SCIENCE DEGREES

Evening Star, Issue 18998, 21 July 1925, Page 9

SCIENCE DEGREES

NEED FOR REFORM. On the subjects of the B.A. and B.Sc. degrees evidence was given by Dr limlis. He contended that the standard in certain subjects was lower than it should ho owing chiefly to the want of homogeneity in the calibre of the students, many of whom on entering tho University 'had only fulfilled the bare requirements of tho matriculation examination. The holier students were retarded in their progress by the proscore of so many relatively 'weak mombers in the University classes. The admission to the University examination of .students exempted from attendance at lectures also tended to lower the standard. This, however, was not ot vital importance, as the number ot such .students was relatively small. A more serious defect was that many students—a majority in some classes—were attempting to carry on a course ol study for the degree examinations along with a full-time training college course, 'flic standard under any purely external system tended to he low because the examiner was reluctant, to fail a candidate on the evidence of one, examination. The present, system ol examinations for advanced and honors grades was purely external. 'Phc pass degree examinations were also still largely external. From both the teachers’ and tho students’ points ot view the external system had serious defects, as under it the student and tho public were apt to regard the University teacher as a mere coach, and to judge his efficiency by examination results. It should be recognised .that a University teacher must lie free to develop his subject as Ins experience and study suggested. This was impossible under a purely or mainly external system, because the teacher must keep in view the interpretation which tho external examiner might set on the syllabus. Under this system a student was often at a disadvantage because the work of Jus ■whole course was assessed on the result of a single examination. This was peculiarly unfair in tbc case of honors students. Another drawback of the present system was that the highest awards in modern languages and experimental science were made on the result of an examination which did not include an oral or a practical test. The best system of degree examining was one in which each University teacher shared with an external examiner tho preparation of all degree examination papers, both, pass and honor, and the assessing of the merits of candidates. In answer to questions, Dr Jnglis said that if Dr Pickerill’s suggestion that physics should be taken in the schools were carried out it would mean tho dropping of the B.D.S. degree and going back to tho C.O.P. Mr Morrell had stated that the Senate during recent years had instituted new degrees and diplomas; it had established new subjects in existing degree courses; its syllabi, on the, initiative of the Board of Studies, bad been in constant process of remodelling; and it bad altered tho system of pass examinations in substantial conformity with the professors’ wishes. Dr fnglis stated that the main alteration which the professors had desired was refused.