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Present Organisation of the German Universities. 
13 
irely disappeared. In Bonn, it is true, there still exists an exami- 
nation for ,Magister®, side by side with the proper doctor’s examination, 
ut it is inseparablv connected with the latter, and cannot be passed 
alone. 
The degree of licenciate suffices, in the theological faculties, 
also for habilitation as ,privatdocent. The dignity of doctor is 
mostly bestowed in them only honoris causa, i. e. without examination 
or fees, on recognised scholars, or other men of distinguished merit. 
Matters of graduation are regulated, partly by the statutes of the 
separate faculties, partly by dispositions specially sanctioned by the 
Ministry. Only a few decades ago the abuse existed it some faculties 
of making the aquirement of the doctor's degree excessively easy, so 
that the payment of the required fees appeared almost the chief 
business. In some, graduation ,in absentia“ was permissible, namely, 
without oral examination, and merely in virtue of a dissertation that 
was forwarded, but did not require to be printed. In others only an 
oral examination was required, others again, it is true, demanded 
moreover a written essay, but not its publication in print. With re- 
‘erence also to the previous schooling of the candidates, the require- 
ments were partly insufficient. In more recent times essential re- 
forms have been carried out in this respect, especially by the endeav- 
ours of the Prussian educational administration, which bas brought 
about agreements with the governments of the other Federal States as 
to certain minimum requirements for graduation. A doctor's title that 
1as not been obtained in virtue of an oral examination and of a 
printed dissertation, is not recognised at all in Prussia. These con- 
ditions are now also enforced by almost all the faculties outside 
Prussia, only by a few still with admission of exceptions. Likewise, 
not only almost all Prussian faculties, but also most of the non- 
Prussian ones, demand unconditionally the certificate of maturity of 
a school with nine classes. In recent times, however, the number of 
admissions from the Realgymnasium and the Higher Realschule, apart 
‘rom those from the Gymnasium, has continually increased. 
The customary formal ceremony of graduation, with public dis- 
putation, common in former times. has heen abolished in most of the 
Universities. 
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