The minutes of this meeting of the Columbia Faculty of Political Science’s Committee on Instruction caught my eye because of Paul Douglas‘ petition to substitute a pair of sociology courses offered by Professor Franklin Giddings for a couple of intellectual history courses that would satisfy the distribution requirements for the second minor.
It appears that Douglas thus managed to have his major and both minors all in Group III (i.e., political economy and finance; sociology and statistics; social economy).
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Minutes of Committee on Instruction, February 21, 1916
A meeting of the Committee on Instruction of the Faculty of Political Science was held in Professor Seligman’s office on Monday, February 21, 1916.
Present: Professors Seligman, Giddings, Dunning, Shotwell and Dean Woodbridge.
The Chairman presented the following petitions, which were approved and referred by the Committee to the Dean for further action:
Petition from Miss Dorothy Stimson to divide her second minor for the doctor’s degree between Public Law and Politics.
Petition from Mr. Paul H. Douglas to offer Sociology 257 and 258, under the heading History of Thought and Culture, as a second minor for the Ph.D.
A statement from Mrs. H. L. Hollingworth, submitting the courses which she is offering for the Ph. D. Degree in Sociology, as follows:
Sociology 251-252 (2 full courses) Taken in 1912-13.
Psychology 263 (1 full course) Taken in 1912-13.
(Social Psychology)
Educational Sociology 107-8 (2 half courses) Taken in 1912-13.
Sociology 257 (1 full course) Taken in 1913-14
Sociology E1 43-4 (24 courses) Taken in 1915-16
One more full course in Sociology to be taken next semester.
The statement was accepted as satisfactory.
A petition of Mr. Ahmed Shukri to substitute Arabic in place of Latin was granted.
The Chairman read the letter from the Secretary of the Faculty concerning the routine to be followed in the reporting of changes of courses vt [sic] students. After consider[ation] of the matter, it was decided that only those cases which involve changes of subjects, with their regular combinations, should be reported to the Faculty, and that they should be reported by the Dean, not by the Committee, the Committee in every case referring the petition to the Dean.
The Committee then took up the changes in courses for the following year as attached:
[…]
The change in Economics is as follows:
PROFESSOR MITCHELL
Course on “Types” changed from one-term to two-term course.
Course on “Crises” withdrawn
[…]
Source: Columbia University Archives. Department of Economics Collection. Box 1, Folder “Committee on Instruction”.
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Catalogue Listings of Sociology Courses Petitioned by Paul Douglas
Sociology 257—The Evolution of Progressive Society. Professor Giddings.
Full or half course. F. at 2.10 and 3.10 515 K.
Factors of social evolution in Western Europe. Elements of progressive society; English civilization as example of evolution of progressive society; its ethnic elements; economic factors; folk thought, folk ways and mores; early family and tribal organization; development of a people with distinctive habits and characteristics.
(Identical with History 257.)
Given in 1915-16 and in alternate years thereafter.
Sociology 258—The Evolution of Progressive Society. Professor Giddings.
Full or half course. F. at 2.10 and 3.10 515 K.
Achievement of civil liberty in combination with social order; rise of industrial democracy; problems of social justice; individualism; collective responsibility for human progress.
(Identical with History 258.)
Given in 1915-16 and in alternate years thereafter.
Source: Columbia University. Bulletin of Information (July 3, 1915). History, Economics, and Public Law: Courses offered by the Faculty of Political Science, 1915-16, p. 36.
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From the 1915-16 Regulations for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy. — Each student who declares himself a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy shall designate one principal or major subject and two subordinate or minor subjects. Candidates are expected to devote about one-half of their time throughout their course of study to the major subject, and about one-quarter to each minor subject. Except by vote of the Executive Committee of the University Council, upon the recommendation of the Dean and the head of the department concerned, no candidate may choose his major and both minor subjects under one department. Major and minor subjects may not be changed except by permission of the Dean, on the approval of the head of the departments concerned. Both the professor in charge of the major subject and the Dean must pass upon the student’s qualifications for the course of study he desires to pursue, and approve his choice of subjects before registration can be effected. The subjects from which the candidate’s selection must be made are:
Under the Faculty of Political Science
Group I. — History and political philosophy: (1) Ancient and oriental history; (2) medieval history and church history; (3) modern European history from the opening of the 16th century; (4) American history; (5) history of thought and culture.
Group II. — Politics, public law and comparative jurisprudence: (1) Politics; (2) Constitutional Law and Administrative Law; (3) International Law; (4) Roman Law and Comparative Jurisprudence.
Group III. — Economics and social science: (1) Political economy and finance; (2) sociology and statistics; (3) social economy.
A candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy whose major subject lies within the jurisdiction of this Faculty must select one minor subject outside of the group which includes his major subject, and one minor subject within the group which includes his major subject. He must take, in his major subject, courses occupying at least four hours weekly during each required year of residence (provided that this number of hours be offered in the subject), and must also attend a Seminar during the period of residence. In each minor subject he must take courses occupying at least two hours weekly during each required year of residence.
Source: Columbia University, Catalogue, 1915-16, pp. 214-5.
Image Source: Paul H. Douglas’ college yearbook entry. The Bowdoin Bugle (1913).