LONDON UNIVERSITY. London Univer sity was founded in 1827 as a joint-stock com pany by subscription. largely owing to Lord Brougham. It was opened in 182S'. with classes in the faculties of arts, law, and medicine, and the incorporators endeavored to obtain from the Crown a charter gig ing them the power to confer degrees. In 1833 the Privy Council proposed a scheme of a university which, adopted by Lord Melbourne's Government, became the basis of the present institution. It comprised the granting of a charter to 'London University College' or other colleges of the same kind, the granting of an other charter to a board, of examiners, com posed of persons eminent in literature and science, to be called the 'University of London,' and the admission of properly certified pupils of Univer sity College and King's College. or of any other school named by the Crown, to examination for the degrees. This scheme was adopted by the in corporators, and charters were granted by Wil liam IV., November 28, 1836, constituting the University of London and University College, the former an examining. the latter an instructing body. King's College (q.v.), incorporated in 1829 by charter, and several colleges in London and elsewhere were named as places where students were entitled to present themselves for degrees. The charter of the university was renewed at the accession of Victoria, and a supplementary char ter affiliating additional colleges was issued in 1850. In 1S5S a new charter gave graduates rights as part of the corporate body of the university in an assembly called convocation. By this charter, too, the university degrees were given solely by examination, it having been found that many affiliated colleges abused the certifica tion privileges granted them. Since that time the university has confined itself strictly to the business of examination, with the single exception of requiring attendance for medical degrees. In 1S03 the university was empowered to grant the degrees of B.Ch. and \l.Ch. in surgery.
By the supplementary charter of 1867 examina tions for women were instituted, and by virtue of the Reform Act of that year the university has since returned one member to Parliament. In 1878 the university admitted women to de grees. By virtue of the University of London Act of 1898, a royal commission was appointed to reorganize the university completely, while still preserving its corporate continuity. In the years 1900-01 this work was completed and the new corporation. coordinating and controlling the
higher education of London into a vnirersitas littcrarum, began its labors. This new university comprises, in addition to its examining functions, a considerable number of schools previously more or less independent as teaching bodies. Of these, University College and King's College possess general faculties. six are theological schools, four are faculties of arts and sciences, ten are medi cal collcres, and others include technological and ag,riculthval institutions and the newly estab lished Los don School of Economics and Political science.
The senate is the supreme governing body of the university. It consists of fifty-four members. The officials of the university are a chancellor, a vice-chancellor, a chairman of convocation, a principal, and a representative in Parliament. The senate has three standing committees of prime importance—the academic council, the council for external students, and a board to promote university extension. The convocation of the university consists of the chancellor. the vice-chancellor, the members of the three com mittees of the senate who are not graduates, and the graduates of the university. There are the following faculties: divinity, arts, laws. medi cine, music, science (which includes the faculties of economics and engineering), each choosing its own dean. There are, further. thirty-two boards of studies, named by the senate, and a large body of examiners chosen by that same body. The university will not, as was first planned, become a teaching body save in so far as the various teaching bodies incorporated with it are under its supervision, and, to some extent, its control, and in so far as its attention to secondary edu cation and its work in university extension may be so regarded. It retains its private function of an examining hoard granting degrees. Degrees are granted purely by examination (save in the ease of medicine) as follows: In arts and medi cine, bachelors' and masters' degrees are given; in science, law, and music, bachelors' and doc tors' degrees: and in literature, the doctors' de gree. Examinations are given in London, in the provinces, and even in the colonies. All gradu ates are entitled to a teachers' diploma. Consult London University Calendar for history and or ganization. For English legal education. see NNS OF COURT; LEGAL EDUCATION. sec' also UNIVERSITY, section English Universities.