The course of study in the college proper is of four years, and leads to the degree of bachelor of arts, but the elective system of studies has been employed at Harvard to a far greater extent than in any other American college, the required studies being virtu ally limited to the freshman year. Even in mathematics the lecture system largely takes the place of the old method of instruction by text books. The course in the law school, leading to the degree of bachelor of laws, has recently been extended to three years; and in the medical school three full years of study are now required of candidates for the degree of doctor of medicine. 'I he course in the scientific school is four years, in the dental school two years, and in the divinity school three years; while in the other departments the length of study is not rigidly prescribed. The university at present confers no degrees on students without examination, one year of study being a pre-requi site to the degree of master of arts, two years to that of doctor of philosophy, and two years to that of doctor of science. The number of candidates for these three degrees— established during the past decade—is usually about sixty. The examinations, how ever, arc so rigid that the number of degrees annually conferred is much smaller than this figure. The whole number of officers of instruction and government is about 150.
The number of students in all the departments of the university has for the past few years exceeded 1300, of which about 800 have been in the college proper. Of these, consider ably more than half are from the state of Massachusetts. The whole number of alumni of the college proper (to 1879) is 9,175; the number of graduates of all departments (to 1875) is 12,812. The amount of the invested funds of the university, exclusive of the value of the grounds, buildings, books, and apparatus, was, Aug. 31, 1879, $3,902,181.73. The whole number of bound volumes in the college library and the department libraries is about 200,000, of bound volumes, and pamphlets, about 500,000. The present president of Harvard university is Charles William Eliot, LL.D., a graduate of the class of 1853. He was elected to the office in 1869, and to his administration have been chiefly due the distinguishing changes which have marked the i recent management of the university, especially in the introduction of the elective sys tem in the college proper and in lengthening the term of study required in the law and medical schools. The government of the university, which, for a generation after the schism which divided the New England Congregational churches in the first quarter of the present century, was under Unitarian control, is now neutral in its attitudes towards religion.