A Lady Literate in Arts (LLA) qualification was offered by the

University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

in Scotland for more than a decade before women were allowed to graduate in the same way as men, and it became popular as a kind of

external degree An external degree is a degree offered by a university to students who have not been required to be physically present within the geographic territory of the institution. These undergraduates may be called ''external students'' and may study at cl ...

for women who had studied through correspondence, or by attendance at non-university classes. Although awarded as a

diploma A diploma is a document awarded by an educational institution (such as a college or university) testifying the recipient has graduated by successfully completing their courses of studies. Historically, it has also referred to a charter or offici ...

, in terms of academic standard, it was equivalent to the

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

. Until 1892 women were not admitted to

Scottish universities There are fifteen universities in Scotland and three other institutions of higher education that have the authority to award academic degrees. The first university college in Scotland was founded at St John's College, St Andrews in 1418 by H ...

, and the LLA was the nearest qualification to a degree which was open to women in the country, although the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

offered certificates recognising achievement in classes organised by the

Edinburgh Association for the University Education of Women The Edinburgh Association for the University Education of Women (EAUEW), originally known as the Edinburgh Ladies' Educational Association (ELEA), campaigned for higher education for women from 1867 until 1892 when Scottish universities started ...

, and in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

, Queen Margaret College was offering a university-equivalent education and awards. To obtain an LLA candidates had to pass examinations at a university-approved centre, which might be in Scotland or outwith the country. Formally established as the Lady Literate in Arts - LLA - by 1877, even after 1892, the course continued to be popular with women who wanted to study for an

arts degree Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate education, undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally complet ...

without needing to attend one particular institution for three or four years. Thousands of women received an LLA before it was discontinued in the 1930s.

William Angus Knight William Angus Knight (22 February 1836 – 4 March 1916) was a Scottish Free Church minister and author and Professor of Moral Philosophy at St Andrews University. He created the Lady Literate in Arts qualification. Life He was born in the ma ...

(1836–1916), Professor of

Moral Philosophy Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concerns ma ...

at St Andrews between 1876 and 1903, was a supporter of

female education Female education is a catch-all term of a complex set of issues and debates surrounding education (primary education, secondary education, tertiary education, and health education in particular) for girls and women. It is frequently called girl ...

and the main force behind the university's introduction of the LLA diploma.

Notable literate ladies

The educationalist and headteacher

Isabel Cleghorn Isabel Cleghorn LLA (14 March 1852 – 4 December 1922) was a British educationist and suffragist. She was the headteacher at Heeley which is now part of Sheffield and she was the first woman President of the National Union of Teachers in 191 ...

Helen Bannerman Helen Brodie Cowan Bannerman (' Watson; 25 February 1862 – 13 October 1946) was a Scottish author of children's books. She is best known for her first book, ''Little Black Sambo'' (1899). Life Bannerman was born at 35 Royal Terrace, Edinbur ...

, the children's writer, and suffragette

Margaret Nevinson Margaret Wynne Nevinson (née Jones) (11 January 1858 – 8 June 1932) was a British suffrage campaigner. Nevinson was one of the suffragettes who split from the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in 1907 to form the Women's Freedom ...

both had LLAs, as did the wartime nursing heroine

Violetta Thurstan Violetta Thurstan, MM (4 February 1879 – 13 April 1978) was an English nurse, weaver, and administrator whose work included help for refugees and prisoners of war. She knew several languages, travelled frequently and wrote a number of books ...

References

*Susan Sellers, ''Mischievous to the Public Interest: The Lady Literate in Arts Diploma and the Admission of Women to the University of St Andrews'' in ''Launch-Site for English Studies'' (1997) ed. Robert Crawford *R.N. Smart, ''Literate Ladies: a Fifty-Year Experiment'' in ''St Andrews University Alumnus Chronicle'' (1967)

External links

Lady Literate in Arts
{{Academic degrees Higher education in Scotland * * University of St Andrews Distance education institutions based in the United Kingdom Women in Scotland 1930s disestablishments in Scotland 20th-century establishments in Scotland Liberal arts education