PrincetonUniversity
 

A brief history of Princeton degrees

• In addition to the bachelor of arts degree, several other bachelor degrees have been offered at the University over the years, according to "A Princeton Companion": bachelor of laws from 1847 to 1852; bachelor of science from 1873 to 1930; bachelor of letters from 1904 to 1918; and bachelor of science in engineering since 1921.

• The law degree was awarded to seven people who completed a law course started during the college's centennial.

• The offering of a bachelor of science degree coincided with the expansion of the college's science curriculum. Candidates for this degree were required at entrance to be proficient in Latin, but not Greek; both languages were required for the bachelor of arts. Some students pursued the bachelor of science degree to escape Greek rather than to pursue science.

• The bachelor of letters degree was intended to distinguish students who wanted to take a humanistic program without Greek from those who were pursuing science. The Litt. B. was eliminated when Greek was dropped as an entrance requirement for the A.B.

• In 2001, 935 students earned bachelor of arts degrees and 163 earned bachelor of science in engineering degrees.

Students enjoy the spring weather in front of Wilcox Dining Hall.

photo: Denise Applewhite