Economics Dept. to Consider New Honors Track

Economics concentrators may be able to graduate with honors next year without writing a thesis, according to members of the department's Student Advisory Committee (SAC).

According to members at the SAC meeting last Tuesday, Andrew P. Metrick, assistant professor of economics and the department's head tutor, presented the group with a proposal to create a new honors track.

The proposal would allow candidates to replace the current thesis requirement with a course in econometrics and an additional course which included a significant writing component, such as a 20-25 page paper.

"We want to do what's best for the thesis program and for the undergraduate program in general," Metrick said last night.

The department's Undergraduate Instruction Committee (UIC) will discuss and refine the proposal later this week before presenting it to the entire faculty of the department.

Metrick said he hopes to bring the proposal in front of that group before spring break, and said he is optimistic for the proposal's chances.

"We would hope that this [track] is in place for next year," he said.

Metrick, however, adds that the proposal is still in the planning stages.

"We actually don't have a formal plan on the table yet," he said. "The exact specifics are still unclear."

The department is also considering a separate proposal to restructure the concentration's general exam and other concentration requirements for the class of 2000, according to Metrick and SAC members.

"We would like to teach a bit more writing and have more people take econometrics before they leave," Metrick said.

According to committee members, Metrick outlined the new track proposal at the SAC meeting last week and asked them to gather student input.

"The idea is to cover as many bases as possible--through phone calls, e-mail, talking to people in your house, making announcements in classes," Garuda said.

In addition, SAC members Karthik Muralidharan '98 and Angela W. Pan '97 will write a compilation of student input to present to the UIC.

Members of the SAC said that the department has been concerned for some time about concentrators' motivation for writing theses.

"They don't want the sole reason for writing a thesis to be to get honors," SAC member Adrienne R. Bradley '96 said.

Many economics concentrators said they welcome the proposed addition of a non-thesis honors track.

"People are almost overwhelmingly in favor of the proposal because it is an addition to the choices they already have," said Gopal Garuda '98-'97, who serves on the SAC.

Some economics concentrators said allowing honors students to bypass the thesis requirement would help add continuity to their program.

"A lot of times, students can get really involved in writing a long thesis or doing research for a professor that has nothing to do with the classes they have taken," concentrator Nayantara D. Hensel '97 said.

Committee members also said they believe the proposal would help improve the quality of theses.

"[The current thesis requirement] diverts resources away from the people who write these because they genuinely care about their theses," Garuda said. "The department wants to focus on better these and I think that's what we will see."

But some economics concentrators said they fear an optional thesis may diminish the distinction of an honors degree.

"There is a lot to learn from writing a thesis," said Jason M. Sobol '97, who plans to continue with his thesis plans. "In some sense [the optional thesis] would be a step backwards.

But some economics concentrators said they fear an optional thesis may diminish the distinction of an honors degree.

"There is a lot to learn from writing a thesis," said Jason M. Sobol '97, who plans to continue with his thesis plans. "In some sense [the optional thesis] would be a step backwards.