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The University Curriculum

Photograph of Principal Haldane 1853
Dr Haldane, Principal University of St Andrews, by RMS 1853. Image courtesy University of St Andrews Library. ALB-9-15-3

At the beginning of the period 1747-1897 there were 10 classes for students to study and at the end there were 50. Expansion was episodic. Some courses appeared only to disappear. Some subjects expanded by division and some new subjects were comprehended within old courses. However the average arts student at the end of the period as at the beginning still studied Greek, Latin, Mathematics, Logic, Moral Philosophy and Natural Philosophy as the core of their course.  But note that many arts students attended classes without any intention of proceeding to a full arts course. From 1747-48 to 1782-83 only the years of study are given where known.

h = humanity, a pre-University course for those who were regarded as not yet able to enter the first year arts classes.
b = bejant, taking first year arts classes.
s = semi, taking second year arts classes.
t = tertian, taking third year arts classes.
m = magistrand, taking fourth and final year arts classes.

The courses presented for each individual come from a collation of the evidence in the Class Lists (UYUY315:1783 – 1879 and UYUY322 for 1878/79 onwards). The full list of classes from 1783-84 is known and it is likely that those from 1747/48 to 1782/83 were no different from those existing in 1783-84.

Greek Junior – 1783/84 – 1839/40. Greek 1 – 1840/41 – 1862/63. Greek Junior – 1863/64 onwards . Greek Provectior – 1783/84 – 1839/40. Greek 2 – 1840/41 – 1862/63. Greek Senior – 1863/64 1891/92. Greek 3 – 1840/41 – 1862/63. Greek – 1892/93 onwards. Honours Greek – 1892/93 onwards.

Latin Junior – 1783/84 – 1839/40. Latin 1 – 1840/41 – 1851/52. Humanity 1 – 1852/53 – 1891/92. Junior Latin – 1892/93 onwards. Latin Provectior – 1783/84 – 1839/40. Latin 2 – 1840/41 – 1851/52. Humanity 2 – 1852/53 – 1891/92. Latin 3 – 1840/41 – 1851/52.  Humanity 3 – 1852/53 – 1891/92. Latin – 1892/93 onwards. Honours Latin – 1892/93 onwards.

Mathematics Junior – 1787/88 – 1821/22. Mathematics Provectior – 1787/88 – 1821/22. Mathematics 1 – 1822/23 – 1891/92. Mathematics 2 – 1822/23 – 1891/92. Mathematics 3 – 1822/23 – 1891/92. Junior Mathematics – 1892/93 onwards.  Mathematics – 1892/93 onwards . Intermediate Honours Mathematics – 1893/94 onwards.  Honours Mathematics – 1892/93 onwards. Advanced Honours Mathematics – 1892/93 onwards.

Logic and Rhetoric – 1783/84 – 1862/63. Logic and Metaphysics – 1863/64 onwards . Advanced Metaphysics – 1888/89 – 1890/91. Advanced Philosophy – 1891/92. Honours Logic – 1892/93 onwards .

English Literature – 1860/61 onwards.  Honours English Literature – 1897/98 onwards .

Ethics – 1783/84 – 1851/52. Moral Philosophy – 1852/53 – 1860/61. Moral Philosophy and Political Economy 1860/61 onwards.  Honours Moral Philosophy – 1892/93 onwards.

Political Economy – 1825/26 – 1827/28, 1839/40 – 1841/42, 1854/55- 1859/60 then a single class list with Moral Philosophy.

Natural Philosophy – 1783/84 – 1798/99. Physics – 1799/1800 –1851/52. Natural Philosophy – 1852/53 onwards . Experimental Physics – 1853/54 – 1858/59. Honours Natural Philosophy – 1892/93 onwards . Practical Natural Philosophy – 1892/93 onwards. Advanced Natural Philosophy – 1894/95,1895/96, 1897/98 onwards. Advanced Practical Natural Philosophy – 1895/96 onwards .

Professor William Fischer, Professor of Natural Philosophy, University of St Andrews 1847-1859. By Thomas Rodger, 1855. Image courtesy of University of St Andrews Library ALB-1-84 .
Professor William Fischer, Professor of Natural Philosophy, University of St Andrews 1847-1859. By Thomas Rodger, 1855. Image courtesy of University of St Andrews Library. ALB-1-84 .

Civil History (Historia Civilis) 1783/84 – 1785/86, 1787/88, 1793/94 – 1806/07, 1809/10, 1816/17,1833/34 –1845/46.

