Prompt Cast
The History and Traditions of Academic Degrees and Graduation
TLDR The history of academic degrees and graduation traditions can be traced back to the Middle Ages when the first universities were established. The current three-tier system of degrees was developed in the 19th century, and graduation gowns and caps have evolved to represent different degrees and areas of study.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
The podcast explores the history of academic degrees and the traditions associated with graduation.
01:37
The history of academic degrees and graduation traditions can be traced back to the Middle Ages when the first universities, which were like guilds of scholars and teachers, were established in Europe.
03:09
The degree system today mirrors the levels of a guild, with master's degrees originally being a license to teach and doctorate degrees being considered at the same rank as a master.
04:36
The University of Paris issued the first bachelor's degree in 1231, which was derived from the term "baccalaureus" and originally used by guilds as an equivalent of yeoman or journeyman.
06:03
The use of the term doctor to refer to physicians is a relatively modern thing, and the current three-tier system of degrees was developed with the introduction of the Doctor of Philosophy degree in the 19th century.
07:31
The Associate's degree was first created in the UK in the late 19th century and is now considered to be between a high school diploma and a bachelor's degree, while graduation gowns were originally developed at medieval universities as a type of dress code to provide uniformity and separate themselves from the community.
08:54
The tassels on graduation caps originally reflected different degrees, but now they are colored to represent areas of study and may have adornments for honor societies, and there is an entire academic dress code in the United States that goes into great detail about how the regalia should be worn.
