, ABD. 1903-1911.

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2022-12-02

The artifact transcribed for the previous post came from the tenth year report for the Harvard Class of 1903 written by University of Chicago associate professor of economics James A. Field. This post begins with an excerpt from Field’s Chicago Tribune obituary to complete our picture of his career.

What makes this post noteworthy for Economics in the Rear-view Mirror is the following information transcribed from Field’s graduate student records kept at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and within the division of History and Political Science during his first two graduate years in residence at Harvard.

Also of particular interest is the copy of a 1911 letter included in his file informing the chairman of the economics department, Professor Frank Taussig, that the submission of a single excellent paper would not satisfy the thesis requirement for the Ph.D. By this time James A. Field was well-established at the University of Chicago and appears to have subsequently abandoned his plans to complete a Harvard Ph.D. degree.

_________________________________

From James A. Field’s obituary in the Chicago Sunday Tribune
(July 17, 1927)

James Alfred Field, professor of economics at the University of Chicago, died on Friday [cf. The Associated Press reported that he died Saturday] in Boston from a tumor of the brain. He was returning from study at the British museum when he was stricken in Boston and died after a short illness. He was 47 years old and a native of Milton, Mass…In 1910 he came to the University of Chicago and in 1923 was made dean of the college of art and literature.
He was associate editor of the Journal of Political Economy and was special investigator of the division of statistics of the council of national defense in 1917. In 1918-19 he served as chief statistician of the American shipping mission of the allied maritime transport council in London. Prof. Field was the author of “Progress of Eugenics” and co-author of “Outlines of Economics…”

Source: Chicago Sunday Tribune, 17 July, 1927, p. 12.

_________________________________

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DIVISION OF HISTORY AND POLITICAL SCIENCE

Application for Candidacy for the Degree of Ph.D.

[Note: Boldface used to indicate printed text of the application; italics used to indicate the handwritten entries]

I. Name (in full, and date of birth).

James Alfred Field
May 26^th 1880

II. Academic career. (Mention, with dates inclusive, colleges or other higher institutions of learning attended and teaching positions held.)

Harvard College 1899-1903
Assistant in Economics 1903-1904
Austin Teaching Fellow in Economics 1904-1905

III. Degrees already attained. (Mention institutions and dates.)

A.B. Harvard 1903

IV. Academic distinctions. (Mention prizes, honors, fellowships, scholarships, etc.)

A.B. summa cum laude; honorable mention in Economics; Jacob Wendell Scholarship; John Harvard Scholarship (twice)

V. Department of study. (Do you propose to offer yourself for the Ph.D., in “History,” in “Economics,” or in “Political Science”?

Economics

VI. Choice of Subjects for the General Examination. (Write out each subject, and at the end put in [brackets] the number of that subject in the Division lists. Indicate any digressions from the normal choices, and any combinations of partial subjects. State briefly what your means of preparation have been on each subject, as by Harvard courses, courses taken elsewhere, private reading, teaching the subject, etc., etc.)

1. Economic Theory and its History [1]. Based on Econ. 1, taken and for two years taught. Econ. 3, Econ. 15.
2. Economic History [2 and 3 merged] Based on Econ. 6 and 11 and parts of History 9.
3. Sociology [4] Based on Econ. 3 taken and taught; Anthropology 1, and on private reading.
4. Labor Problems and Industrial Organization [9]. Based on Econ 9a and 9b.
5. The Sociological Aspect of the Evolution Theory [4 and 16, modified]. Based chiefly on private reading; and on parts of Philosophy 1b, of the courses mentioned under (3), and of other courses and work in biological subjects.
6. International Law [14, adapted] Based on Gov. 4.

VII. Special Subject for the special examination.

[Left blank]

VIII. Thesis Subject. (State the subject and mention the instructor who knows most about your work upon it.)

[Left blank]

IX. Examinations. (Indicate any preferences as to the time of either of the general or special examinations.)

General examination as late in the present academic year as is practicable.

X. Remarks.

[Left blank]

* * * * * * * * * * * *

[Not to be filled out by the applicant]

Name: James Alfred Field

Date of reception: Feb. 13, 1905

Approved: Feb. 14, 1905

Date of general examination: June 12, 1905. Passed.

Thesis received: [blank]

Read by; [blank]

Approved: [blank]

Date of special examination: [blank]

Recommended for the Doctorate: [blank]

Voted by the Faculty: [blank]

Degree conferred: [blank].

