Graduate work at Queen's was established formally in 1889 with the adoption of regulations for the PhD and DSc degrees.
At that time, the degree of MA was not a graduate degree, but was given on the completion of honours work in certain courses, provided the candidate had first class standing. With the introduction of a new system of studies in 1919, however, a graduate program was set up requiring a year of work beyond the BA and prescribing advanced lecture courses and a thesis or other piece of independent work.
In 1926, the master's course was strengthened by making the Honours BA (or its equivalent, with at least second class standing) the standard of admission, and the regulations stated that the degree was to be given "not on the grounds of general attainment, but in recognition of the candidate's wide knowledge of a special field of study."
The degree of MSc was given for the first time in 1905/06. Graduates holding a bachelor's degree could qualify for the MSc by practicing engineering for two years or spending one year at the University. In 1922/23, a formal course was set up and one year of attendance beyond the BSc was required. Strong emphasis was placed on research and the thesis.
The establishment of the Chown Science Research Chair in 1919 and the Miller Memorial Research Chair in 1929 did much to stimulate graduate work in the Departments of Physics, Chemistry, Geology, and Mineralogy, increasing the number of graduate students in these fields.
The administrative aspect of graduate work was first formalized by the Faculty of Arts which set up a Committee on Graduate Studies in 1941. Other faculties followed this example and in 1943, the Senate constituted the 成人大片 Board of Graduate Studies. This board was reconstituted into the School of Graduate Studies in 1963.
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