Yale establishes the Department of Philosophy and the Arts, the first graduate school in the United States
- When
- 1847–1861
- Where
- New Haven, Connecticut
- Episodes
- 4
In August 1847, the Yale Corporation established the Department of Philosophy and the Arts in New Haven, Connecticut. This body, initially enrolling eleven students, became the oldest graduate school in North America. It later served as the precursor to the Sheffield Scientific School and awarded the first Ph.D. degrees in North America in 1861.
Episodes
- Establishment of Department of Philosophy and the Arts
The Yale Corporation established the Department of Philosophy and the Arts in August 1847, enrolling eleven students.
- Separation of Sheffield Scientific School
The Sheffield Scientific School was cleaved from the Department of Philosophy and the Arts in 1854.
- Establishment of Ph.D. Degree
Faculty established a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1860, following the model of German research universities.
- First Ph.D. Awards
The school awarded the first three Ph.D.'s in North America at Commencement in July 1861.
Background and detail
Background. The Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is the graduate school of Yale University, a private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest graduate school in North America and was the first to confer a Doctor of Philosophy degree. It is one of twelve constituent schools of Yale University.
Establishment. Established by an act of the Yale Corporation in August 1847, the school was originally called the "Department of Philosophy and the Arts." It enrolled eleven students who had completed four-year undergraduate degrees. The department was also the precursor of the Sheffield Scientific School, which was cleaved from the department in 1854.
Early Development. Following the model of German research universities, the Scientific School faculty established a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1860. At Commencement in July 1861, the school awarded the first three Ph.D.'s in North America to Eugene Schuyler, Arthur Williams Wright, and James Morris Whiton.
People involved
- Eugene Schuyler · First Ph.D. recipient (philosophy and psychology)
- Arthur Williams Wright · First Ph.D. recipient (physics)
- James Morris Whiton · First Ph.D. recipient (classics)
Sources
- Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Wikipedia, revision of 2026-06-01
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.