* * * * * * * * * * *

Unsigned copy of letter to F.W. Taussig
(presumably from head of Division)

11 December 1911

Dear Taussig:

I have read Field’s article with interest, and I wish all our Ph.D.’s could do things as well. I should suppose there would be no question that it shows the kind of quality which will justify a doctor’s degree, and, of course, quality is far more important than quantity. Nevertheless, I think that if this article alone were accepted as a thesis our students and former students would feel that Field had been let off easily. Good as it is, I should not suppose this article would stand in line with the substantial volumes which make up the Harvard Economic Studies, and I should be sorry to have anybody feel that we had given Field a special favor.

I hope very much we can make Field one of our Ph.D.’s. Could he not advantageously and with comparatively little effort use this article as part of some more comprehensive study in the field of population? The stimulus of working on a larger book is something Field needs.

Sincerely yours,
[unsigned copy]

Professor F.W. Taussig

Source: Harvard University Archives. Division of History, Government & Economics, Box 3 “PhD. Exams, 1917-18 to 1920-21”, Folder “Ph.D. Applications Withdrawn”.

[Memo: The above letter was likely written by CHARLES HOMER HASKINS, Ph.D., Litt.D., Professor of History, Chairman of the Division of History, Government, and Economics, and Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.]

_________________________________

From the Announcement for Ph.D. General Examinations

James Alfred Field.

General Examination in Economics, Monday, June 12, 1905.

Committee: Professors Taussig (chairman), Ripley, Carver, Gay, Castle, and Dr. Munro.

Academic History: Harvard College, 1899-1903; Harvard Graduate School, 1903-05; A.B. (Harvard) 1903.

General Subjects: 1. Economic Theory and its History. 2. Economic History. 3. Sociology. 4. Labor Problems and Industrial Organization. 5. The Sociological Aspect of the Evolution Theory. 6 International Law.

Special Subject: Sociology.

Thesis Subject: (Not yet announced.)

Source: Harvard University Archives. Division of History, Government and Economics, Exams for PhD. (Schedules) 1903-1932. Examinations for 1904-05, p. 8.

_________________________________

FROM THE GRADUATE SCHOOL RECORD CARD

[Note: Boldface used to indicate printed text of the record card; italics used to indicate the handwritten entries]

Record of James Alfred Field

Years: 1903-04, 1904-05

First Registration: 1 Oct. 1903

1903-04	Grades.
First Year.	Course.	Half-Course.
History 9	abs.
Government 4	A
Economics 2	A
Economics 11	incomplete

1904-05	Grades.
Second Year.	Course.	Half-Course.
Economics 9a¹ (extra)		no report
Economics 9b² (extra)
Economics 15 (extra)	abs.
Economics 20 (extra)	incomplete

Division History and Political Science

Scholarship, Fellowship

Assistantship in Economics [1903-04]
Austin Teaching Fellowship in Economics [1904-05]
Proctorship in Apley 1 [1903-04, 1904-05]

College attended [Harvard]

Honors at College: Hon. Mention, Economics.

Degrees received: A.B. summa cum laude 1903

Non-Resident Student Years: 1905 John Harvard Fellow

Source: Harvard University Archives. GSAS, Record Cards of Students, 1895-1930. File I, Box 5 “Eames-Garrett”.

_________________________________

Economics in the Rear-view Mirror Note:
Course numbers, names, and instructors

1903-04

History 9. Constitutional History of England to the Sixteenth Century. Professor Gross.

Government 4. Elements of International Law. Professor Macvane and Mr. Jones.

Economics 2. Economic Theory. Professors Taussig and Carver.

Economics 11. The Modern Economic History of Europe. Asst. Prof. Gay.

Source: Harvard University. Report of the President of Harvard College 1903-04.

1904-05

Economics 3. Principles of Sociology, Theories of Social Progress. Professor Carver and Mr. Field.

Economics 9a¹. Problems of Labor. Professor Ripley and Mr. Custis.

Economics 9a². Economics of Corporations. Professor Ripley and Mr. Custis.

Economics 15. History and Literature of Economics to the year 1848. Asst. Professor Bullock.

Economics 20. The Seminary in Economics.

Source: Harvard University. Report of the President of Harvard College 1904-05.

Image Source: Original black-and-white image from the Special Diplomatic Passport Application by James Alfred Field (January 1918). Cropped and colorized by Economics in the Rear-view Mirror. (Note: left third of the image is slightly distorted because of a transparent plastic strip used to hold pages in the imaging process)

Tags Bullock, Carver, Custis, FieldJA, Gay, Macvane, Ripley, Taussig

Chicago Economists Faculty Regulations

Chicago. No French, no Economics Ph.D. Case of Robert Russ Kern, 1909

Post author By Irwin Collier
Post date 2022-10-18

This post provides a case demonstrating that the foreign language requirement for getting a Ph.D. in economics at the University of Chicago was indeed a constraint during the first decade of the 20th century. At the time a reading knowledge of French and German was required for admission to Ph.D. degree candidacy. In the following transcribed letter (June 2, 1909) to President Harry Pratt Judson, the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Literature, sociology professor Albion Woodbury Small, recounted his encounter with a political economy graduate student, Robert Russ Kern, whose self-confessed lack of French reading skills had disqualified him from admission to his planned Ph.D. examination in economics and psychology.

