The Order of Lucia offers free schooling to all children through the age
of 14, and charges fees for children ages 15 to 18. After age 18,
Sedonians who can afford it may attend the University of Thalsedon.
Full Scholarships are available to students who are bright but poor, and
the Sedonian State Church pays half the fees of students who commit to
joining an Order. The University also reduces the tuition fees of
students who agree to remain at the University after taking their degree
and teach.
Overall functional literacy rates in Sedonia are in the 55-60% range,
but nearly all Sedonians can at least write their own names. The Order
of Lucia places importance on literacy and numeracy. In rural Sedonia,
most families have a hard time seeing the value of literacy, but they
keenly grasp the importance of being numerate, especially when it comes
time to sell the harvest, or the tax assessor comes around. In the
rising merchant classes of the cities, literacy approaches 85-90%.
The University offers three levels of degree, roughly corresponding to
our bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. Generally speaking, as
one rises through the University system, a student moves from the
general to the specific.
Bachelor's degrees are given in liberal arts, theology, civil
engineering, and natural philosophy. Most children of noble families
take a liberal arts degree: they learn a little bit about everything,
but not a lot about anything. Generally, only students intending to
enter the Church or students who come from mercantile families pursue
higher degrees, although there are exceptions: The Duke of Caladyn is a
Master of History, while his son, the Count of Rochlyn, holds a Master's
in Political Philosophy. A student's bachelor degree influences which
specific higher degree he or she may try to achieve.
A liberal arts degree may lead to a master's in any of the following:
* Art
* Music
* History
* Drama
* Sedonian Literature
* Modern Languages
* Ancient Languages
* Culinary Arts
* Mathematics
* Philosophy
* Political Philosophy (Political science + economics, more or less)
* Library Science
A civil engineering degree may lead to a master's in any of the following:
* Architecture
* Road & Bridge-building
* Mines
* Hydraulic Engineering
* Naval Architecture
* Military Architecture
A natural philosophy degree may lead to a master's in any of the following:
* Botany
* Zoology
* Mathematics
* Astronomy/Astrology
* Geology
* Geography
* Anatomy
* Alchemy/Metallurgy (also includes elements of Physics)
A theology degree may lead to a master's in any of the categories under
liberal arts, Botany, Anatomy, or Comparative Theology.
Doctoral degrees are offered in all of the above categories. In
addition, doctoral degrees are offered in Law, Veterinary Medicine, and
Medicine.
The University is open to both men and women, and students from any
country are admitted, provided they can pass a proficiency test in
Sedonian, and can pay their fees.
Andrew
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