Bestuzhev's Courses

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BESTUZHEV'S COURSES, St. Petersburg Higher Women’s (Bestuzhev's) Courses, the first ever Russian institution of higher education for women. Opened in 1878 on the initiative of A. N. Beketov, N. V. Stasova, M. V. Trubnikov and A. P. Filosofova. They were named after their official founder and first director Professor K. N. Bestuzhev-Ryumin. The courses were held at 31-35 Tenth Line of Vasilievsky Island (1873-1909; architects A. F. Krasovsky, V. R. Kurzanov, V. N. Pyasetsky, Y. K. Khofer) and at 41-43 Sredny Avenue of Vasilievsky Island (1913-14; architect V. P. Tseidler). Bestuzhev's Courses consisted of the following departments: the Department of Philology and History, the Department of Physics and Mathematics (the Department of Natural Science) and the Special Department of Mathematics. The Department of Law was added in 1906. The apprenticeship lasted for three to four years. At first only women of 21 years of age with a secondary education were accepted to study. Later the courses accepted all the women graduates from gymnasiums without any age limitation. Students were charged for their education, they received no state support. The activities of the courses were supported by the Society for the Financing of Higher Women’s Courses. Many teachers worked on a volunteer basis. I. A. Baudouin de Courtenay, A. P. Borodin, S. A. Vengerov, O. A. Dobiash-Rozhdestvenskaya, F. F. Zelinsky, D. I. Mendeleev, D. N. Ovsyaniko-Kulikovsky, V. P. Ostrogorsky, S. F. Platonov, A. N. Strannolyubsky, I. M. Sechenov were among the lecturers. In 1886-89, admission to Bestuzhev's Courses was ceased by order of the Minister of People's Education. The Department of Natural Science was closed, tuition fees were increased and the independence of the courses was abolished in 1889. The courses regained their autonomy again in 1906. Students acquired the right to choose their subjects rather than having to follow a strict curriculum. Graduates received the right to teach at female academies and at lower levels in male educational institutions. N. K. Krupskaya, P. Y. Kochina, P. F. Cudelli, Z. A. Matsulevich-Virenius, N. V. Pigulevskaya, K. N. Samoylova, K. V. Trever, E. I. Time, O. D. Forsh were among the students of Bestuzhev's Courses. Bestuzhev's Courses were transformed into the Third Petrograd University in 1918. The university was included in the structure of the Petrograd State University in September 1919.

References: Санкт-Петербургские высшие женские курсы за 25 лет, 1878-1903: Очерки и материалы. СПб., 1903; Санкт-Петербургские высшие женские (Бестужевские) курсы, 1878-1918: Сб. ст. 2-е изд., испр. и доп. Л., 1973; Федосова Э. П. Бестужевские курсы - первый женский университет в России (1878-1918 гг.). М., 1980.

А. P. Kupaygorodskaya. Baudouin de Courtenay Ivan Alexandrovich (born Jan Nechislav)
Beketov Andrey Nikolaevich
Bestuzhev-Ryumin Konstantin Nikolaevich
Borodin Alexander Porfirievich
Cudelli Praskovya Frantsevna
Dobiash-Rozhdestvenskaya Olga Antonovna
Filosofova Anna Pavlovna
Forsh Olga Dmitrievna
Khofer Yakov Karlovich
Kochina Pelageya Yakovlevna
Krasovsky Alexander Fedorovich
Krupskaya Nadezhda Konstantinovna
Kurzanov Vladimir Rodionovich
Matsulevich-Virenius Zh.A.
Mendeleev Dmitry Ivanovich
Ostrogorsky Viktor Petrovich
Ovsyaniko-Kulikovsky Dmitry Nikolaevich
Pigulevskaya Nina Viktorovna
Platonov Sergey Fedorovich
Pyasetsky Vladimir Nikolaevich
Samoylova Konkordia Nikolaevna
Sechenov Ivan Mikhailovich
Stasova Nadezhda Vasilievna
Strannolyubsky Alexander Nikolaevich
Time Elizaveta Ivanovna
Trever Kamilla Vasilievna
Trubnikova Maria Vasilievna
Tseidler Vladimir Petrovich
Vengerov Semen Afanasievich
Zelinsky Faddey (Tadeusz-Stephan) Franzevich
10th Line of Vasilievsky Island/Saint Petersburg, city, house 31
10th Line of Vasilievsky Island/Saint Petersburg, city, house 33
10th Line of Vasilievsky Island/Saint Petersburg, city, house 35
Sredny Ave of Vasilievsky Island/Saint Petersburg, city, house 43
Sredny Ave of Vasilievsky Island/Saint Petersburg, city, house 41
Санкт-Петербургские высшие женские курсы за 25 лет, 1878-1903: Очерки и материалы. СПб., 1903
Санкт-Петербургские высшие женские (Бестужевские) курсы, 1878-1918: Сб. ст. 2-е изд., испр. и доп. Л., 1973
Федосова Э. П. Бестужевские курсы - первый женский университет в России (1878-1918 гг.). М., 1980 State University, St. Petersburg
1878