It turns out that Kern never received a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago or in fact anywhere else. This was reason enough to don my historian’s gumshoes and find out where Robert Russ Kern came from and how his post-Chicago career turned out. But first I’ll put into the record the letter from the University of Chicago archives that caught my attention.

Fun fact: in 1909 one apparently wrote “ ‘phone” with a leading apostrophe.

Fun with old photos: this is the first post at Economics in the Rear-view Mirror that provides a colorised black and white image from yore.

[Handwritten: June 2-09]

The President,
My dear Chief:

I do not remember that I have ever had a more painful scene in the Graduate Office than occurred this morning with Mr. Kern. In a word Mr. Kern was expecting to take his examination for the Doctor’s degree in Economics and Psychology tomorrow. At the last meeting of the Graduate Faculty it was voted that he be allowed to take the examination, provided the Examiner and the Dean were meanwhile assured that he had complied substantially with our requirement. Yesterday Mr. Williamson reported to me that Mr. Kern confessed to him that he had forgotten all the French he ever knew, but asked him to certify to his knowledge of French. I thereupon notified Mr. Kern that as he could not satisfy our French requirement his admission to the examination was automatically closed. This morning he came to my office in a very intense state of mind, to express it within limits, and as I summed up for him his demands it was that the University should substitute its judgment for his of what was a reasonable requirement for a Doctor’s degree. He stated that for years it had been notorious that men had been passed by the French Department without knowing any more French than he does. When I asked him if he was willing to present evidence to support that statement he declined on the ground that it would make trouble for men still in the University. I told him that it was beyond my power to do anything if I wanted to in the face of the plain statement of fact about his knowledge of French. I told him further, however, that if he would put in writing any statement which he was willing to lay before the President I would put it in your hands today. I told him however that I saw no way in which you could feel called upon to interfere with the regular operation of our rules, but that he would hear from you if you saw any way to deal more favorably with his case.
I have talked over the ‘phone since the interview with Mr. Laughlin and he agrees with me that it would be a demoralizing variation from our precedents to withdraw from the position the rules required me to take. I have therefore sent the following notice to the members of the examining committee “Unless you receive word from the President reversing this decision, Mr. Kern’s examination will not be held Thursday, June 3rd.”

Sincerely,
[signed] Small

Source: University of Chicago Archives. Office of the President. Harper, Judson, and Burton Administrations. Records. Box 38. Folder „Dean of Graduate School, 1909-20. 38/12 Pres.“

The Life and Career
of Robert Russ Kern

Life Data

Robert Russ Kern was born in Kansas City, Missouri on April 9, 1878 (date from draft registration) and died April 19, 1958 in Washington, D.C.

From his obituary in the April 20, 1958 edition of the Sunday Star (Washington, D.C.), p. 34 we also learn the following professional and personal facts:

Phi Beta Kappa at the University of Missouri.
Surviving wife, Jeanette G. Kern, and daughter, Jean Russ Kern.
He retired from George Washington University in 1934.

About his wife: Jeanette Kern, née Geschickter, graduated in 1912 with an A.B. from GWU. They married June 10, 1912 in the District of Columbia.

University of Missouri Years
(A.B. 1905)

Rollins Junior scholarship winner 1903-1904. Kern “made a higher average grade since his entrance to the university than any other student in the last ten years. He is said to be the best student of philosophy in the history of the university.”
Kansas City Star, June 2, 1904, p. 5.

Some uncertainty whether he would be the valedictorian of his class because he was confined in Parker Memorial Hospital for three weeks and unable to take final examinations. St. Joseph News Press (June 5, 1905), p. 5.

Valedictorian of the academic department of the University of Missouri. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 8, 1905, p. 10.

Cornell University Year

Graduate student at Cornell in 1907.
Source: Cornell Alumni Directory (May 15, 1922) p. 175

University of Chicago Years

Robert Russ Kern, graduate student in the department of political economy

Fellow (1907-08)
Assistant in Political Economy (1908-09)

Source: Twenty-five years of the Department of Political Economy (1916).

From the fifth list of dissertations in progress:

Robert Russ Kern, University of Chicago. The formation of the prices of consumers’ goods (probable date of completion, 1908). The Economic Bulletin, vol I, Nr. 1 (April 1908), p. 73.

