BACHELOR, in colleges, is the title by which those are distinguished who have obtained the bacca laureate, the first literary degree. Before the degree of bachelor of arts can be at Oxford, it is necessary to have studied there four years; three years more to become master of arts; and seven more to commence bachelor of divinity. At Cambridge, the student must have been admitted near four years before he can take the degree of bachelor of arts; • three years more before he can be made master ; and seven more to become bachelor of divinity. The degree of bachelor of law may be obtained after the candidate has spent six years in that study.
At Paris, before a person is enabled to pass bachelor in theology, he must have attended for two years to the study of philosophy, and for three years to that of theology, and have held two acts of exa mination in the Sorbonne. In the canon law none can be admitted bachelor till he has employed two years in the study of that science, and sustained an exa mination according to the prescribed forms; and to become bachelor of physic, it is necessary to have been four years master of arts, and afterwards to have studied medicine for two years : the student is then invested with the fur, as a preliminary step to his license. Previous to the foundation of divinity pro fessorships in the university of Paris, those who had studied divinity six years were admitted to enter upon their course, and were called baccalarii cursores. There were two courses, in the first of which they were engaged, during three successive years, in ex plaining the Bible, whence they were, denominated baccalarii biblici; in the second, they were employed for one year in explaining the matter of the sentences ; they were then called baccatarii sententiarii : when they had completed both courses, they were styled baccalarii formati, formed bachelors. The title of
formed bachelor is now given to one who has regu larly obtained his degree, after going through the course of study and exercises required by the sta tutes; in contradistinction to the current bachelor, who is admitted through special favour.
The etymology of the word bachelor has been much controverted. It is even extremely uncertain whether it was first employed as a term of military or of literary honour. Among those who suppose it to have been originally a military term, we may mention Cujas, Ducange, Caseneuve, and Altaferra. Cujas derives the word from bucccllarius, a kind of cavalry once held in great esteem : Ducange main tains that it comes from baccalaria, a kind of fees or farms, consisting of several pieces of ground of about twelve acres each, or as much as two oxen could plough; the possessors of which baccalaria were called bachelors : Caseneuve and Altaferra deduce it from baculus, or bacillus, a staff, because the young cavaliers exercised themselves in fighting with staves. Martinus, however, with perhaps more probability, maintains, that this word was, in its primitive appli cation, restricted to those poets who, according to the custom of Italy, were crowned with laurels, and were thence called baccalaurei, or bachelors. (fe.)