Lester Kieff and Harold W. Heine Bucknell University Lewisburg, Pennsylvania 17837
Novel Approaches to Intermediate Degree
For the past several years chemistry departments offering graduate degrees have shown an increasing tendency toward revision of the master's degree program. Several schools have a "terminal master's decree" to meet the need of those students who want to tage 8,dvanced work in an evening program and thus remain competent in a rapidly expanding discipline. The termiual degree usually consists of a, coordinated group of courses and allows no time for a thesis requirement. A new "terminal master's degree" designed for superior students who plan to go into private industry is now being developed at Michigan Technological University. More emphasis in this degree would be placed upon applied research which yields a more immediate return to both industry and society. It seems apparent that such a degree would he very useful to the outstanding Presented as part of the Symposium on Master's Degree Programs in Chemistry at Non-DoctoratsGranting Institutions before the Division of Chemical Education at the 152nd Meeting of the American Chemical Society, New York, N. Y., September, 1966.
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student who plans to assume the responsibilities of leadership in industry. Dr. John Gardner, while President of the Carnegie Corporation, wrote about a, year ago of the tendency in universities to want to train the technical experts who advise leaders but not want to train, leaders. This new development could yield an excellent product if they are able to attract the superior student and provide him with the necessary motivation. The master's degree in the teaching of chemistry (MAT) is offered at many colleges but usually most of the courses taken for this degree are not transferable to a regular M.S. degree program in chemistry. Another novel approach to the intermediate degree is the integr* tion of undergraduate and graduate work through a combination B.S.-M.S. degree program. It is this type of program offered at Western Reserve University, Furman University, and Bucknell University that we will examine for strengths and weaknesses. It may be that these approaches or modifications thereof will prove useful at other colleges.
Western Resenre University, Cleveland, Ohio
The Chemistry Department offersthe gifted student an opportunity to advance more rapidly than the ordinary student. By closely integrating undergraduate and graduate studies, qualified students begin graduate work approximately one year earlier than in the ordinary graduate program. The general plan for the program is described below. Admission to Program
Students are ordinarily admitted to the integrated program at the end of the sophomore year. Admission to the program is usually by departmental invitation, but students of Western Reserve or of other colleges may request to be considered for admission. Only students wiU be considered who have achieved a minimum grade point average of 3.2 in courses in the major and closely related fields and a 2.85 overall grade point average. Admission to the program is, however, chiefly determined by the departmental estimate of the stndents' talents, motivation, and potential for graduate study and independent work. Admission to the Groduote School
The student will take between 12 and 18 semester hours of work in the major field during the junior year. Upon completion of the junior year, or not less than 90 semester hours of undergraduate work, students admitted to the program and who have earned an average of 3.3 in courses in the major field and an overall grade point average not less than 2.85, may petition for adrnission to the Graduate School. Admission to the Graduate School will be granted if the following requirements have been met: (1) completion of at least one foreign language, with a competence sufficient to satisfy the Graduate School reading requirement, (2) completion of the distribution requirements for the B.A. degree, (3) completion of the physical education requirements, and (4) recommendation by the major department. Program of Study
The chemistry courses required in the junior year would be: physical chemistry, organic qualitative analysis, and research. During the senior year, the student would take instrumental analysis, research, and the following graduate courses: molecular structure and kinetics (an eight credit course), instruments of research, advanced inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry. The student would have 26 semester hours of cbemistry in the senior year, 19 of which are at the graduate level. He would also write a report on the research work performed during the last three semesters. In addition the student would be required to take in the senior year preliminary examinations in the several fields if the master's and bachelor's degrees are to be granted a t the same time. Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina
The Chemistry Department provides an opportunity for outstanding students to continue their study and receive an M S . degree. The B.S.-M.S. curriculum is a
five year program in which the student may be granted the B.S. degree after four years. The student may receive graduate credit for 400 level courses taken during the fourth year but must successfully complete the B.S. program before admission to the graduate school. All candidates for the M.S. degree must present a thesis based on approved research. The goals of the program are: (1) to extend to the Master's level the broad introductory curriculum of the B.S. degree, (2) to make it possible to involve the nndergraduates earlier and more extensively in research, and (3) to broaden the opportunities of the B.S. candidate whether or not he is a candidate for the combination B.S.-M.S. degree. Although the program has been organized to be primarily of benefit to the students a t Furman, students from other colleges will be considered for admission to the program a t any level. The general plan is as follows: Admission to Program
