I have included everything in this Circular that describes the graduate program offered by the School of Political Science at Columbia except for a list of the trustees and a time-slots by day-of-the-week schedule matrix of courses for the three year program. This shows how political economy was embedded within a broad public policy framework at Columbia. Because of the length of the circular, I have provided visitors with a linked table of contents.

Information for the School of Poltical Science for 1882-83 is available in a previous post.

___________________________

Columbia College
School of Political Science
Circular of Information 1890-91

Officers of Instruction and Government

General Statement

Purposes of the School
Admission
Matriculation and Tuition Fees

Course of Instruction General Scheme

Undergraduate Courses

Graduate First Year

First Session
Second Session

Graduate Second Year

First Session
Second Session

Graduate Third Year

First Session
Second Session

Course of Instruction in Detail

I. Constitutional History

II. Constitutional and Administrative Law

III. Political Economy and Social Science

IV. History of European Law and Comparative Jurisprudence

V. Diplomacy and International Law

VI. History of Political Theories

Prizes

Preparation for the Civil Service

Admission to Other Courses

Library

Examinations and Degrees

Examination Fees
Commencement

Academy of Political Science

Prize Lectureships

Calendar

 

OFFICERS OF INSTRUCTION AND GOVERNMENT.

Seth Low, President of Columbia College.

John W. Burgess, Ph.D., LL.D.,

Professor of Constitutional and International History and Law.

Richmond Mayo Smith, A.M.,

Professor of Political Economy and Social Science.

Edmund Munroe Smith, A.M., J.U.D.,

Adjunct Professor of History and Lecturer on Roman Law and Comparative Jurisprudence.

Frank J. Goodnow, A.M., LL.B.,

Adjunct Professor of Administrative Law. Secretary of the Faculty.

Edwin R. A. Seligman, LL.B., Ph.D.,

Adjunct Professor of Political Economy.

Frederick W. Whitridge, A.M., LL.B.,

Lecturer on the Political History of the State of New York.

William A. Dunning, Ph.D.,

Lecturer on Political Theories.

A. C. Bernheim, LL.B., Ph.D.,

Prize Lecturer, 1888-91, on New York State and City Politics.

Frederic Bancroft, Ph.D.,

Prize Lecturer, 1889-92, on Diplomatic History of the United States.

_____________

Prize Lecturer, 1890-93.

William B. Nye,

Registrar.

 

 

GENERAL STATEMENT.

 

PURPOSES OF THE SCHOOL.

The School of Political Science was opened on Monday the fourth day of October, 1880.

The purpose of the school is to give a complete general view of all the subjects, both of internal and external public polity, from the threefold standpoint of history, law, and philosophy. Its prime aim is therefore the development of all the branches of the political sciences. Its secondary and practical objects are:

a. To fit young men for all the political branches of the public service.

b. To give an adequate economic and legal training to those who intend to make journalism their profession.

c. To supplement, by courses in public law and comparative jurisprudence, the instruction in private municipal law offered by the School of Law.

d. To educate teachers of political science.

            To these ends the school offers a course of study of sufficient duration to enable the student not only to attend the lectures and recitations with the professors, but also to consult the most approved treatises upon the political sciences and to study the sources of the same.

 

ADMISSION.

Any person may attend any or all of the courses of the School of Political Science by entering his name with the registrar and paying the proper fee.

Students proposing to enter the school are desired to present themselves for matriculation on the Friday next before the first Monday in October.

The names of students intending to become members of the school may be entered at the room of the president on the Monday immediately preceding commencement day in June, or on the day appointed as above for matriculation.

Students desiring the degree of Ph.B. or A.B. must matriculate in the first year of the school, and follow faithfully the studies of that year, or part of the studies of that year, together with studies in the senior year of the School of Arts. For the courses in the senior year of the School of Arts, see infra, ” Admission to Undergraduate Courses.” Any combination desired by the student is allowed, provided that he takes not less than fifteen hours per week.

Students desiring the degree of A.M. must matriculate in the second year of the school, and follow faithfully all the studies of the second year. But students who are at the same time students in the School of Law, or students in the graduate department of philosophy, philology, and letters, taking courses which offer at least six hours per week, shall not be required to take more than nine hours per week in the School of Political Science. Any combination desired by the student is allowed.

Students desiring the degree of Ph.D. must matriculate in the third year of the school, and follow faithfully all the studies of the third year. But students who are at the same time students in the School of Law, or students in the graduate departments of philosophy, philology, and letters, taking courses which offer at least six hours per week, shall not be required to take more than nine hours per week in the School of Political Science. Any combination desired by the student is allowed, but he must pass a satisfactory examination on all the subjects he has chosen, and must present an acceptable thesis on some subject previously approved by the faculty.

Students not candidates for any degree may, after matriculating, attend any of the courses of the school.

 

MATRICULATION AND TUITION FEES.

Matriculation fee. — A fee of five dollars is required for matriculation at the beginning of each scholastic year.

