Walter S. Guthmann Roosevelt University Chicago, lllinois 60605
Philosophy and Content of Master's Degree Programs
It is impossible to consider courses and content for the master's degree program without clearly delineating the philosophy of the program and the purposes to be achieved. James A. Perkins, the President of Cornell University, in the Stanford Little Lectures given a t Princeton University in 1965 and published as a book ( I ) , "The University in Transition," makes four points which might well govern us in our deliberations: The Greek philosophers of the fifth century, B.C. . . . dared suggest that those determined to know also had the capacity to know. Knowledge acquired must be transmitted or it dies. Knowledge acquired and transmitted must be used or it becomes sterile
nnd inert..
aspects of knowledge. The tescher-researcher is the ideal. The argument is rarely over m y contlict between the functions. I t most generally involves questions of degree and emphasis. Presented as part of the Symposium on Master's Degree oroerams in Chemistrv at Nan-Doctorate-Grantine Institutions before the Division of chemical Education at the 152nd Meeting of the Amerieen Chemical Society, New York, N. Y., September,
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We can get further guidance from some other pertinent references. In "Graduate Education Today" edited by Everett Walters (8), there are two essays pertaining to our problems. John Snell, Dean of the Graduate School at Tulane University, in an essay entitled, "The Master's Degree" coucludes by setting forth fourteen points. I shall quote partially: The master's degree is not on the way out. The statistical evidence of burgeoning expansion makes this obvious. The evidence of demand for persons with master's degrees also makes it clear that the degree shrmld not be on the way out. Yet the limitstions of the master's degree need to be clearly . . Even at its inception as a n earned degree, recognized. the master's was caught between the bachelor's and the PhD. . . . Its prestige has been diminished as it bas been awarded in ever Larger numbers. I t is to be hoped that faculty members will establish rigorous MA and MS dearees which can be obtained in one war, and that they will not pirsue the illusion that the master's can be made into a respectable degree for college teachers by prolonging already too long programs.
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In the same publication, Bryce Crawford, Dean of the Graduate School of the University of Mnnesota, wrote an essay on "New Trends in Graduate Study in the Physical Sciences." He addressed himself primarily to the change in the relationship between the physical
sciences and the engineering disciplines, a change which requires that the "EMP area" (engineering, m a t h e matics, and physical sciences) needs to be considered as an entity. He cites the need for uniting the theoretical and the practical, and emphasizes that the curriculum must reflect our aims. There is one more reference which I believe is required reading for anyone considering the master's degree seriously. This is the book by Bernard Berelson, "Graduate Education in the United States" (3'). In discussing the master's degree, Berelson quotes Howard Mumford Jones concerning the master's degree as showing that it "is today alternately a consolation prize and insurance policy, or a sop to public education." The proliferation of titles for the degree indicates how valid this statement is. Berelson points out further that in 1957-58 only 29% of the master's degrees were in the Arts and Sciences, a decrease of ten percentage points in the past decade, while over half the master's degrees were in education. The degree, according to him, has been weakened most in the better institutions. He says, The prospects of making the master's a, highly respected, research-oriented, one and a. half or two year degree for college teachers on a national scale are, I think, not bright . . . . a t the same time, I hasten to add, the degree is by no means on i t s way out.
The organizers and those who attended the Xavier Conference were aware of these factors and were familiar with the other publications in the field (4, 6). In his keynote address, Alfred Garrett outlined proper objectives. Just as some undergraduates benefit from time spent in junior colleges for maturation, there is frequently a two year maturation span in graduate work. Certain students could indeed use this time in preparation for the PhD program, and then move on to another school for completion of the PhD. High quality terminal master's programs could be useful in preparing some of the faculty of the smaller liberal arts colleges and finally, in the case of urban universities, the master's degree could be useful for enhancing the preparation of chemists in industry. The summary (6) of the recent action of the ACS committee on constitutional by-laws underlines the point by saying, I t is presumed that persons with deficient undergraduate training in chemistry or chemical engineering would be required by an ACS approved department to remedy m y such deficiencies so that on graduation they would have had the training equivalent to an .4CS certified bachelor's degree in addition to meeting the requirements for the master's degree. However, master's degrees in various branches of ohemistry (agricultural chemistry, biochemistry, phamseeuticsl chemistry, etc.) are frequently granted by administrative units other than the department of chemistry or chemical engineering, and there is then no assurance as to the adequacy of the training.
