Continues a debate begun at the Annual Meeting of the American Education Research Association (AERA) concerning whether a novel should count as a doctoral dissertation for students in education. Contains introductory remarks by the moderator, Robert Donmoyer, and an extended debate among presenters and audience members at the 1994 and 1996…

This paper examines history as a general education requirement in postsecondary institutions. General education tries to present a basic core of knowledge which is fundamental to all educated men and women. Research regarding goals for required general education and history reveals that a statement of goals is almost always couched in value terms.…

The University of Massachusetts-Amherst department of sociology offers a unique graduate program with faculty and students working together to produce mutually-authored articles, monographs, and books. Many doctoral dissertations are on applied topics in social policy and evaluation research. Graduates have been well placed in academia and other…

The response to a 1987 proposal by Illinois nurses to standardize nursing educational requirements revealed deep divisions among nurses with different educational backgrounds. Those opposed to raising the professional status of nursing exploited those divisions and thwarted attempts to make the Bachelor of Science in Nursing the minimum…

United States higher-education institutions often fail to educate. This paper describes one professor's development of a new program fulfilling existing requirements while exposing students to great books and demanding courses in other areas. It suggests that the best way to reform higher-education institutions is to expose them to vigorous,…

Results of the American Sociological Association's first survey of graduate departments in sociology shows a striking similarity among programs in terms of course requirements, number of credits, and thesis requirements. Authors suggest that the apparent absence of diversity may be a matter of concern for the discipline. (Author/DH)

The University of California at Los Angeles sociology department stands out as a pluralistic community that fosters interaction, communication, and mutual understanding. Leading ethnographers and survey researchers work side by side; noted Marxists, functionalists, and phenomenologists participate in the same colloquia. The department has strong…

Reviews the 1980s literature regarding trends in public relations practice and implications for PR degree programs. Makes specific recommendations for development of effective degree programs. (MS)

States that few higher education institutions have publicly articulated clear expectations of the knowledge and skills students are to attain. Describes gap between student and faculty expectations for academic effort. Reports that what is required in students' first semester appears to play a strong role in shaping the time investments made in…

Describes curriculum review at the State University of New York, Oswego, where faculty and administrators tried to develop an English major that would preserve the best traditional practices and institutionalize innovation. Concludes that curriculum revision would not have moved forward without the Modern Language Association-Fund for the…

Examines various challenges facing higher education in light of growing concern over the quality of undergraduate degree programs and the graduates of these programs and formulates recommendations to colleges of business. (Author/JOW)

Describes a postgraduate research degree program in National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) designed and offered at the University of Sussex. Vocational education and training is discussed, a brief historical background of NVQs and the National Council for Vocational Qualifications is included, and the development of the degree program is…

Suggests that the technical and professional writing concentration in the English department at Eastern Michigan University serves as an example of the way Master of Arts (MA) programs often reflect the economy of a particular region. Discusses the MA program at Eastern Michigan University. (RS)

Uses a baseball metaphor to advise students who want to pursue a doctoral degree--in many ways the Master's program at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, is like a triple-A minor league farm club, preparing players for the big leagues of the doctoral institutions. (RS)

Suggests that sociological training is not sufficiently demanding and thus does not attract high-quality students. The author makes specific suggestions emphasizing the importance of theoretical work, syntheses and careful analyses of existing theories, and advanced methodological work. Concludes that serious thinking about the goals of graduate…