Tuition fee. — The annual tuition fee of each student of the school taking the full course is one hundred and fifty dollars, payable in two equal instalments of seventy-five dollars each, the first at matriculation, and the second on the first Monday of February of each year. For single courses of lectures the fee regulates itself according to the number of lectures per week; during the first year the annual fee for a one-hour course being ten dollars; for a two-hour course, twenty dollars; for a three-hour course, thirty dollars; for a four-hour course, forty dollars; and during the second and third years, the annual fee for a two-hour course, thirty; for a three-hour course, forty-five; for a five-hour course, seventy-five; for a six-hour course, ninety dollars. In every case the fee covers the specified number of hours throughout the year — no student being received for a less period than one year. Such fees, when not more than one hundred dollars, are payable in advance; otherwise, in half-yearly instalments at the same time as regular fees.

 

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION GENERAL SCHEME.*

[*For details of each course and schemes of lectures — infra, “Course of Instruction in Detail.”]

 

UNDERGRADUATE COURSES.
(Hours per week per half year)

Outline of Mediaeval History (2 hours).
Outline of Modern History (2 hours).
Outline of European History since 1815 (2 hours).
Elements of Political Economy (2 hours).

 

[GRADUATE] FIRST YEAR

FIRST SESSION.

Physical and political geography; Ethnography; General political and constitutional history of Europe (4 hours).
Political and constitutional history of England to 1688 (2 hours)
Political economy: historical and practical (3 hours)
Seminarium in political economy (2 hours)
History of political theories (3 hours)
Historical and political geography (1 hour)
Political history of the State of New York (1 hour)
The relations of England and Ireland (1 hour)

 

SECOND SESSION.

Political and constitutional history of the United States (4 hours)
Political and constitutional history of England since 1688 (2 hours)
Political economy: taxation and finance (3 hours)
Seminarium in political economy (2 hours)
History of political theories (3 hours)
Historical and political geography (1 hour)
Political history of the State of New York (1 hour)

 

[GRADUATE] SECOND YEAR.

FIRST SESSION.

Comparative constitutional law of the principal European states and of the United States (3 hours)
History of European law (3 hours)
Comparative administrative law of the principal European states and of the United States (3 hours)
Social science: communistic and socialistic theories (2 hours)
History of political economy (2 hours)
Financial history of the United States (2 hours)
Seminarium in political economy (1 hour)

 

SECOND SESSION.

Comparative constitutional law of the several commonwealths of the American union (3 hours)
History of European law (3 hours)
Comparative administrative law of the principal European states and of the United States — Financial administration and administration of internal affairs (3 hours)
Social science: communistic and socialistic theories (2 hours)
History of political economy (2 hours)
Financial history of the United States (1 hour)
Tariff history of the United States (1 hour)
Seminarium in political economy (1 hour)

 

[GRADUATE] THIRD YEAR.

FIRST SESSION.

General history of diplomacy (2 hours)
International private law (1 hour)
Comparative jurisprudence (2 hours)
Local government (2 hours)
Social science: statistics, methods, and results (2 hours)
Seminarium in political economy (1 hour)
Ethnology and social institutions (1 hour)
New York city politics (1 hour)

 

SECOND SESSION.

Public international law (2 hours)
International private law (1 hour)
Comparative jurisprudence (2 hours)
Municipal government (2 hours)
Social science: statistics, methods, and results (2 hours)
Railroad problems (1889-90) (3 hours)
Seminarium in political economy (1 hour)
Ethnology and social institutions (1 hour)
Diplomatic history of the United States (1 hour)

 

 

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION IN DETAIL.

I.—CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY.

The student is supposed to be familiar with the outlines of European history, ancient and modern. Students who are not thus prepared are recommended to take the undergraduate courses in mediaeval and modern history. The courses of lectures held in the school are as follows:

1. General political and constitutional history, comprehending in detail: a view of the political civilization of imperial Rome; the history of the development of the government of the Christian church into the form of papal monarchy; the overthrow of the Roman imperial system and the establishment of German kingdoms throughout middle, western, and southern Europe; the character and constitution of these kingdoms; the conversion of the Germans to the Christian church, and the relations which the Christian church assumed towards the Germanic states; consolidation of the German kingdoms into the European empire of Charlemagne: character and constitution of the Carolingian state; its disruption through the development of the feudal system and the independent hierarchic church, and division into the kingdoms of Germany, France, and Italy; character and history of the feudal system as a state form; reestablishment of the imperial authority by the re-connection of Germany with Italy; conflict of the middle ages between church and state; the political disorganization and papal despotism resulting from the same: the development of the absolute monarchy and the reformation; the limitation of absolute kingly power and the development of constitutionalism — first in England, then in the United States, thirdly in France, and fourthly in Germany; lastly, the realization of the constitutional idea of the nineteenth century. [Professor Burgess]

2. Political and constitutional history of England. — This course supplements the general course above outlined, giving a fuller view of the constitutional development of England from the Anglo-Saxon period to the present day. [Professor R. M. Smith]

3. Political and constitutional history of the United States. — This course of lectures covers the history of the colonies and of the revolutionary war; the formation and dissolution of the confederate constitution; the formation of the constitution of 1787, and its application down to the civil war; the changes wrought in the constitution by the civil war, and the resulting transformation of the public law of the United States. [Professor Burgess]