At the Xavier Conference, our discussion group on the master's curriculum in chemistry considered the background which I have reviewed. We also had Dr. Powell of the University of Richmond outline the present status of the ACS requirements for departmental approval and had the results of a survey sent to the participants in the Conference. Replies were received from twenty-nine. This survey is shown in the table. We then agreed that the aims should be modified by the local situation, but that there should be no difference in the aim for the terminal degree or the degree which
Courses for the MS in Chemistry
Required
Optional
Analytical Advanced Analytical Instrumental Aialysis Quantitative Spectroscopy Chemical Separations Ph.,.i*.l
Chemical Bonding Quantum Mechaiics Electrochemistry Physical Chemistry Measurements Atomic and Molecular Studies Organic Advanced Organic Theories of Organic Chemistry Organic Qualitative Analysis Organic Reaction Mechanisms Organic Reactions Het,erocyclic Organic Prepamtions Organic Quantitative Analysis Inorganic Advanced Inorganic Inorganic Preparations Coordination Chemistry Biochemistry Advanced Biochemistry Natural Products Medicinal Chemistry Miscellaneous Special Topics Radioohemistry Colloid Chemistry Physical Organic Chemical Literature
is preparatory for the PhD. The quality should be such as to constitute an extension of undergraduate education and it should be the same as for the course work in the PhD program. It was recognized that the MS program is built on a subject matter field, and we strongly condemned any MS degree offeredfor teachers and containing primarily undergraduate subject matter. This attitude was summarized in the following two resolutions, which were passed unanimously: (1) The purpose of the MS degree is to increase professional competence in the field of chemistry whether in industry or in teaching. (A master's degree without resesreh is considered ridiculous.) (2) The course training in the master's degree is to be of equivalent standard, whether the MS is to be terminal or to be oreoaratow to the PbD. (If the master's deeree is to have & m e and recognition, the course standards canbe no less than those set for the PhD.)
We then proceeded to consider the implementation of this program, the varying problems faced by urban and nonurban schools, and other considerations which had bearing on curriculum. In order to get the widest possible representation, all the participants in the Conference were polled on the several propositions given below.' Only those resolutions which pertained to the subject of this paper are included here. Others are to be found in appropriate papers of this Symposium.
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The exact vote on these resolutions and all otherssubmitted to the Conference participants is recorded in the Conference Final Report. With the exception of resolution 8, which was rejected by a 2: 1 vote, all resolntions were approved by sizeable margins. Volume 44, Number 8, August 1967
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(3) The master's curriculum should be subdivided into organic, inorganic, analytical, and physical chemistry, and a core of 15 semester hours among these four subject matter areas comprising advanced basic courses in the disciplineshould he provided far. Approved (Some have proposed no prescribed courses. This is considered impossible on a practical basis. The suhjeet matter included is that whioh was generally aocepted as essential.) (4) Nine semester hours in addition to the above are to be elected, in conference with the graduate counselor, from advanced ohemistry oourses in the four areas mentioned above, hiochemistry, and advanced courses in related sciences and mathematics. Approved (This resolution takes into account the different and special interests and needs of the graduate student.) (5) R w s r c h to the extent of approximately six hours is highly recommended far inclusion in the master's program in chemistry. Approved (This follows the precept established in the commentary under (1) and the philosophy that the master's degree is a. preparation for research. The osrtieioants were divided as to whether this research could be p&mit.tLd off campus.) (6) The master's student should he able to meet course requirements and qaaliiy for courses by examination. Approued (7) The transfer of not more than six semester hours of credit should be allowed and then only at "B" grade or higher. Apprwed (8) . . The above transfer credit is to he allowed for core courses only on examination. Rejected (Resolutions 6, 7, and 8 represent the student phase and were discussed on the basis of divergence of problems in the urban schools and liberal srts colleges in rural communities. We reoognized thst the means of reaching the aims of the program must, therefore, be settled individually. Note that major disagreement applies only to the manner in which transfer credit is to be allowed.) (9) The use of highly qualified part-time teachers is to be encouraged where and when they are available. Approved (It was brought out that schools in metropolitan areas can make excellent use of qualified scientists in Local industries and universities. Thii is not possible in many locations where the liberal srts college is isolated.) (10) Efforts should be made to devise a relatively more uniform system for the calculation and the reporting of teaching load. Approrred
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111summary, the conferencefelt that: (1) There is indeed a place for a master's degree of high
integrity; (2) The standards to be set for the course work should be in every respect equivalent to the standards required for a PhD; (3) There should be a minimum of thirty semester hours; (4) . . The grade level should be an average of "B" or higher; and, (5) Research to the extent of six hours be included in the program. As is apparent from the record, the master's degree has deteriorated the most in the "better" universities, l.e., those that put emphasis on the doctorate. I t has in such cases become, but should not be, a consolation prize for PhD dropouts. The master's degree, if not allowed to deteriorate, fullills an existing need. The greatest contribution that the nondoctorategranting institutions can make is to provide that balance in the master's program between teaching and research which will encourage the slowly maturing student and provide an opportunity for the competent students who, for financial or other reasons, cannot aspire to advanced study or embark on the four or five year program essential for the PhD. Literature Cited
(1) PERKINS,J. A,, "The University in Trausition," Princeton University Press, Prhceton, N. J.,1966. (2) WALTERS,E. (Editor), "Graduate Education Today," American Council on Education, Washington, D.C., 1965.
(3) BERELSON, B., "Graduate Education in the United States," ~McGraw-HillBook Co., New York, 1960. (4) SCOTT,A. F., Chem. Eng. News,Mar. 28, Apr. 26, May 17, June 14 (1965). (5) ACS Committee on Professional Training, C h m . Eng. Newa, May 4, 76 (1964). (6) Chem. Eng. News, Aug. 22,43 (1966).
