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Qualifications
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King's was not empowered to grant degrees; its students instead
sought distinction at the ancient universities and medical accreditation
with the Royal Colleges. This gradually changed with the establishment
of the University of London as an examinations
board in 1836. King's was affiliated to the new University and its
students were able to sit for a variety of arts and science degrees.
In practice, some continued to seek professional qualifications.
King's also had its own internal qualification: the Associateship
of King's College, or AKC, that was introduced in 1834. This required
three years' study and contained a significant, though not compulsory,
component of theological or religious instruction. It remains important
to this day as a supplement to conventional degree courses.
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The purpose of an education at King's College
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of the Senior Department at King's College was designed to be either
a foundation for further study at Oxford or Cambridge, or a suitable
introduction for a commercial or professional career. Merchants, industrialists
and other members of the middle classes were well represented among
the College's shareholders and early student intake and the programme
of teaching reflected their aspirations and preoccupations with provision
for law, modern languages, engineering and the natural sciences.
The College was initially divided into two departments: the Junior
Department or school, and the Senior Department that included medicine.
The Senior Department was soon subdivided into the Departments of
General Literature and Science and Medicine. From these beginnings,
the familiar and modern subject departments gradually appeared in
their own right. King's students were of two classes: regular, full
time students, and 'occasional students' who conventionally paid
fees for individual courses and who were usually only interested
in one or two specific programmes of lectures. continue>
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