4. The political and constitutional history of Rome is contained in the general history of Roman law. The topics to which especial attention is paid are: the probable origin of the city and its relation to the Latin confederacy; the character and mutual relation of the gentes and the kingship; the Servian constitution and the aristocratic reaction; the establishment of the aristocratic republic; the struggle between the orders and the modification of the constitution; the conquest of Italy and the relations established between Rome and the conquered states; the increase of the powers of the Roman senate; the conquest of the Mediterranean basin and the organization and government of the provinces; the social and economic effects of the conquest upon the Roman people; the struggle between the senatorial clique and the party of reform; the social and civil wars and the establishment of the principate; the development, in the third century after Christ, of the absolute empire; the alliance of the empire with the Christian church; the conquest of Italy by the Germans. [Professor Munroe Smith]

5. Political history of the State of New York. — The purpose of this course is to give a knowledge of the constitutional development and political history of the State of New York, beginning with the foundation of the colony by the Dutch and extending to the present time. It gives a brief account of the condition of the colony of New York, and the constitution of its government; then of the constitution made in 1777, and of each of the constitutions of 1821 and 1846, the amendments of 1875, together with the conventions in which each of these constitutions was made; also the history of political parties in the State of New York, showing their particular relation to these constitutions, and showing finally the methods of procedure of those parties and the influence exercised by them upon the legislation and procedure, or “practical politics,” of other states and of the great national political parties. [Mr. Whitridge]

6. Historical and Political Geography. — The purpose of this course is to give a description of the physical geography of Europe; to point out the various sections into which it is divided; to trace the territorial growth of modern European states; to describe the various geographical changes that have been made in the history of Europe; and to point out the ethnic conditions of the present states of the continent. [Professor Goodnow]

7. The relations of England and Ireland. — In a general way the Irish question has been the question of imposing upon the last and most persistent remnant of the old Celtic race the Teutonic ideas and institutions that have been developed in England. Three phases of the process are clearly distinguishable in history — the political, the religious, and the economical. It is designed in the lectures to follow out in some detail the modifications in the relations of the two islands affected by the varying prominence of these different phases. The long struggle for English political supremacy over all Ireland, from the twelfth to the seventeenth century, the religious wars, and the ruthless suppression of the Catholic population during the two succeeding centuries, and the origin and development of the land question out of the circumstances of both these periods, are described with special reference to their influence on the modern state of Irish affairs. Incidentally to these leading topics, the questions of governmental organization that have been prominent from time to time since the conquest are discussed, and the history of the Irish parliament is followed out in such a way as to illustrate the nature and importance of the agitation for home rule. [Dr. Dunning]

8. New York City politics. — This course treats of the relations of the city to the state, showing the growth of municipal independence. The early charters conferred but few rights on the city, the selection of the most important city officials being made at Albany. Tammany Hall has been the most important and powerful party organization. A brief history of the Tammany organization, its rulers, and its method of nominating public officers will be given. The “Tweed Ring” and the efforts of purifying city politics since its downfall will be described, including the reform charter of 1873, the amendments of 1884, the report of the Tilden Committee in 1875, and of the Roosevelt and Gibbs investigating committees. [Dr. Bernheim]

 

II.— CONSTITUTIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE LAW.

1. Comparative constitutional law of the principal European states and of the United States; comprehending a comparison of the provisions of the constitutions of England, United States, France, and Germany, the interpretation of the same by the legislative enactments and judicial decisions of these states, and the generalization from them of the fundamental principles of public law, common to them all. [Professor Burgess]

2. Comparative constitutional law of the several commonwealths of the American Union. — In this course of lectures comparison is made in the same manner of the constitutions of the thirty-eight states of the Union.

3. Comparative administrative law of the principal European states and of the United States. — The purpose of this course of lectures is to give a description of the methods of administration in the United States, France, Germany, and England. Special attention will be given to the laws both of Congress and of the different state legislatures, while the laws of foreign countries will be referred to for the purpose of instruction and comparison. The following list of topics will give a general idea of the subject, for which the name of administrative law has been chosen, because both in France and Germany, where this special part of the public law has been selected as the object of a thorough course of instruction, a similar name has been made use of.

General Part.

The separation of powers; the executive power; administrative councils; heads of departments; their tenure of office, their powers and duties; the general system of local government; officers, their appointment or election, their duties, their rights, removal from office; the administration in action; the control over the administration. This control is threefold in its character. I. — Administrative control. This is exercised by the superior over the inferior administrative officers by means of the power of removal and the power (given in many cases) to annul or amend administrative acts. II. — Judicial control. This is exercised by the courts, to which recourse is often granted against the action of the administration. Here the new courts will be examined, which have been established in France and Germany during this century, and to which the name of administrative courts has been given. III. — Legislative control. This is exercised by the legislature by means of its power to inform itself of the acts of the administration, and, if need be, to impeach administrative officers. [Professor Goodnow]

Special Part.

