Description

The foundation of universities in late medieval Europe also ushered in the earliest colleges, intended primarily to house students but also to provide tutoring, social support, and financial assistance. The earliest colleges arose in Paris but soon spread to Bologna, Oxford, and other university towns. This course traces the history of colleges from late medieval Europe to nineteenth-century America. It considers the various models of colleges that developed in northern and southern Europe, and how those models were transferred across the Atlantic. Some colleges remained primarily residences, while others expanded to offer a full graduate and undergraduate curriculum. We will also consider topics like student life, financial arrangements, admissions, alumni, and academic requirements.