Honors in Economics

Harried by losses of tutors to the armed services and other Universities, the Department of Economics voted in 1946 to abolish its tutorial. This year Economics 10, "Thesis for Honors," has been struck from the catalogue. Together, the two measures now leave Economics concentrators little personal contact with their instructors outside the classroom. While every attempt is being made to give Honors candidates individual guidance in writing their theses, still it is all done on a non-credit basis.

For many years, thesis courses were offered by departments administering General Examinations. This was supposed to include tutorial as well. But it was always hard to find brilliant young men who could understand and really teach undergraduates. Because of its high standards, the Economics Department had a difficult time; it took from three to five years to turn out a first-class tutor. Then came the war, and afterward the Department was faced with the task of breaking in a completely new staff. The job was further complicated by the fact that these potential tutors were snapped up by other Universities as fast as they were trained.

In such a case, with the best tutors unable to be retained, was it right to continue giving other than the best tutorial? The Department of Economics said no.

Tutorial for credit was shelved by Economics in January, 1946. What no one could foresce at that time was that thesis courses for credit might also go some day. The abandonment of Economics 10 was none of the Department's doing. In 1947, the Faculty voted to discontinue thesis courses for honors credit, but made a temporary exception for Economics. Last spring, however, the Department received notice that the exception could no longer be granted.

Now, bound its standard to give nothing short of the best tutorial, and obliged by University policy to dispense with Economics 10, the Department is helpless. Honors candidates must get along as best they can with non-credit guidance from a busy faculty. A Department conscientious enough to refuse inadequate tutorial should not be penalized by depriving it of its only other means of organized honors instruction. In view of the situation, there seems little reason why Economics should not be permitted to reinstate its course "Thesis for Honors."