Regent master (''Magister regens'') was a title conferred in the

medieval universities A medieval university was a corporation organized during the Middle Ages for the purposes of higher education. The first Western European institutions generally considered to be universities were established in present-day Italy (including the ...

upon a student who had acquired a

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

. The degree meant simply the right to teach, the ''Licentia docendi'', a right which could be granted, in the

University of Paris , image_name = Coat of arms of the University of Paris.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of Arms , latin_name = Universitas magistrorum et scholarium Parisiensis , motto = ''Hic et ubique terrarum'' (Latin) , mottoeng = Here and a ...

, only by the

Chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...

of the Cathedral of Notre Dame, or the Chancellor of St. Geneviève. According to the Third Council of Lateran, held in 1179, this Licentia docendi had to be granted gratuitously, and to all duly qualified applicants. If the new member stayed in the university and continued to take an active part in its teaching, he was called a ''magister regens'', a practising teacher. If he were to look for another career, however, he would become ''non regens'': a passive member of the corporation of masters, without losing his affiliation to it, which usually lasted for life. An example of regent master was

William Vorilong William Vorilong, also known as Guillermus Vorrilong, Willem of Verolon, William of Vaurouillon, Guilelmus de Valle Rouillonis, et(ca. 1390 - 1463) was a French philosopher and theologian. He wrote a biography of Duns Scotus. From 1457 onwards he ...

, French philosopher of the Middle Ages. Before the Licentia Docendi was developed in Europe, the certificates were given based on morality

Notes

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References

* ''Catholic Encyclopedia'' * Olaf Pedersen, Richard North, ''The First Universities'', Cambridge University Press, 1997 History of education Master's degrees Lateran councils University of Paris