The Three Years Course.

A great change in the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts is announced in the College regulations for 1902-03. The new rules apply to students admitted to College as Freshmen with the class of 1905 and to all students subsequently admitted.

In brief, it will be more difficult than at present for a student to obtain an A.B. in four years, and easier for him to get the degree in three years. Between the former requirements for an A.B. in three years and for an A.B. in four years, a compromise has been reached by raising the entire standard of College work and by requiring the same standard for a three as for a four year's course.

Under the former rules, a recommendation for the degree of Bachelor of Arts required a grade above D in at least one half of a student's course; and to obtain the degree at the end of his third year, a student had to pass his courses with grades entitling him to graduation cum laude, that is with grade A or B in nine courses. Under the changed rules, two thirds instead of one half of a student's grader are required to be above D for an A.B. in four years, and the same standard of work is necessary for the degree in three years.

The changes are not made particularly to encourage the three years' course, but rather not to discourage those students who desire especially to complete their course in three years, and to establish a fairer system of requirements by judging students' work in the three years' as well as in the four years' course by the same standard.