This part of the lectures will treat of the relations of the administrative authorities, both general and local, with the citizens. BOOK I. Financial administration. The management of public property, taxation, and public accounts, considered from the administrative rather than from the financial standpoint.— BOOK II. Internal administration. The legal provisions which aim at the prevention of evil, and which are sometimes designated as police measures — measures tending to prevent public disorder, public immorality, and disease. Further, provisions of a more positive character, whose purpose is to promote the public welfare; thus measures taken to provide means of public communication; to further the interests of trade, commerce, and industry; to ensure the control of the state over enterprises of a quasi-public character, such as railway companies and institutions of credit; to assist the poor, and educate the ignorant.

Each topic which will come under consideration will be treated historically, and with reference to the positive existing law: and for matters of special interest the comparison of systems of legislation will be extended to other countries than the four mentioned, when it is thought that this may be done with profit. In general, however, the comparison will be limited to the United States, France, Germany, and England.

4. — Local government. — This course will be devoted to the consideration of the various important systems of local government in the rural districts. The organization of the town and county and their corresponding divisions in other countries will be treated; and special attention will be directed to the historical development of existing systems, and to the question of administrative centralization. [Professor Goodnow]
5. — Municipal administration.— -The subjects to which special attention will be directed in these lectures are: the growth and importance of cities; the independence of cities from state control; the city as a public organ, and as a juristic person— a corporation; city organization and municipal elections; municipal civil service; city property and local taxation. In these lectures special attention is given to American cities and the City of New York; but the experience of foreign cities will be appealed to whenever it is thought that any thing may be learned therefrom. [Professor Goodnow]
6. — Seminarium in constitutional and administrative law.

 

III.— POLITICAL ECONOMY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE.

It is presumed that students possess a knowledge of the general principles of political economy as laid down in the ordinary manuals by Walker or Mill, before entering the school. Students who are not thus prepared are recommended to take the undergraduate course on the elements of political economy.

The courses of lectures held in the school are as follows:

1. Historical and practical political economy.— This course is intended to give the student a knowledge of the economic development of the world, in order that he may understand present economic institutions and solve present economic problems. The principal topics are: Introduction, concerning the study of political economy and its relation to political science; general sketch of the economic development of the world; the institutions of private property, bequest, and inheritance, and the principle of personal liberty as affecting the economic condition of the world; the problems of production, such as land tenure, population, capital, different forms of productive enterprise, statistics of production, particularly the natural resources of the United States; problems of exchange, such as free trade and protection, railroads money, bimetallism, paper-money, banking, commercial crises, etc.; problems of distribution, such as wages, trades-unions, co-operation, poor relief, factory laws, profit and interest, rent, progress and poverty; and finally a consideration of the function of the state in economic affairs. [Professor R. M. Smith]

2. Science of finance.— This course is also historical as well as comparative and critical. It treats of the expenditure of the state, and the methods of meeting the same among different civilized nations. It describes the different kinds of state revenues, especially taxes, and discusses the principles of taxation. It considers also public debt, methods of borrowing money, redemption, refunding, repudiation, etc. Finally it describes the financial organization of the state, by which the revenue is collected and expended. Students are furnished with the current public documents of the United States treasury, and expected to understand all the facts in regard to public debt, banking, and coinage therein contained. [Professor Seligman]

3. Financial history of the United States. — This course endeavors to present a complete survey of American legislation on currency, finance, and taxation, as well as its connection with the state of industry and commerce. Attention is called in especial to the financial history of the colonies, (colonial currency and taxation); to the financial methods of the revolution and the confederation; to the financial policy of the Federalists and the Republicans up to the war of 1812, including the refunding and payment of the debt, the internal revenue, and the banking and currency problems; to the financial history of the war with England; to the changes in the methods of taxation, and the crises of 1819, 1825, 1837; to the distribution of the surplus and the United States bank; to the currency problems up to the civil war; to the financial management of the war; to the methods of resumption, payment of the debt, national banks, currency questions, and problems of taxation; and finally to the recent development in national, state, and municipal finance and taxation. [Professor Seligman]

4. Industrial and tariff history of the United States. — The arguments of extreme free-traders as of extreme protectionists are often so one-sided that an impartial judgment can be formed only through a knowledge of the actual effects of the tariffs. It is the object of this course to give a detailed history of each customs tariff of the United States from the very beginning, to describe the arguments of its advocates and of its opponents in each case; to trace as far as possible the position of each of the leading industries before and after the passage of the chief tariff acts, and thus to determine how far the legislation of the United States has developed or hampered the progress of industry and the prosperity of the whole country. Attention is called in especial to the industrial history of the colonies; to the genesis of the protective idea and to Hamilton’s report; to the tariffs from 1789 to 1808; to the restriction and the war with England; to the tariffs of 1816, 1824, and the “tariff of abominations” of 1828; to the infant-industry argument; to the compromise and its effect on manufactures; to the era of moderate free trade; to the tariff of 1857, to the war tariffs; to their continuance, and to the pauper-labor argument; to the changes up to the present time. [Probably Professor Seligman]

5. History and criticism of economic theories. — This course comprises two parts. In the first the various systems are discussed, attention being directed to the connection between the theories and the organization of industrial society. In the second, the separate doctrines — e. g, of capital, rent, wages, etc. — are treated in their historical development. [Professor Seligman]

