DEGREE, in universities, denotes a qua lity conferred on the students or mem bers thereof; as a testimony of their pro ficiency in the arts or sciences, and enti tling them to certain privileges. The de grees are much the same in all universi ties, but the laws thereof, and the pre vious discipline or exercise, differ. The degrees are, batchelor, master, and doe-, tor, instead of which last, in some foreign universities, they have licentiate.
In each faculty there are two degrees, batchelor and doctor, which were an ciently called batchelor and master. In the arts, likewise, there are two degrees which still retain the ancient denomina tion, vi:. batchelor and master.
With regard to obtaining degrees at Oxford and Cambridge, matters are near ly on the same footing, only at Cambridge the discipline is somewhat more severe, and the exercises more difficult. For the degree of batchelor of arts, besides residence in the university near fotir years, it is required that the person in the last year have defended three ques tions in natural philosophy, mathematics, or ethics, and answered the objections of three several opponents at two several times ; as also that he have opposed three times. After which, being examined by
the master and fellows of the college, he is referred to seek his degree in the schools, where he is to sit three days, and he examined by two masters of arts appointed for the purpose. For the de • gree of master of arts, the candidate is obliged three several times to maintain two philosophical questions in the public schools, and to answer the objections brought against him by a master of arts. He must also keep two acts in the batche lors' school, and declaim once. To pass batchelor of divinity, the candidate must have been seven years master of arts : he must have opposed a batchelor of divinity twice, kept one divinity act, and preach ed before the university, once in Latin, and once in English. For the degree of doctor, see DOCTOR.