Chemistry – 1811/12 onwards . Practical Chemistry – 1870/71. Chemical Laboratory – 1881/82 – 1882/83. Practical Chemistry 1892/93 onwards . Advanced Chemistry – 1892/93 onwards

Geology – 1875/76, 1877/78, 1878/79,1880/81.

Philosophy of the Senses – 1839/40 – 1842/43, 1847/48 – 1848/49, 1851/52.

Physiology – 1841/42, Physiology General and Anatomy Comparative – 1842/43 – 1844/45. Anatomy Descriptive – 1842/43 – 1846/47. Anatomy – 1850/51. Physiology – 1851/52. Anatomy and Physiology – 1852/53. Comparative Anatomy and Physiology – 1853/54 – 1861/62. Human Anatomy and Physiology – 1853/54. Human Physiology – 1855/56. Institutes of Medicine – 1856/57, 1859/60. Anatomy and Physiology – 1862/63 – 1865/66. Physiology – 1866/67. Anatomy and Physiology – 1867/68 – 1868/69. Physiology – 1868/69, 1870/71. Physiology and Hygiene – 1871/72. Anatomy, Physiology and Hygiene – 1872/73 – 1874/75. Physiology – 1876/77 onwards .

Natural History – 1851/52 – 1861/62. Zoology and Comparative Anatomy 1862/63 – 1877/78. Zoology – 1879/80. Natural History – 1881/82 onwards . Practical Natural History – 1894/95 onwards . Advanced Natural History 1895/96, 1897/98 onwards .

Education – 1876/77 onwards .

Botany 1888/89 onwards.

French – 1892/93 onwards .

History – 1896/97 onwards . Honours History – 1898/99 onwards.

Physiology for Women 1896/97 onwards .

Anatomy – 1896/97 onwards.  Practical Anatomy – 1896/97 onwards .

Materia Medica – 1896/97 onwards.

Degrees awarded at St Andrews

University of St Andrews Rector. Watercolour. Anon. 1850. Image courtesy of University of St Andrews Library FramedShelf-11-45
University of St Andrews Rector. Watercolour. Anon. 1850. Image courtesy of University of St Andrews Library. FramedShelf-11-45

The MA degree.
For much of the period from 1747 to 1858 graduation in arts was regarded as an unnecessary ceremony and many individuals, who had successfully completed an arts course did not bother to graduate. Cognisance of this was taken in the regulations for membership of the General Council instituted in 1860 under the Universities (Scotland) Act 1858. However graduation was necessary to some – those who wished to compete for an Exchequer bursary and those who sought work furth of Scotland. Evidence for graduation is usually taken either from the graduation roll or from the minutes of the Senatus, but if in neither the precise source is given. A few MA’s were awarded on testimonials.
The BA degree.
From 1839 to 1860 the BA degree was obtainable after three years study, but most of those who graduated proceeded after four years study to MA.

The MD degree.
The degree could be awarded on examination, by thesis, on testimonials of two physicians of repute or very occasionally as an honorary degree conferred on practitioners of distinction or ad eundem in respect of the same degree awarded by another University. The award by testimonials alone became the commonest method before 1862. After that date examination was obligatory and after 1862 only ten practitioners over the age of forty years might be examined. Prior to 1862 most candidates came from the Army, Navy or Indian Medical Services and/or were non-conformists excluded from the English Universities. There were a few exotic foreigners who received the degree.

The MB CM degree.
The MB CM was conferrable by examination, with strict regulation as to courses of study, from the organisation of a Faculty of Medicine in 1862, but the first was not conferred until 1873 and only ten were awarded within our period.

The DD and LLD degrees.
These were regarded as honorary degrees and were conferred usually on the initiative of the University, but sometimes in the earlier part of the period by testimonial or at the request of individuals of influence. There was provision for the DD to be awarded by thesis, but it remained almost entirely honorary.

The Mus. Doc. Degree.
The doctorate in music was one of the higher degrees appropriate to a University, but no records relating to it survive until the possible award of one after examination in the early eighteenth century. Only four were conferred in our period and all were honorary.

The BD degree.
This was introduced in 1864 to be conferred after examination at the end of a four year course. Towards the end of the period various short lived arrangements were also made to examine for that degree students of some non-conformist colleges in England, South Africa and Australia.

Science degrees.
The BSc degree was instituted in 1876, but it was initially regarded as an add-on to the MA degree and only a few were awarded on their own before 1897. Provision for a doctorate in science was made at the same time, but it was not awarded in our period.