The first part is subdivided as follows:

I. Antiquity: Orient, Greece, and Rome.
II. Middle ages: Aquinas, Glossators, writers on money, etc.
III. Mercantilists: Stafford, Mun, Petty, North, Locke; Bodin, Vauban, Forbonnais; Serra, Galiani, Justi, etc.
IV. Physiocrats: Quesnay, Gournay, Turgot, etc.
V. Adam Smith and precursors: Tucker, Hume, Cantillon, Stewart.
VI. English school: Malthus, Ricardo, Senior, McCulloch, Chalmers, Jones, Mill, etc.
VII. The continent: Say, Sismondi, Hermann, List, Bastiat, etc.
VIII. German school: Roscher, Knies, Hildebrand.
IX. Recent development: Rogers, Jevons, Cairnes, Bagehot, Leslie, Toynbee; Wagner, Schmoller, Held, Brentano; Cherbuliez, Leroy-Beaulieu, De Laveleye; Cossa, Nazzani, Loria; Carey, George, Walker.

6. Communistic and socialistic theories: — The present organization of society is attacked by socialistic writers, who demand many changes, especially in the institution of private property and the system of free competition. It is the object of this course to describe what these attacks are, what changes are proposed, and how far these changes seem desirable or possible. At the same time an account is given of actual socialistic movements, such as the international, social democracy, etc. Advantage is taken of these discussions to make the course really one on social science, by describing modern social institutions, such as private property, in their historical origin and development, and their present justification. [Prof. R. M. Smith]

7. Statistical science; methods and results.— This course is intended to furnish a basis for a social science by supplementing the historical, legal, and economic knowledge already gained by such a knowledge of social phenomena as can be gained only by statistical observation. Under the head of statistics of population are considered: race and ethnological distinctions, nationality, density, city, and country, sex, age, occupation, religion, education, births, deaths, marriages, mortality tables, emigration, etc. Under economic statistics: land, production of food, raw material, labor, wages, capital, means of transportation, shipping, prices, etc. Under the head of moral statistics are considered: statistics of suicide, vice, crime of all kinds, causes of crime, condition of criminals, repression of crime, penalties and effect of penalties, etc. Finally is considered the method of statistical observations, the value of the results obtained, the doctrine of free will, and the possibility of discovering social laws. [Prof. R. M. Smith]Railroad problems; economical, social, and legal. — These lectures treat of railroads in the fourfold aspect of their relation to the investors, the employees, the public, and the state respectively. A history of railways and railway policy in America and Europe forms the preliminary part of the course. All the problems of railway management, in so^ far as they are of economic importance, come up for discussion. Among the subjects treated are: financial methods, railway construction, speculation, profits, failures, accounts and reports, expenses, tariffs, principles of rates, classification and discrimination, competition and pooling, accidents, employers’ liability, etc. Especial attention is paid to the methods of regulation and legislation in the United States as compared with European methods, and the course closes with a general discussion of state versus private management. [Professor Seligman]

9. Ethnology and social institutions of the people of the United States — This course is an analysis of the ethnic elements in the population of this country, of the influences affecting the character of the people, and deals with pertain social institutions that are neither purely economic, nor political, nor legal. It treats particularly of the effects of immigration in the past and at the present time. [Prof. R. M. Smith]

An outline of the course is as follows:

I. The original ethnic elements in the population; the process of colonization; influence of climate and geographical position; influence of slavery; present distribution of population, by areas, by altitude, rain-fall, temperature, etc.
II. The elements added by immigration; history of immigration; political economic and social effects of immigration; legislation restricting immigration, etc.
III. Social institutions and customs; marriage and divorce; poor relief and pauperism; charitable institutions, public and private; penology, prisons, convict labor; religious associations; social classes.

10. Seminarium in political economy. — Outside of the regular instruction in political economy and social science, it is the intention to furnish the students of the school an opportunity for special investigation of economic and social questions under the direction of the professor. This is done by means of original papers prepared by such students as choose to engage in this work. The papers are read before the professor and the students, and are then criticised and discussed. The number of meetings and the topics to be discussed are determined each year. During the coming year it is proposed to investigate various aspects of the labor problem.

 

IV— HISTORY OF EUROPEAN LAW AND COMPARATIVE JURISPRUDENCE.

