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PART Issues and Perspectives ofHigher Education

College courses may be classified into two categories: undergraduate courses on one hand and graduate and professional courses on the other hand.

Undergraduate courses are four-year courses leading to a bachelor's degree. Emphasis in these courses is placed on the liberal arts or general education. However, in recent years, in response to growing demands for professional education at the undergraduate level, some universities and colleges have created undergraduate courses leading to bachelor's degrees in respective professional fields.

Traditional subjects to be studied at the undergraduate level comprise general education subjects, major subjects and elective subjects. It is a general practice that during the first two years students concentrates their studies on general education, and during the following two years they engage themselves in studying "major" subjects of their choice in accordance with their own study plan. Some universities and colleges require all undergraduate students to learn in accordance with the college-determined curriculum composed mainly of liberal arts. In order to earn a bachelor's degree, students are required to acquire a certain number of credits specified for respective courses and then to pass the examination of their thesis.

In order to earn a higher degree (master's or doctor's degree), students are required to study in a postgraduate course for a certain period after earning a bachelor's degree and to meet certain requirements.

Students' study at a master or doctor's course may be classified into two types: theoretical study and vocational or technical training. The former study enables students to earn a Master of Arts (M.A.) or a Master of Science (M.S.) and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), while the latter training enables students to earn diverse professional degrees. A degree under the former category attests the broad knowledge and horizon of its holder, while a degree under the latter category certifies more specialized knowledge and skills acquired by its holder. This distinction is conspicuous especially between the Ph.D. and the other doctor's degrees.

There are a great variety of professional courses, and there are more than 250 titles of professional degrees.

The number of higher degrees conferred during 1986 was approximately 290,000for master's degrees and 340,000 for doctor's degrees. In addition, approximately 70,000 first professional degrees (i.e.. higher degrees in medicine and other professional fields) were conferred.

Along with the growing demands from various professions for holders of higher degrees, there are an increasing number of universities and colleges placing a very strong emphasis on postgraduate courses. For this reason, universities are now facing an issue to be solved: how to secure a proper balance between research at graduate schools and general education at the undergraduate level. Even many liberal arts colleges have tended to shift their emphasis from education to research. They attach greater importance to enabling students to acquire specialized skills and knowledge in a particular limited field than to enabling them to achieve an all-round intellectual development. There is an observation that this phenomenon has been exerting a grave impact upon the functions and mission of American universities and colleges. The aims of postgraduate programs, as well as their articulation with undergraduate programs, are now going to be reexamined.

Legally, teachers at State universities and colleges are State government employees. However, their appointment, promotion and salaries are determined by the Board of Regents, governing body of each university. Some State university teachers are employed for a limited term of office.

There are usually four ranks in university teachers: professors, associate professors, assistant professors and lecturers.

In general, lecturers and assistant professors are employed with a two- or three-year term of office, while associate and full professors hold tenure until the retirement age. In order to be appointed or promoted to a position with tenure, teachers are required to undergo a certain period of probation and are given an examination by faculty members with tenure. The decision is made by the Board of Regents on recommendation by the faculty members. In 1985 the proportion of full-time teachers holding tenure was 64% for public institutions and 52% for private institutions.

The criteria for the examination by faculty members differ among institutions. They include applicants' teaching capacity, the records of their research and other creative activities, they're past activities in the field of their specialty, the records of their services to the institution and to the public, and students' evaluation of their teaching capabilities.