The first UNIVERSITIES were founded in the Middle Ages by ecclesiastical or royal initiative to train young men in law, theology, and medicine. The modern UNIVERSITY consists of several faculties, or colleges, each with a specific curriculum. Traditionally, only UNIVERSITIES granted graduate degrees, but that distinction is now blurred. During the 20th Century many UNIVERSITIES, especially in the U.S., received large government grants for scientific and technological research, especially research related to weapons.