1. History of European law.

BOOK I. Primitive law. The following topics are discussed from the comparative standpoint: evolution of the primitive state; the sanction of law, the redress of wrongs in primitive society, and the evolution of criminal and civil jurisdiction and procedure; early family and property law. — BOOK II. Roman law: the national system. (Royal and republican period.) The struggle between the orders and the development of a common law (XII Tables). The leading principles and juristic technique of the national system (jus civile). — BOOK III. Roman law: the universal system. Chapter I. Later republican period. The conquest of the entire civilized world, and the social, economic, and legal changes produced by the conquest. Reform of criminal law and procedure. The development of a universal commercial law by means of the praetorian edicts. The praetorian formulae of action. Chapter II. Early imperial period. The empire under republican forms. Development of criminal and civil procedure extra ordinem. The classical jurisprudence. Chapter III. Later imperial period. Social, economic, and legal decadence. Codification of the law by Justinian.— BOOK IV. Mediaeval law. Chapter I. German law. Character of early German law; the reforms of Charles the Great; maintenance of Carolingian institutions in Normandy, and further development of these institutions in Norman England; general disappearance of the Carolingian institutions on the continent, and arrest of the legal development. Chapter II. Roman law. Survival of the Roman law (i) in the Byzantine empire; (2) in the new German kingdoms, as personal law of the conquered Romans; (3) in the Christian church. Establishment and extent of the ecclesiastical jurisdiction; the development and the codification of the Canon Law; influence exercised by this law upon the subsequent development of Europe. Revival of the study of the Justinian or Civil Law in Italy; influx of foreign students. The theory of imperium continuum. Reception of the Justinian law in the German empire; partial reception in France and Spain; failure of the Roman law to gain footing in England. Influence of the Roman law in other countries: the ”scientific” as distinguished from the “practical” reception.— BOOK V. Modern law. The reaction against the Roman law (1) among the people; (2) among the jurists; (3) in modern legislation. The great national codes of the 18th and 19th centuries. Relation of these codes to the Roman and German law. [Professor Munroe Smith]

2. Comparative jurisprudence. — This course of lectures presents succinctly the leading principles of modern private law. The order of treatment is as follows: BOOK I. Law in general: conception, establishment, and extinction, interpretation and application. BOOK II. Private legal relations in general: nature of private rights; holders of rights (physical and juristic persons); establishment, modification, and extinction of rights (legal acts, illegal acts or torts, operation of time); enforcement of rights. BOOK III. Legal relations concerning things. BOOK IV. Legal relations arising from executory contracts. BOOK V. Family relations and guardianship. BOOK VI. Relations mortis causâ (inheritance). [Professor Munroe Smith]

3. International private law. — In this course the theories of the foreign authorities are noticed, and the practice of the foreign courts in the so-called conflicts of private law is compared with the solution given to these questions by our own courts. [Professor Munroe Smith]

4. Seminarium for studies in comparative legislation. — The courses above described lay the basis for the comprehension of foreign legislations. The object of the seminarium is to train the student in the practical use of these legislations. Participation in the seminarium is optional. The work is to be done by the students themselves, under the direction and with the assistance of the professor in this department. It is intended that they shall devote themselves to the study of questions of practical interest de lege ferenda, and that they shall collate and compare the solutions given to these questions in our own and in foreign countries.

 

V.— DIPLOMACY AND INTERNATIONAL LAW.

1. The history of diplomacy from the peace of Westphalia to the treaty of Berlin. — The object of this course is to present, in their historical connection, the international treaties and conventions framed between these two periods, and to trace through them the development of the principles of international law. [Professor Burgess]

2. International law. — In this course the principles attained through usage, treaty, and convention are arranged in systematic form. [Professor Burgess]

3. Diplomatic history of the United States. — The purpose of this course is to treat primarily of the diplomatic history of Lincoln’s and Johnson’s administration. An outline and characterization of the policies of Marcy, Cass, and Black will also be given. [Professor Burgess]

 

VI.— HISTORY OF POLITICAL THEORIES.

Every people known to history has possessed some form, however vague and primitive, of political government. Every people which has attained a degree of enlightenment above the very lowest has been permeated by some ideas, more or less systematic, as to the origin, nature and limitations of governmental authority. It is the purpose of this course to trace historically the development of these ideas, from the primitive notions of primitive people to the complex and elaborate philosophical theories that have characterized the ages of highest intellectual refinement. [Dr. Dunning]

BOOK I., after a short survey of the theocratical system of the Brahmans and the rationalistic doctrine of Confucius, treats mainly of the political philosophy of Greece and Rome, with especially attention to the profound speculations of Plato and Aristotle.

BOOK II. discusses the political doctrines of early Christianity and the Christian church, with the controversy of Papacy and Empire, and the elaborate systems of St. Thomas Aquinas and his adversaries.

BOOK III. treats of that age of renaissance and reformation in which Machiavelli and Bodin, Suarez and Bellarmino, Luther and Calvin worked out their various solutions of the great problem, how to reconcile the conflicting doctrines of theology, ethics, and politics.

BOOK IV. covers the period of modern times, as full of great names in political philosophy, as of great events in political history. Here are examined the doctrine of natural law, as developed by Grotius and Puffendorf, the doctrine of divine right of kings with its corollary of passive obedience, as in Filmer and Bossuet, the theory of the constitutionalists, Locke and Montesquieu, the idea of social contract, made most famous by Rousseau, and the various additions to and modifications of these doctrines down to the present day.

 

PRIZES.

PRIZE FELLOWSHIPS.

In 1886 Mr. Jesse Seligman founded four fellowships of the annual value of two hundred and fifty dollars each. These fellowships are awarded at the discretion of the faculty to students of the third year in the School of Political Science, under the sole condition that the recipient of the fellowship be a candidate for the degree of doctor of philosophy.

PRIZE IN POLITICAL ECONOMY.