A student enrolled in the B.S. program may elect to take examinations a t the beginning of his senior year to qualify for permission to enroll in 400 level courses to be counted for graduate credit (courses declared for graduate credit cannot be counted toward the B.S. degree). The examinations will consist of standardjzed written tests in the four major fields of chemistry-analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical. Successful completion of the standardized exams will allow the student to take certain courses for graduate credit. Admission fo the Groduote School
The student who completes the B.S. degree requirements may apply for admission to the Graduate School. The admission will be granted if the following requirements have been met: (1) satisfactory performance on courses taken for graduate credit during the senior year, (2) satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination, and (3) an outline of a course of study approved by the Chemistry Department. After one semester of graduate work the student will take a comprehensive written examination based upon the subject matter of the first four years of the combination BS-A4.S. program. The student will be admitted to candidacy for the M.S. degree provided that he: (1) has attained a t least a B grade on all 400 level courses taken, (2) has attained at least a B average on all 500 level courses taken, (3) has shown satisfactory progress on his research problem, and (4) has performed satisfactorily on the comprehensive examination. Program of Study
During the senior year the student will usually take 15 to 18 semester hours of work at the graduate level. Enrollment in the course in techniques of synthetic chemistry is recommended but may be postponed until the fifth year if necessary. All 18 semester hours are required for the M S . degree. The required courses are: introduction to the quantum theory of atomic structure and valence, statistical t,hermodynamics, structural chemistry, chemical kinetics, the techniques of synthetic chemistry, and advanced physical chemistry laboratory. In addition to the required courses, tn-o elecVolume 44, Number 8, August 1967
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tive courses are normally taken during the fifth year. Selection is made from the following: principles of instrumental analysis, descriptive analytical chemistry, descriptive inorganic chemistry, structure and mechanism in inorganic chemistry, organic reaction mechanisms, concepts of organic synthesis, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics. Sometime during the senior year the student must select a graduate research problem in consultation with the chemistry st&. Opportunities are provided for as many students as possible to begin "research work" by working in the undergraduate research program not later than during the summer following the junior year. The summer activity gives the student an opportunity to learn about the various research problems under active investigation in the department and provides a basis for his choice of a research problem for his thesis. The final requirement is six semester hours in research. A thesis based on the research work must be written and defended before a departmental committee. Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
The Chemistry Department inaugurated a comhination B.S.-MS. degree program for superior students in September, 1964. The program should attract more students into Ph.D. work since the integrated program should instill the attitude and competence required of a graduate student and increase his desire for additional graduate study. The goals of the combination program are: (1) to provide the opportunity for superior students to advance in their education as fast and as far as their talents permit (Many students enter college with some undergraduate requirements satisfied through advanced placement and thus have room for additional electives which could he graduate courses), (2) to present advanced lecture courses to the superior undergraduate student to Jill the gap caused by the growing tendency in the larger universities to reduce the amount of classroom work for doctoral candidates, and (3) to develop the laboratory skills of the student as early as possible by giving him an opportunity to participate in meaningful original investigations under close faculty supervision. The goals listed above are not realized at the expense of the normal complement of liberal arts courses. The Bucknell program permits the student to utilize the long and generally unproductive summer vacation periods of the sophomore, junior, and senior years for a combine tion of laboratory research and classroom work. During the first summer, the research work will count toward the B.S. degree and this will permit the student to take an equivalent amount of graduate work during the regular school year. It is possible that the student who has satisfied part of the undergraduate requirements through advanced placement could omit one summer session. The Master's degree will be awarded at the end of the senior summer after the approval of a thesis based upon the experimental research camed out. In an essay "The Flight From Teaching" in the 196364 Annual Report of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, the need for expanding graduate school output is very well presented. The next two paragraphs are taken from this essay. 450
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The most obvious means of alleviating the college teacher shortage is to expand graduate school output. Expansion will occur but several factors will mverely limit the rate at which it can take place. One is the teacher shortage itself: we do not have enough graduate school faculty to produce new teachers as fast as we might wish. Another is cost. The graduate student cannot be mass produced. Each student must have a supervised research experience, which often requires expensive laboratory facilities. It also calls for a heavy investment of faculty time. Most qualified observers agree that m y sensible program for increasing the output of Ph.D.'s should inolude vigorous efforts to shorten the period between the A.B. and Ph.D. Prolonging this period is costly in every way. With each year that passes after the A.B., the graduate student is more likely to be married, burdened with dependents, and in need of substantial fellowship support.
