Decision Deferred On Degree Courses

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31407, 28 June 1967, Page 16

Decision Deferred On Degree Courses

Recommendations for changes in degree regulations and prescriptions submitted by the Lincoln College professorial board for approval by the college council at its meeting yesterday will be further considered by a special committee at an emergency meeting on Tuesday.

Yesterday's meeting gave the council its first opportunity to discuss the proposals which must be submitted to the council of the University of Canterbury by July 12 if they are to be introduced next year. In a report to the council, the registrar (Mr H. G. Hunt) said the professorial board considered a- review of the present regulations and prescriptions of the subjects for the bachelor’s and master's degrees in agriculture and horticulture was desirable because of academic developments at other institutions, and to ensure that the college courses continued to provide a full and balanced coverage of the subjects of the curriculum.

The board recommended that greater specialisation be introduced in the third year courses, and that students be asked to nominate during the third year whether they wished to take a general course in general agricultural subjects, a business course comprising such subjects as economics, or a science course. The chosen course would then be taken in the second half of the third year and in the fourth year. The board also recommended that a four-year bachelor’s degree with honours be introduced, and that a master's degree with honours be available only to those who had been awarded the ordinary bachelor’s degree. The first three years of the courses for the bachelor’s degree with honours would ’’e the same as for the ordinary degree, and selected students in the business and science courses would be invited, at the end of the third year; to enrol for the honours degree. Candidates awarded the honours degree would be able to proceed direct to the course for the degree of doctor of philosophy. The board recommended that new subject titles be introduced which would give a more integrated coverage of the subject matter of the courses.

The principal (Dr. M. M. Bums) said one of the objects was specialisation at an earlier stage. This would put

the college on the same level as other universities. Mr I. L. Elliott said such regulations might narrow the scope of a degree. There was the tendency to force a degree in agriculture into specialised fields.

If a highly qualified person such as a biochemist was required it would be better if he were taken from a university with pure science qualifications.

Both Dr. Burns and Professor R. H. M. Langer assured the council that members of the professorial board had expressed similar views and the points made had not been ignored. Dr. Burns said the proposals before the council were the result of compromise. The advantages far outweighed the disadvantages. A motion that the board’s recommendations be referred back to the board was lost. Mr D. W. Bain’s suggestion that a special committee comprising two members from the professorial board, two members of the council, Dr. Burns and the chairman (Mr T. D. J. Holderness) be set up with power to act in forwarding the proposed new regulations to the university council, was adopted. i