From the sixth list of dissertations in progress

Robert Russ Kern, University of Chicago. Industrial finance (probably date of completion, 1909). The Economic Bulletin, vol II, Nr. 1 (April 1909), p. 21.

George Washington University Years

Instructor of Economics (listed as “Dr. (sic) Kern”) in 1909.

George Washington University Bulletin (1909), p. 13 “Robert R. Kern, Ph.D (sic)…..Instructor in Economics
Dr. (sic) Kern graduated at the University of Missouri, taught in Columbia University (Note: I have not verified his Columbia University affiliation) and Cornell University and came to this University from the Chicago University.”

Listed in George Washington University Bulletin as Professor of Economics and Sociology only with a A.B. (1920)

Professor of Urban Sociology, GWU.

Publications

The Supervision of the Social Order. The American Journal of Sociology, 1918/1919
Part I. Part II.

The Super City. The World‘s Most Efficient and Beautiful City. Washington, D.C., 1924. By Robert Russ Kern, Professor of Economics and Sociology in the George Washington University.

Image Source: University of Missouri, The MU Yearbook Savitar (1905), p. 23. Colorized by Economics in the Rear-view Mirror.

Tags Kern, Laughlin, Small

More Columbia Information from that time

Regulations for other economics programs

REGULATIONS FOR THE UNIVERSITY DEGREES 1904-05

Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy

[DIVISION] REQUIREMENTS FOR HIGHER DEGREES UNDER THE OLD PLAN [pp. 7-9]

THE MASTER’S DEGREE

THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

ECONOMICS, HIGHER DEGREES [ DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS] [pp. 282-284]

THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS

THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

FACULTY REQUIREMENTS [pp. 11-13]

MASTER OF ARTS

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

[FACULTY] PROCEDURE FOR FULFILLING PH.D. REQUIREMENTS

ECONOMICS [ DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS] [pp. 49-50]

MASTER OF ARTS

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Department of Economics

CHANGES IN DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE.

A Few Other Programs, Other Times

GRADUATE CURRICULUM AND DEGREE REQUIREMENTS IN ECONOMICS

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS YALE UNIVERSITY NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT 1950

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS Graduate Faculty

THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ECONOMICS

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

COURSE OFFERINGS

Statute concerning the Academic Council [Adopted by the Corporation and Board of Overseers in the Spring of 1872]

History of Foreign Language Requirement for Ph.D.

Linear Algebra or a Foreign Language

Department of Economics University of Chicago May, 1968

Foreign Language and Mathematics Requirement

From James A. Field’s obituary in the Chicago Sunday Tribune (July 17, 1927)

HARVARD UNIVERSITY DIVISION OF HISTORY AND POLITICAL SCIENCE

Application for Candidacy for the Degree of Ph.D.

Unsigned copy of letter to F.W. Taussig (presumably from head of Division)

From the Announcement for Ph.D. General Examinations

James Alfred Field.

FROM THE GRADUATE SCHOOL RECORD CARD

Economics in the Rear-view Mirror Note: Course numbers, names, and instructors

The Life and Career of Robert Russ Kern

Life Data

University of Missouri Years (A.B. 1905)

Cornell University Year

University of Chicago Years

George Washington University Years

Publications

REGULATIONS
FOR THE UNIVERSITY DEGREES
1904-05

[DIVISION] REQUIREMENTS
FOR HIGHER DEGREES
UNDER THE OLD PLAN
[pp. 7-9]

ECONOMICS, HIGHER DEGREES
[ DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS]
[pp. 282-284]

FACULTY REQUIREMENTS
[pp. 11-13]

[FACULTY] PROCEDURE
FOR FULFILLING PH.D. REQUIREMENTS

ECONOMICS
[ DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS]
[pp. 49-50]

A Few Other Programs,
Other Times

GRADUATE CURRICULUM AND DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
IN ECONOMICS

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
YALE UNIVERSITY
NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT
1950

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
Graduate Faculty

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Statute concerning the Academic Council
[Adopted by the Corporation and Board of Overseers
in the Spring of 1872]

Linear Algebra
or a Foreign Language

Department of Economics University of Chicago
May, 1968

From James A. Field’s obituary in the Chicago Sunday Tribune
(July 17, 1927)

HARVARD UNIVERSITY
DIVISION OF HISTORY AND POLITICAL SCIENCE

Unsigned copy of letter to F.W. Taussig
(presumably from head of Division)

Economics in the Rear-view Mirror Note:
Course numbers, names, and instructors

The Life and Career
of Robert Russ Kern

University of Missouri Years
(A.B. 1905)