Over half of today's college graduates transfer to another school at least once during their academic careers. With each transfer, students pay a "transfer tax," losing some of the academic credit they have earned due to school policies that make it difficult for students to transfer credits from one institution to another. The net drain…

Three limitations in the undergraduate degree are identified, and an approach to course selection compensating for them is proposed. The strategy emphasizes that each course should provide multiple functions in meeting degree requirements and fulfilling educational objectives. A checklist for making coherent curricular choices is included. (MSE)

Higher education can resist the need to open the U.S. mind to greater cultural diversity by ignoring the changing ethnic composition of student bodies and larger society, or realize this opportunity to revitalize the social sciences and humanities with a new sense of purpose and more inclusive definition of knowledge. (MSE)

The practice of awarding honorary degrees by American colleges and universities is examined. Topics include the background of the practice, schools that refuse to participate, the selection process used by some institutions, possible financial and other reasons for granting honorary degrees, and benefits gained by those honored. (JMD)

This article argues that the degree types used in most British higher education institutions are inherently unfair, waste valuable resources, and serve no useful purpose. It is recommended that this system be replaced by one in which first degrees are awarded on a pass-fail basis, with evidence of individual academic performance given in a…

A discussion concerning international recognition of degrees, diplomas, and other academic credentials focuses on such things as the range of diplomas awarded in that system, information on the diploma, its external public and vocational worth, and program access. (MSE)

Student evaluation methods (pass-fail vs. traditional grading) for Britain's honors curriculum are discussed. The British educational tradition concerning the honors degree is outlined, and the rationale for grading is examined. It is recommended that pass-fail grading based on specified learning outcomes be adopted for educational and practical…

The practicum is widely accepted as an integral part of the master's degree program for teachers of English to speakers of other languages (MATESOL) throughout the United States. While research has provided some insight, there is no clear consensus as to what the practicum's objectives should be. Moreover, the student clientele of MATESOL programs…

This report on graduate education, requested by the Virginia General Assembly, was developed by a task force that included graduate students, faculty, and administrators. The task force based its work on a previous report issued by an advisory committee of chief academic officers, a review of recent literature on graduate education, and their own…

It is suggested that the weakened demand for Master's in Business Administration (MBA) programs represents an overdue adjustment in expectations. Pressure to reduce student experience requirements and fees is anticipated. A brief history of the degree in the United States and the United Kingdom is provided. (Author/MSE)

A study compared content of Master's in Business Administration (MBA) curricula of 24 American institutions and 23 British institutions. Factors analyzed included program length and structure, class size, required core classes, academic course content, and program uniqueness. While British and American programs were similar, American programs…

Discussion of college internship programs for college students looks at their potential for experiential learning (EL), integration of EL into the curriculum, establishment of a committee to oversee EL, program standards, program models, the student's role in selecting a placement, student orientation needs, time spent on the job, coursework and…

Two-year colleges used to be a small part of higher education, but they now enroll almost half of all entering college students. This report suggests new data is needed on this evolving sector of academe, including: (1) What are the unseen barriers in two-year-colleges?; (2) What are the unseen college options?; (3) What are the implications of…

Oral/aural skills (1) are a major vocational requirement for a student graduating in the language field, (2) are an essential, academically valid element in the language learning process, and (3) enhance the student's overall intellectual development. If a communicative language curriculum is designed carefully, it will integrate all of these…