The program should shorten the length of time hetween the B.S. and Ph.D. degree since the successful participants should be able to pursue doctoral studies more adequately prepared in theory and practice than the average doctoral candidate. The student will have completed most of the general advanced class work and should be in a position to take courses in his special field. The extensive research experience over three summers as well as during the regular college year will help the student acquire the laboratory techniques and the necessary knowledge to permit him to begin his doctoral research program at once. The program has been organized primarily for the superior student at Bucknell. However, Pennsylvania and many other states are now experiencing a tremendous increase in the number of junior or two year community colleges, and these students will also be considered for admission to the program. The Buck. ell Chemistry Department is well prepared for this type of program. During the last ten years, the department has developed undergraduate research to such a level that thirty undergraduates are co-authors of papers appearing in chemical journals. The general plan for the program is outlined below. Admission to Program
Students are admitted to the program at the end of the sophomore year. Admission is by departmental invitation, but an announcement concerning the program is made to the sophomore chemistry class and students may request to be admitted to the program. The student must have achieved a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in the chemistry courses and have a good overall record. In addition, the stutlents' ability, motivation, and drive are taken into account by the department members in their selection. Admission to the Graduate School
The students admitted to the program make formal application to the Graduate School during the second semester of the junior year. The student will be admitted if the followingrequirements have been met: (1) a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in the chemistry courses, (2) submission of an approved course of study, and (3) recommendation by the department. Program of Study
During the summer following the sophomore, junior, and senior years, the student admitted to the program returns to the campus for a ten week session. He receives a fellowship from Bucknell to cover his tuition
and in return, during the junior and senior years, takes charge of a weekly practice session in the solving of chemical problems for undergraduate students. These sessions are for students who need extra help and no academic credit is given. In addition, a cash stipend is offered through various grants received by the department. In the last three summers, the stipend has been $GOO for the ten weeks. The summer work consists of eight credit hours in either undergraduate or graduate research (depending upon the year) plus laboratory work in qualitative organic analysis during the first summer. Qualitative organic analysis will be taken by examination thus permitting a graduate level course to replace it in the uudergraduate curriculum. It is possible that instrumental analysis may be handled in a similar manner since the student will use many instruments in his research work. However, the student would be asked to audit the lectures in instrumental analysis to better understand the principles involved. During the junior and senior year the student would take at least one graduate level course each semester. The courses would he selected by the student with the approval of the advisor. The selection would be made from the following courses: mechanisms in organic chemistry, special topics in inorganic chemistry, special topics in physical chemistry, special topics in organic chemistry, advanced organic chemistry, advanced physical chemistry, graduate research, seminar, chemistry of natural products, and biologicaland medicinalchemistry. During the senior year and the following summer the student would t.ake comprehensive examinations in the four fields-analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical. In addition to the course and examination requirements, the student would do his thesis research under the close supervision of a faculty member. He would submit a thesis based upon the experimental work and would defend his thesis before a departmental committee. There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these three combination programs. The advantages of the Western Reserve Program are: (1) it integrates undergraduate and graduate work, (2) the time is decreased between the B.S. and Ph.D. degrees, (3) the student is better prepared to begin work on a Ph.D. pro-
gram, and (4) the liberal arts distribution requirements are retained. The disadvantaees are: (1) \ , the senior vear has an extremely heavy load of 26 semester hours of chemistry, mainly at the graduate level, (2) the program does not make use of the summer vacation periods, and (3) no Honors-type undergraduate courses may he taken in other departments. In the Furman Program, it would seem that the advantages are: (1) there is a broad introductory curriculum for both the B.S. and M S . degrees, (2) undergraduate and graduate work are integrated, (3) the liberal arts requirements are maintained, (4) the student is better prepared to start work on a Ph.D. program but has probably lost time since five years were required, and (5) opportunity provided for as many students as possible to begin the research experience during summer following junior year. The program might be open to criticism on the following: (1) integration does not begin until the senior year, (2) a rather heavy load of 15 or 18 semester hours of graduate level courses is required in the senior year, and (3) the time between the B.S. and M.S. degrees is not decreased. The advantages of the Bucknell Program are: (1) it integrates undergraduate and graduate work, (2) the student is better prepared to begin work on a Ph.D. program, (3) laboratory skill is developed through undergraduate and graduate research experience over three summers as well as the regular college term, (4) the time between the B.S. and Ph.D. degrees is decreased, (5) the normal complement of liberal arts courses is kept, and (6) the heavy schedule of graduate work in the senior year is avoided by using the summer vacation periods. (The student who discontinues the program and who has maintained good grades is permitted to apply to receive the B.S. degree with honors.) The disadvantage is that the department must provide funds to award each participant $600 for the summer period. We hope the look at the combination B.S.-MS. degree may be helpful to those collegeswho are considering the possibility of offering an M S . degree or modifying their present MS. degree. Certainly the caliber of the student in the combination program is much higher than one finds in the usual master's program and this should be of benefit to the whole graduate program.
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