New Field of Concentration Opens Broader Social Studies Program

Approved by the Faculty two weeks ago, a new field of concentration will be offered for the first time to the class of 1944 when 1000 Yardlings make their choices next March.

The program of courses offered to those adopting the new field cuts across present departmental lines in an attempt to broaden course programs, now confined to narrow limits by department regulations. To obviate this existing tendency towards over-concentration a choice of courses in Economics, Government, Sociology, History, Psychology, Anthropology, Greek, Latin, and History of Religions will be presented.

Eight Courses Required

Because of the wide distribution within the field of Social Science itself, the number of required courses has been advanced to eight from the customary six, with two to be chosen from among the elementary courses in the Social Science departments.

Special concentration within the field has for the present been limited to three possibilities: Social Control of Economic Enterprise, Social Structure of the United States, and Comparative Institutions. This subdivision follows the general practice of breaking down fields as, for example, in the field of History.

Unity Emphasized

Emphasis in Tutorial work will be shifted to secure unity in the area field as a whole. In the Sophomore year the student will attend seminars on the general aspects of Social Science conducted by three tutors from the various related departments. After this introduction, in his Junior year he will meet individually with a tutor in his special field, and the last year he will once again attend seminars, this time continuing the work taken up the year before.

Divisional examinations in the spring of the Junior and Senior year will be "framed primarily with a view to bringing out the unity of the area and of its special fields rather than mainly to demonstrating competence from the point of view of the departmental dis- ciplines."

"The Area concentration plan is in no way to be treated as a substitute for the present departmental fields, but rather as an alternative open to certain students whose needs and interests are not adequately provided for under the departmental plan."

Because the new plan is in the experimental stage the maximum number of Freshmen permitted to enroll has been set at 80, and, likewise, because of the administration difficulties involved, a minimum of 15 has been established