Janice Lozano
University College London (UCL) is a public research university in London, England. It was established in 1826 as London University and was the first university institution to be founded in London. In 1878, it became the first British university to admit women on equal terms to men, in all faculties except Medicine. This came a decade after the University of London became the first university in the world to admit women, when, in 1868, it voted to allow women to sit the General Examination.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year University College London allowed female students | 1878 |
| First female students | Sarah Jane Moody, Eliza Orme, Louisa von Glehn, Kate Spiller, Isabella de Lancy West, Susannah Wood, Mary Anne Belcher, Hendilah Lawrence and Mary Baker Watson |
| Year University College London was founded | 1826 |
| University College London's former name | London University |
| University College London's current name | University College London (UCL) |
| University College London's location | London, England |
| University College London's type of institution | Public research university |
| University College London's student population | Second-largest university in the United Kingdom by total enrollment and the largest by postgraduate enrollment |
| University College London's degree-awarding powers | Granted in 2005 |
| University College London's mergers | Institute of Child Health, School of Podiatry, Institute of Neurology, Royal Free Hospital Medical School, School of Slavonic and East European Studies, Eastman Dental Institute |
Explore related products
$39.51 $54.99
What You'll Learn
University College London's first female students
University College London, branded as UCL, is a public research university in London, England. It was established in 1826 as London University, without university degree-awarding powers. It was the first university institution to be established in London and the first in England to be entirely secular and admit students regardless of their religion.
The University of London was the first in the UK to award degrees to women, which it did in 1878. UCL became the first British university to admit women on equal terms to men in all faculties except Medicine. The University of London's Senate voted to admit women to sit the General Examination in June 1868, becoming the world's first university to accept women.
In 1869, nine women sat the General Examination, and six passed and were awarded honours: Sarah Jane Moody, Eliza Orme, Louisa von Glehn, Kate Spiller, Isabella de Lancy West, and Susannah Wood. The remaining three students, Mary Anne Belcher, Hendilah Lawrence, and Mary Baker Watson, did not pass. All nine were pioneers in women's higher education.
Eliza Orme (1848-1937) was among the first women to study economics at UCL. She also studied law and earned an LLB degree in 1888. She entered a legal career and participated in public life through the Liberal Party. Sophie Bryant (1850-1922), born in Dublin, was another early female student at UCL who taught mathematics. Ada Heather-Bigg (1855-1944), who studied at UCL from 1875, became a suffragist and opponent of restrictions on women's work. She was prominent in the Women's Provident and Protective League and the Women's Employment Association.
University's Top Student: What's in a Name?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The University of London's first female students
The University of London was the first university in the UK to admit women. In June 1868, the University of London's Senate voted to admit women to sit the General Examination, thus becoming the world's first university to accept women.
The first "General Examination for Women" was held on 15 May 1869, and nine women sat the exam. They were: Sarah Jane Moody, Eliza Orme, Louisa von Glehn, Kate Spiller, Isabella de Lancy West, Susannah Wood, Mary Anne Belcher, Hendilah Lawrence, and Mary Baker Watson. Six of the nine women passed and were awarded honours. However, despite passing the examination, these women did not receive a degree but a "Certificate of Proficiency". It was only in 1878 that the University of London decided to allow women to take its degrees, and UCL became the first British university to admit women on fully equal terms as men, in all faculties except Medicine.
In the Victorian era, women's frustration with the poor quality of education available to them was growing. While educational opportunities were increasingly offered to men, women were eager to access the same chances. In 1840, 60% of women were illiterate, but by 1860, this number had dropped to 40%. The Mechanics' Institute in London, which had opened in 1823 to provide educational lectures for working men, began admitting women in 1830. In 1832, two women signed up for lectures on electricity at London University, which was then known as University College. While the date from which women were welcomed at University College is sometimes given as 1848, their presence is not recorded until over a hundred schoolmistresses attended lectures on animal physiology in 1861-2.
The University of London's Leading Women campaign celebrated the pioneering women who joined the university 150 years ago, recognising the achievements of alumnae, celebrating contemporary female students, and championing the next generation. Notable female graduates of the University of London include Ada Heather-Bigg, who studied economics at UCL and became a suffragist and opponent of restrictions on women's work; and Clara Collet, who was possibly the first woman to achieve an MA at a British university.
Senators' Opposition to Universal Student Meals: What's the Issue?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The University of London's 'General Examination for Women'
In the Victorian era, women were frustrated with the poor quality of education available to them. In 1840, 60% of women were illiterate, but by 1860, that number had dropped to 40%. As educational opportunities became available to men, women began to seek them too.
In 1868, the University of London's Senate voted to admit women to sit for the General Examination, becoming the world's first university to accept women. The examination was first held in May 1869, with nine candidates participating. The results were assessed on 15 May 1869, at Somerset House on the Strand, by 17 male examiners. The examiners awarded honours to six of the nine women: Sarah Jane Moody, Eliza Orme, Louisa von Glehn, Kate Spiller, Isabella de Lancy West, and Susannah Wood. The remaining three students—Mary Anne Belcher, Hendilah Lawrence, and Mary Baker Watson—did not pass the examination. All nine were pioneers in women's higher education.
