number of disputations; the practice differed at various times and places.  The Statutes of Leipzig required during the fifteenth century six “ordinary” and six “extraordinary” responses from the prospective Bachelor.  The prospective Master was required to declare that he had been present at thirty ordinary Bachelors’ disputations, and had argued in each one “if he had been able to get the opportunity to argue.”  The candidate for the License at Paris, in 1366, must have attended disputations throughout one “grand Ordinary,” and must have “responded” twice.  At Oxford the youth must have taken part in disputations for a year as “general sophister,” and must have “responded” at least once, before taking the A.B. or before “Determination,” which was the equivalent of the A.B.  Prospective masters must have responded at least twice.[70]

The following lists of prescribed books give a good idea of mediaeval requirements (aside from disputations) for the degrees of A.B. and A.M., at various times and places.  The reader will note at once the predominance of Aristotle, and the variations in requirements for the degrees.  Many similar lists might be cited from the records of other universities; but they would give little additional information as regards the degrees in Arts.

1.  List of Books Prescribed for the Degrees of A.B. and A.M. at Paris, 1254.

The following list from the Statutes of 1254 does not separate the books into the groups required for each degree, but indicates the total requirement for both.

{Introduction to the Categories of Aristotle
{ (Isagoge), Porphyry.
(1) The “Old” Logic {Categories, and On Interpretation,
{ Aristotle. 
{Divisions, and Topics except Bk.  IV,
{ Boethius.

{Prior and Posterior Analytics, Aristotle.
(2) The “New” Logic       {Sophistical Refutations,          "
{Topics,                           "

(3) Moral Philosophy:  Ethics, 4 Bks., "
                          {Physics, Aristotle. 
                          {On the Heavens and the Earth, "
                          {Meteorics, "
                          {On Animals, "
                          {” the Soul, "
(4) Natural Philosophy {” Generation, "
                          {” Sense and Sensible Things, "
                          {” Sleep and Waking, "
                          {” Memory and Recollection, "
                          {” Life and Death, "
                          {” Plants, " (?)

(5) Metaphysics:  Metaphysics, "

{On the Six Principles, Gilbert de la Porree
{Barbarismus (Bk. 3, Larger Grammar),
{ Donatus.
(6) Other Books {Grammar (Major and Minor), Priscian. 
{On Causes, Costa Ben Luca. 
{On the Differences of Spirit and Soul
{ (another translation of On Causes).[71]