A New Accreditation Problem: Defining the Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Autor/in	Hoskins, Robert L.
Titel	A New Accreditation Problem: Defining the Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Quelle	(1988), (13 Seiten)Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Accreditation (Institutions); Administrator Attitudes; Course Selection (Students); Curriculum Design; Definitions; Degree Requirements; Educational Strategies; Elective Courses; General Education; Higher Education; Journalism Education; Liberal Arts + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Accreditation; Institution; Institutions; Akkreditierung; Staatliche Anerkennung; Institut; Course selection; Student; Students; Kurswahl; Lehrplangestaltung; Begriffsbestimmung; Lehrstrategie; Elective course; Wahlkurs; Allgemein bildendes Schulwesen; Allgemeinbildung; Hochschulbildung; Hochschulsystem; Hochschulwesen
Abstract	In 1985, the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) adopted a standard requiring that journalism/mass communications students take a minimum of 90 semester hours in courses outside their major, with at least 65 hours in liberal arts and sciences. The term "liberal arts" defies precise definition, even though these minimum requirements would account for half or more of students' total academic program. Philosophers and educators have questioned the idea of liberal arts education for thousands of years, with no definitive answers. With the 90/65 rule, programs are being asked to provide a definition. Responses to a questionnaire sent to 87 ACEJMC-accredited schools show how programs are coping with the 90/65 standard. A few programs reported revising graduation checkout procedures and student advisement practices in response to the rule. In addition, the questionnaire revealed that identifying liberal arts courses is a complex, highly subjective undertaking. Most programs reported having no procedure for identifying liberal arts courses, or merely assumed that courses taught in their colleges of arts and sciences qualified. Some programs, such as the program at Western Kentucky University, have established committees to work on this problem. Ultimately, however, answers to these questions will not yield complete agreement, and ACEJMC must approach the judgment of individual programs with an attitude of trust. (Thirteen footnotes are appended.) (MM)
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC