Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 85, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 June 1908 — MEANING OF COLLEGE DEGREES [ARTICLE]

MEANING OF COLLEGE DEGREES

An Able Article Explaining the Letters Used After Name of Col- “ lege and University Graduates

Since many of the young people In and about Rensselaer are in attendance *upon the collegeß and universities, and .every year , degrees are conferred upon some, a considerable interest has been expressed, and frequent inquiry is made of us as to what is the relative value, in the college world, of the various degrees. There are three primary degrees conferred by colleges and universities of the State of Indiana, atnd In fact most of the higher educational institutions of America, after a four years’ course and the earning of the credits required. A degree of B. S. (Bachelor of Science) is conferred upon a stu-' dent having accomplished four years’ acceptable work in the sciences, including mathematics, and this degree may be earned without the student having done work in Greek or Latin; but there is generally required of candidates for this degree some work in some of the modern languages, for instance, German, French or Spanish. A number of the colleges of the state no longer confer this degree but It Is common at Purdue University, and there is generally added to, the degree the particular subject in ( which the principal work has been, done by the person receiving it, such J as “Bachelor of Science in Civil En-, gineering,” or "Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.’’ The degree of “Bachelor of Philosophy” is conferred after four years’ work in a college or university, and' ( upon completion of the course of study prescribed. A usual requirement to earn this degree Is a considerable amount of work In Latin, in addition to one or more of the modern languages. This degree is conferred by one or more colleges of the state, and is practically the equivalent of the degree of “Bachelor of Arts,” but in a strict interpretation of the requirements as to the dead languages, the amount of suck work is sometimes less than that prescribed for the Bachelor of Arts degree. By modern use, however, the decree of Ph. B. (Bachelor of Philosophy) and A. B. or B. A. (Bachelor of Arts) are the same, but the conferring of the B. A. degree is snggestiva of a knowlege of Greek by ihe giaduate. Substitutes for Greek aie sometimes permitted, however.

The degree of Master of Arts is an earned d gree, and is not o).i’rr;d, usually, except after one /ear s nv k in the e-Vega or university after the applicant has received his Bachelor degree. v*. casionallv, the M. A def'jee is co.uerred upon a distinguished person as an honor, without the requirement of residehce in college or university, or equivalent work. This is rare though, in later years.

All institutions that confer the M. A. degree require of graduates of other colleges one year’ s attendance in post graduate work, at the college or university awarding the degree. There is, though, a rule among some institution that permits all the work required for advanced degrees of a graduate of such institution to be done out of residence, and the allowance of credits for such work is onehalf only of what would be earned if the applicant were a resident student of the institution conferring the degree. Hence, at least two yearswork a home by tthe Bachelor, under the supervision of the university faculty, is required to earn this degree.'

The degree of Ph. D. (Doctor of Philosophy) requires three years’ work in the college or university conferring the same, after the earning of the Bachelor degree, and also the preparation of a thesis upon some subject acceptable to the authorities, and also evidence of original research by the candidate.

Some institutions permit two years of this work to be done in other universities acceptable to them, but the requirement is general that there shall be at least one year’s resident work in the institution granting the degree, and there must he three years’ work) or its equivalent, by non-resi-dent work, counting two years of study at home for one in the university).

The degrees of L. L. D. and of D. D. ' (Doctors of Crftvs and Doctors of Divinity) are ( purely honorary, and are conferred upon distinguished persons as a matter of compliment or in recognition of scholarly attainments only. The persons upon whom these degrees are conferred are not required to personally attend a college or university. There are other honorary degrees, such as Doctor of Civil Law (D. C. L.) and Doctor til Literature (Lit. D.), but they are seldom conferred by wesern educational institutions. James Whitcomb Riley received the degree of Lit D. from the university of Pennsylvania. Of course) there are other degrees, tor instance, Bachelor of Music (B. M.), Master of Law (M. L), and Doo-

tor of Medicine (M. D.) These are usually conferred upon persons who have completed professional courses. The past degree of Master follows the degree of Bachelor after one or more years additional study. Indiana University confers only the Bachelor of Arts degree •in the regular course, and, of course, the several professional degrees and the post graduate degree. Butler College, Franklin Coll ge, Earlham College, DePauw University, and Wabash College confer the Bachelor of Arts degree, and some of them also confer the Bachelor of Philosophy degree, and possibly the B. S. degree. As stated, Purdue University usually confers the B. S. degree after the completion of a four years’ course of study. In all Indiana universities, and in most western universities, the requirement for entrance* as a candidate for a professional degree is a high school education or its equivalent. Most of the eastern colleges require that a candidate for a professional degree shall have first received a degree. There is a very strong tendency toward such requirement at Indiana and a number of the other principal colleges of the west and it is probable that in a very few' years the professional degrees will not be conferred by the beet institutions except upon those who have completed a regular college course. The usual requirements for the Bachelor of Law degree is three years’ work in the professional school, while the requirement for a medical degree is four years’ work in the professional school. Such arrangement, however, prevails that aspirants for professional degrees may combine one or two years of general and professional study, so that it is possible for a student to obtain both the degrees of Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Arts, or B. S., or Ph. 8., in six years after entrance in the college, and the same condition prevails in the conferring of the degree of M. D. That is to say a student may enter college and after four years receive the degree of Bachelor of Arts, the course of study of the last two years having been directed along the professional line, and then, after two years’ additional work devoted exclusively to medicine he may become a Doctor of Medicine, or in two additional years he may graduate as a Bachelor of Law, if he has studied law one year in, the regular course. In Indiana colleges, and in fact most colleges—east and west —the completion of a high school course in an accredited high school, is accepted as a sufficient voucher of qualifications to permit the entrance of "a student to the Freshman class. It Is needless to add here that which is apparent to every observant person viz, that the possession of a degree of itself, is but slight assurance of business faculty, moral standing, or intellectual strength. The diploma of a reputable college is evidence of educational preparation. But to it must be added the essential qualities of industry, good judgment, and integrity, without any of which, college work and its rewards are but seed sown upon stony grounds. *

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