An annual prize of one hundred and fifty dollars for the best essay on some subject in political economy has been established by Mr. Edwin R. A. Seligman, of the class of 1879. Competition for the prize is open to all members of the School of Political Science. The topic selected must be approved by the faculty, and the essay itself must not be less than twenty thousand words in length.

 

PREPARATION FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE.

Young men who wish to obtain positions in the United States Civil Service—especially in those positions in the Department of State for which special examinations are held — will find it advantageous to follow many of the courses in the School of Political Science. Some of the subjects upon which applicants for these positions are examined are treated very fully in the curriculum of the school. Thus, extended courses of lectures are given on political geography and history, diplomatic history and international law, government and administration.

Full opportunity is given in the School of Arts for the study of the principal modern languages, and all the courses in that school are open to the students of the School of Political Science.

 

ADMISSION TO OTHER COURSES.

ADMISSION TO UNDERGRADUATE COURSES.

Any student of the School of Political Science may attend any or all of the courses of the School of Arts, with the permission of the instructors concerned, without the payment of any further tuition fee than that due to the School of Political Science.

ADMISSION TO GRADUATE COURSES.

The trustees have provided that courses of instruction shall be given in the college to graduates of this and other colleges in a large variety of subjects. Students of the School of Political Science, who may be bachelors of arts, of letters, or of science at entrance, or who, after having completed their first year in the School of Political Science, shall have received their first degree, may be admitted without additional tuition fee to the graduate classes, in such subjects as they may desire to pursue.

Among the cognate courses which may be taken without conflict of hours are:

History of Philosophy, two hours a week. Ethics, two hours a week. Readings in Gaius and Ulpian, one hour a week. Courses in the various modern languages, and others.

Students who are candidates for the degrees of Ph.B., A.B., A.M., and Ph.D., and who take senior and graduate studies in the School of Arts to the amount of six hours per week, are not required to take more than nine hours a week in the School of Political Science.

Information in regard to the undergraduate courses and a list of the subjects embraced in the scheme of graduate instruction for the ensuing year will be furnished on application to the registrar of Columbia College, Madison avenue and 49th street, New York City.

ADMISSION TO THE COURSES OF THE SCHOOL OF LAW.

Those students who intend to make law their profession may combine the ordinary course of study required for admission to the bar with the course in political science. The hours of lectures in the two schools are so arranged as to make this combination feasible; and experience has shown that the satisfactory completion of both courses within three years is not beyond the powers of an industrious student of fair ability.

The instruction offered in the School of Political Science upon constitutional, administrative, and international law, and upon Roman law and comparative jurisprudence, furnishes the natural and necessary complement to the studies of the School of Law. Law is, with us, the chief avenue into politics; and for this, if for no other reason, a complete legal education should include the science of politics. But the importance to the lawyer or the subjects above mentioned does not depend simply on the prospect of a political career. To become a thorough practitioner, the student must acquire a thorough knowledge of public law; and if he wishes to be any thing more than an expert practitioner, if he wishes to know law as a science, some knowledge of other systems than our own becomes imperative. From this point of view the Roman law is of paramount importance, not merely by reason of its scientific structure, but because it is the basis of all modern systems except the English. Elsewhere than in our own country these facts are uniformly recognized, not in the schemes of legal instruction only, but in the state examinations for admission to the bar.

In order to encourage, by the combination of the two courses, the acquisition of a well-rounded juristic training, the trustees have provided that any student of the School of Political Science may attend any or all of the courses of the School of Law, without the payment of any further tuition fee than that due to the School of Political Science; and, conversely, that any student of the School of Law may attend any or all of the lectures in the School of Political Science, without payment of any further tuition fee than that due to the School of Law; and that the student registered in both schools may be a candidate for degrees in both schools at the same time.

Students in the School of Law are required to take only nine hours per week in the School of Political Science. For further information see law school circular.

 

LIBRARY.

The special library of political science was begun in 1877, and it was intended to include the most recent and most valuable European and American works in this department. Particular attention was, and is, given to providing the material needed for original investigation.

The total number of volumes in the department of history and political science is at present (1890) more than 18,000. In the department of law the total number of volumes is about 10,000. The original material requisite for the study of foreign law has been largely increased during the last two years.

The students of the School of Political Science are entitled to the use, subject to the rules established by the library committee, of the entire university library. The library is open from 8½ A.M. to 10 P.M. Information concerning the sources and literature of the political sciences is given in the various courses of lectures held in the schools. The students can obtain supplementary information and general guidance and assistance in their investigations, from the librarian in special charge of law, history, and political science.

 

EXAMINATIONS AND DEGREES.

No student of the school can be a candidate for any degree unless he have successfully pursued a course of undergraduate study in this college, or in some other maintaining an equivalent curriculum, to the close of the junior year.

Students thus qualified, who shall satisfactorily complete the studies of the first year or their equivalent in the senior year in the School of Arts, shall be entitled, on examination and recommendation of the faculty, to receive the degree of bachelor of philosophy or the degree of bachelor of arts. The latter degree requires the concurrence of the Faculty of Arts, and is not conferred unless the student has taken courses, in the first year of the School of Political Science, or courses in that year and in the senior year of the School of Arts, amounting to fifteen hours a week.