The General Examination for Women was as difficult as the existing Matriculation Examination, but only a Certificate of Proficiency was issued to successful candidates, rather than a degree. This certificate was offered until 1878, when women were finally admitted to the University of London's degree programme, making the University of London the first in the UK to award degrees to women. The certificate was discontinued in 1878 because it provided evidence that separate examinations for men and women were unnecessary.
Between 1869 and 1878, more than 250 women sat the General Examination, with 139 passing and 53 being awarded honours. Candidates came from various educational institutions, including Bedford and other London colleges, as well as schools such as Cheltenham Ladies' College. The University of London's Leading Women campaign celebrates the pioneering women who joined the university 150 years ago, as well as today's students and the next generation of women in higher education.
Transfer Student's Guide to University of Washington Admission
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Women's higher education in London
University College London, established in 1826, was the first university institution in London and the first in England to be entirely secular and admit students regardless of their religion. However, it did not initially have the power to award degrees. In 1836, University College London received a royal charter and became one of the two founding colleges of the University of London, along with King's College, London.
The University of London played a pivotal role in advancing women's higher education. In June 1868, its Senate voted to admit women to sit for the General Examination, becoming the world's first university to accept women in this capacity. The following year, in May 1869, nine women sat for this examination, with six receiving honours: Sarah Jane Moody, Eliza Orme, Louisa von Glehn, Kate Spiller, Isabella de Lancy West, and Susannah Wood. These women were pioneers in women's higher education, but they did not receive degrees like their male peers.
It was not until a decade later, in 1878, that the University of London became the first British university to award degrees to women, marking a significant milestone in the fight for gender equality in education. This progress occurred alongside the campaign for women's suffrage, with women like Gertrude Bell advocating for education as a prerequisite to the effective exercise of the vote. By 1900, thirty percent of the University of London's graduates were women, although this still represented a small proportion of the female population in the appropriate age group.
The late 19th century saw the establishment of women's colleges within universities, such as Newnham, Cambridge, founded in 1871, and Girton College, Cambridge, which began in 1869 as Hitchin College for Women. However, resistance to women's education persisted. Effigies of female scholars were burned, and fireworks were thrown, when the idea of admitting women to Cambridge was first voted on in 1897. Oxford and Cambridge were the last universities in the UK to admit women fully, with Oxford doing so in 1920 and Cambridge following in 1948.
University College London, as a member institution of the University of London, was among the first university colleges to admit women alongside men in 1878. Notable early female undergraduates at UCL include Ada Heather-Bigg, who studied economics and became a suffragist, and Caroline Foley, who obtained a BA in 1886 and an MA in 1889. Eliza Orme, another early female student at UCL, earned an LLB degree in 1888 and went on to have a career in law and public life.
While women's access to higher education in London improved significantly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, legal discrimination persisted in other areas. It was not until 1975 that the Sex Discrimination Act banned discrimination based on gender or marital status in employment, education, housing, and other areas. This marked a further step towards equality, ensuring that women's achievements in higher education translated into equal opportunities beyond the confines of the university.
Exploring Alaska Pacific University's Student Population
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The University of London's first female graduates
In 1868, the University of London became the first university in the world to admit female students. In May 1869, nine women sat the General Examination for Women, with six passing and being awarded honours: Sarah Jane Moody, Eliza Orme, Louisa von Glehn, Kate Spiller, Isabella de Lancy West, and Susannah Wood. The remaining three students—Mary Anne Belcher, Hendilah Lawrence, and Mary Baker Watson—did not pass the examination.
Despite passing the General Examination, these women did not receive a degree but a "Certificate of Proficiency". It was only in 1878, a decade later, that the University of London became the first university in the UK to award degrees to women.
Eliza Orme, one of the first female graduates of the University of London, went on to obtain a law degree and have a successful legal career. She was also active in the suffrage and prison reform movements. Another graduate, Susannah Wood, graduated with a BSc and taught mathematics. Louise Hume von Glehn, another member of the London Nine, became a campaigner for working women and a writer of popular histories, which were published under her married name, Louise Hume Creighton.
Helena Normanton, a University of London graduate, became the first female barrister to practise in England. She achieved a number of legal firsts, including being the first woman to obtain a divorce for her client in 1922 and the first to prosecute a murder case in 1948. Alongside Rose Heilbron, she was also one of the first two women to be appointed King's Counsel in 1949.
Mercer University: Finding Your Student Mailbox
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
University College London (UCL) was the first British university to admit women on equal terms to men in 1878.
Women were allowed to attend classes at UCL's predecessor, Birkbeck, from 1830. In 1832, two women signed up for lectures on electricity at London University, as UCL was then known.
No, women did not receive degrees from University College London before 1878. Despite passing university examinations, women were not allowed to be awarded degrees until 1878.
Yes, women were allowed to enrol at the University of London from 1869, although they did not receive degrees until 1878. The University of Durham admitted women in 1895, Oxford in 1920, and Cambridge in 1948.
