In London, the position of medical study is peculiar. It is mainly in the hands of ancient Medical Schools, each with its own large Hospital—Bartholomew's, St. George's, Guy's, St. Thomas's, Westminster, etc.—out of which, in fact, the Teaching School has developed. These great Medical Schools followed the policy of the University of Edinburgh, opposing to the admission of women such relentless hostility that eventually the women had to create and finance a separate school. Thus came into being the London School of Medicine for Women, which succeeded in making a working arrangement for clinical instruction at the Royal Free Hospital. Though women are now admitted to the Medical Schools of University and King's Colleges, and the Charing Cross Hospital, most of the great Hospital Medical Schools are still closed to them, and the London School of Medicine for Women remains the chief centre for the medical education of women in London.
Pharmacy is taught at most of the Universities, but all pharmacists must prepare, at the Universities or in special schools, for examinations held by an outside body—the Pharmaceutical Society. Degrees in Dentistry are conferred by some Universities, and an excellent training is provided, but the profession of Dentistry is still unregulated by the State, and unqualified persons freely practise. This makes Dentistry less popular as a profession among persons of University education; but there is a great field for qualified dentists, and women would do well to enter upon it in larger numbers.
Languages studied at the Universities are Greek, Latin, French, German, Oriental languages, and more recently, Italian, Spanish, and Russian. The teaching in modern languages is carried on partly by native, partly by foreign lecturers; except in Oriental languages, which are practically always taught by Englishmen. There is a tendency observable at present in the Secondary Schools, and in the Universities, to give less attention than hitherto to Greek and Latin.
Faculties of Commerce have been established in the great civic Universities of Birmingham and Manchester, and recently in London; Leeds and Liverpool also give teaching in Commerce. Economics is a subject of study—sometimes the subject of an Honours Schools—in most of the Universities. The London School of Economics has unrivalled facilities for research and advanced study.
In the Fine Arts there is practically no University study. Throughout the country there are Schools of Music, some of which are recognised, as in London and Manchester, as institutions affiliated to the University; but none of them are mainly under University control. The Schools of Art existing in many of the larger cities are also self-governing institutions. A movement has been set on foot for bringing some of these into closer connection with the Universities, and the Slade Art School in London is closely connected with University College; but on the whole very little progress has yet been recorded. The nearest approach to recognition of the existence of the Fine Arts (outside the Slade School), is the establishment of Schools of Art and Architecture in the Universities of Liverpool and Manchester, but these are concerned very largely with Architecture rather than with the Fine Arts.
The study of Law in England is carried on to some extent in the Universities, many of which have Faculties of Law; but the examinations which admit to practice as Barristers are controlled by the Council of Legal Education (established by four ancient foundations, the Inns of Court in London), and those admitting Solicitors are held by the Law Society. Preparation for these examinations is mainly post-graduate, and must, in part at least, be carried on in the Inns of Court or under the Law Society. Colonial and foreign students may, under certain conditions, be admitted. The admission of women is of very recent date. No woman has as yet quite completed all the formalities entitling her to be "called to the Bar"—that is, to be recognised as qualified to plead before the Courts; but a considerable number are now engaged in preparing for the profession, as solicitors or barristers.
The study of Agriculture, Horticulture and kindred subjects is provided for in nearly all the Universities, which maintain their own practical and experimental farms. It is, however, more usual to pursue these studies in various independent colleges, where practical work plays a larger part than scientific training. For women there are, among others, Horticultural Colleges at Swanley and at Studley, and the Edinburgh School of Gardening for Women. These colleges for the most part prepare pupils for the examinations of the Royal Horticultural Society. The University College of Reading makes special provision for education in Horticulture and Agriculture, which is rendered valuable by close co-operation with the Department of Science; and the College awards its own Diploma.
Physical Culture.—Very little attention is at present paid by University authorities to physical training and education, no University giving a professional training in physical culture. For women a number of independent Colleges provide full courses of instruction suited to prepare teachers in the subject; for men teachers there is practically no provision. Any systematic teaching in gymnasium exercise is usually given to men by ex-Army instructors; coaching in games (football, cricket, rowing, etc.), is given by special experts. For a nation which, unofficially, attaches immense importance to physical "fitness" and to athletic games, the neglect of scientific study of the subject, and the absence of official provision for systematic exercise, is astonishing. Universities and Colleges for the most part limit themselves to supporting financially the provision of gymnasium and athletic grounds, where such students as desire if may indulge in open-air games or indoor exercise. In the residential Universities the early part of the afternoon is by common consent left free for recreation; but in the great civic Universities, for the most part non-residential, this is rendered impossible by the necessity for freeing the later afternoon for the return journey of students from a distance. As a result, large numbers of students never take any recreative exercise; and for all of them the possibilities are extremely limited. In these civic Universities, moreover, the athletic grounds are nearly all inevitably situated at a considerable distance from the University buildings. In these circumstances, opportunities for playing games are practically limited to "match teams," the chief game played by women being hockey. The part of the average student is therefore mainly that of an onlooker, and this is likely to continue so, unless the Universities should decide to take more full official direction of the physical development of their students. There are signs of a movement towards this; but the difficulties are great, and very little has been achieved. The Board of Education has set an example by insisting that all students training to be teachers, at the Universities or elsewhere, shall take a minimum of some form of physical exercise.
Social Science.—Several Universities carry on Departments (or Schools) for the study of Social Science, usually in close connection with University Settlements and with such organisations for charity and relief as exist in the district. Women enter these "Schools" in some number; since there are many openings for them as organising secretaries, and some few as investigators into social conditions. Birmingham, Glasgow, and Liverpool are good centres for this study; and the London School of Economics offers an excellent training in methods of research.
Household Economics.—Very little has as yet been done by the Universities for this subject of study. Most of the large cities support Municipal Schools of Domestic Economy; but these are unconnected with the Universities, and give a training which is purely practical. It is much to be desired that encouragement should be given to a more scientific study of questions of nutrition and diet, and methods of institutional management. The only institution of University rank concerning itself with this study is King's College for Women (Household and Social Science Department), London.