The National Research Council (NRC) was asked by the National Defense Intelligence College (NDIC) to convene a committee to review the curriculum and syllabi for their proposed master of science degree in science and technology intelligence. The NRC was asked to review the material provided by the NDIC and offer advice and recommendations…

This long-awaited sequel to Richard Hofstadter and Wilson Smith's classic anthology "American Higher Education: A Documentary History" presents one hundred and seventy-two key edited documents that record the transformation of higher education over the past sixty years. The volume includes such seminal documents as Vannevar Bush's 1945…

The general question of what an undergraduate education is and how it should be related, if at all, to society as a whole, is discussed. Particular reference is given to the issue of liberal education and its relationship with career education. The thesis is that, although career education and liberal education may be incompatible in a specific…

The many forms of interdisciplinarity in higher education institutions and the various ways it has been used to advance curricular changes are examined. Definitions of interdisciplinarity and its variants (multi-, pluri-, and transdisciplinarity) provide a conceptual framework for the examination. In this study, interdisciplinarity is understood…

The intent of this discussion paper is to provide a survey of emerging trends in general education reform at institutions of higher education. Ten themes are identified: (1) rethinking the major; (2) concern with student learning beyond course content; (3) an increased emphasis on diversity; (4) the importance of technology; (5) efficiency and…

General education, or learning that should be common to all, is considered in five essays adapted from colloquium addresses and one essay, summarized in chapters 1 and 7 of this volume, that provided the colloquium theme. In "The Quest for Common Learning," Ernest L. Boyer identifies six essential objectives of general education. Wayne C. Booth's…

In "One Hundred Semesters", William Chace mixes incisive analysis with memoir to create an illuminating picture of the evolution of American higher education over the past half century. Chace follows his own journey from undergraduate education at Haverford College to teaching at Stillman, a traditionally African-American college in…

This book analyzes the crisis facing the American liberal arts college and offers a proposal for its reform. It argues that a college's infidelity to the ideals of liberal education adversely affects its relationship to society, its educational program, and its teachers. A definition and a defense of liberal education ideals is offered. The author…

An overview is provided of the history and mission of Lutheran higher education in North America. The contributions of Lutheran colleges and universities to the church, to society and to higher education are discussed in the following chapters: (1) "Reformation Roots"; (2) "Foothold in America"; (3) "Early Ventures in…

Based on the theory that higher education in America has been on the decline since 1953, the decadence and hopes for renewal in higher learning are examined. The following afflictions are cited as cause for the decline: (1) a purposelessness or loss of the objects of wisdom and virtue; (2) intellectual disorder: all integration and order of…

Designed for trustees, college planners, and teachers and students of administration, this monograph presents a comprehensive approach to the design and development of modern community colleges. Topics covered in this book include: (l) state planning structures and regulation systems for higher education; (2) needs assessment techniques; (3)…

This book argues that higher education is fundamentally a moral enterprise that needs to be guided by commitments to what is morally right and fundamentally good. It takes issue with prevailing tendencies to give attention merely to what is intellectually warranted, operationally feasible, or superficially attractive to students who consider…

This collection of 34 essays provides an overview of the debates and reforms under discussion in regard to undergraduate curriculum. Part 1 focuses on the purposes and objectives of undergraduate education, reviewing pivotal historical developments, changes in the curriculum due to social and historical forces, and traditional and innovative…

Responding to the challenge to improve general education, this compilation of ideas, programs, and people is intended to provide information, broaden perspectives about what can be done, and help to highlight strengths and weaknesses of several alternative approaches. The topics included in this guide grew out of the practical needs of faculty…

The influences, both on and off campus, that determine the shape of the curriculum of many campuses are considered. The main components of the curriculum--advanced learning skill, general understanding, breath, concentration, and electives--are outlined. The relationship of college education to the world of work is discussed. The unique…