Students of the school who have obtained the degree of bachelor of arts at this or at any other college maintaining an equivalent curriculum, and who are at the same time students in the School of Law, or who have pursued studies in the graduate department of philosophy, philology, and letters, to the amount of six hours per week, will, after passing satisfactorily through courses in the school, amounting to nine hours per week, be recommended by the faculty of the school for the degree of master of arts. The purpose of this provision is to allow students to pursue a course either mainly in law or mainly in economics. These courses may be continued through the third year, so that students who have obtained the degree of bachelor of arts are offered a two years’ course in either law or economics. (See supra, “Course of Instruction in General and in Detail.”) Students in the School of Political Science alone are required to pursue all of the studies of the second year, and to pass a satisfactory examination in them, in order to obtain the degree of master of arts.

Students in the School of Political Science who are at the same time students in the School of Law, or who are taking at least six hours a week in the graduate departments of philosophy, philology, and letters, who elect and satisfactorily complete courses in the third year of the School of Political Science embracing nine lectures per week, shall be entitled, on recommendation of the faculty of the school, to receive the degree of doctor of philosophy. Students who are in the School of Political Science only must take the entire work of the third year of the school.

To obtain recommendation for the last degree, the candidate will be required:

1. To prepare an original dissertation, not less than 20,000 words in length, upon a subject approved by the faculty.
2. To defend such dissertation before the faculty.
3. To pass collateral examinations (reading at sight) upon Latin and either French or German.
4.Candidates who have obtained the degree of bachelor of arts or bachelor of philosophy in this school, or bachelor of arts in this or any other college maintaining an equivalent curriculum, will be required to pass, further, an oral examination on their work in the last two years of the school; candida tes who have obtained the degree of master of arts from this school will be required to pass an oral examination on their work in the last year of the school. Candidates who have none of these degrees will be required to pass an oral examination on the entire work of the school.

The candidate for the degree of doctor of philosophy may present himself for examination at any time when the college is in session, excepting the month of June. The subject chosen by the candidate for his dissertation, which may be presented to the faculty before or after the examination on the work in the school, should be made known to the faculty at least four months before the proposed time of examination thereupon. A printed (or type-written) copy of the dissertation must be submitted to each member of the faculty at least one month before the day of such examination. The title-page must contain the name of the candidate and the words “Submitted as one of the requirements for the degree of doctor of philosophy in the School of Political Science, Columbia College.”

The successful candidate must present a copy of his dissertation to the college library.

All degrees awarded will be publicly conferred at commencement.

 

EXAMINATION FEES.

Examination fees are as follows: For the degree of bachelor of arts, fifteen dollars; for the degree of bachelor of philosophy, twenty-five dollars; for the degree of master of arts, twenty-five dollars; for the degree of doctor of philosophy, thirty-five dollars. The examination fee must in each case be paid before the candidate presents himself for examination for the degree.

 

COMMENCEMENT.

The commencement exercises of the college take place annually on the second Wednesday of June.

 

ACADEMY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE.

This institution is devoted to the cultivation and advancement of the political sciences. It is composed mainly of graduates of the Schools of Law and Political Science of Columbia College, but any person whose previous studies have fitted him to participate in the work of the academy is eligible to membership.

Meetings of the academy are held on the first and third Mondays of each month. At these meetings papers are read by members presenting the results of original investigation by the writers in some department of political science.

 

PRIZE LECTURESHIPS.

The trustees have established in the School of Political Science three prize lectureships of the annual value of five hundred dollars each, tenable for three years. The power of appointment is vested in the faculty. One of these three lectureships becomes vacant at the close of each academic year. The previous holder may be reappointed. The conditions of competition are as follows:

1. The candidate must be a graduate of the School of Political Science or of the Law School of Columbia College. In the latter case he must have pursued the curriculum of the School of Political Science for at least two years.
2. He must be an active member of the Academy of Political Science.
3. He must have read at least one paper before the Academy of Political Science during the year next preceding the appointment.

The duty of the lecturer is to deliver annually, before the students of the School of Political Science, a series of at least twenty lectures, the result of original investigation.

 

[3 pages of hour by weekday tables of course schedules for six semesters over three years]

 

CALENDAR.

1890 —

. — Examinations for admission begin, Monday.
Oct. . — Matriculation, Saturday.
Oct. 6. — Lectures begin, Monday.
Nov. 4. — Election day, holiday.
Nov. . — Thanksgiving day, holiday.
Dec. 22. — Christmas recess begins, Monday.

1891 —

Jan. 3. — Christmas recess ends, Saturday.
Feb. 4. — First session ends, Wednesday.
Feb. 5. — Second session begins, Thursday.
Feb. 11. — Ash-Wednesday, holiday.
Feb. 22. — Washington’s birthday, holiday.
Mar. 27. — Good-Friday, holiday.
May 18. — Examinations begin, Monday.
June 10. — Commencement, Wednesday.

 

Source: Columbia College. School of Political Science. Circular of Information 1890-91.

Image Source: Art and Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. “Columbia College, Madison Ave., New York, N.Y.” New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed January 27, 2017. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e0-cc61-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99