A classical theorem of Hermite and Joubert asserts that any field extension of degree   $n\,=\,5\,\text{or}\,\text{6}$  is generated by an element whose minimal polynomial is of the form
 $n\,=\,5\,\text{or}\,\text{6}$  is generated by an element whose minimal polynomial is of the form   ${{\lambda }^{n}}\,+\,{{c}_{1}}{{\lambda }^{n-1}}\,+\,\cdot \cdot \cdot +\,{{c}_{n-1}}\lambda \,+\,{{c}_{n}}$  with
 ${{\lambda }^{n}}\,+\,{{c}_{1}}{{\lambda }^{n-1}}\,+\,\cdot \cdot \cdot +\,{{c}_{n-1}}\lambda \,+\,{{c}_{n}}$  with   ${{c}_{1\,}}\,=\,\,{{c}_{3}}\,=\,0$ . We show that this theorem fails for
 ${{c}_{1\,}}\,=\,\,{{c}_{3}}\,=\,0$ . We show that this theorem fails for   $n\,=\,{{3}^{m}}$  or
 $n\,=\,{{3}^{m}}$  or   ${{3}^{m}}+{{3}^{l}}$  (and more generally, for
 ${{3}^{m}}+{{3}^{l}}$  (and more generally, for   $n={{p}^{m}}$  or
 $n={{p}^{m}}$  or   ${{p}^{m}}+{{p}^{l}}$ , if 3 is replaced by another prime
 ${{p}^{m}}+{{p}^{l}}$ , if 3 is replaced by another prime   $p$ ), where
 $p$ ), where   $m\,>\,1\,\ge \,0$ . We also prove a similar result for division algebras and use it to study the structure of the universal division algebra
 $m\,>\,1\,\ge \,0$ . We also prove a similar result for division algebras and use it to study the structure of the universal division algebra   $\text{UD}\left( n \right)$ .
 $\text{UD}\left( n \right)$ .
We also prove a similar result for division algebras and use it to study the structure of the universal division algebra   $\text{UD}\left( n \right)$ .
 $\text{UD}\left( n \right)$ .