Master's Institutions Research Articles

Institutional Repositories: The Experience of Master's and Baccalaureate Institutions

In 2006, MIRACLE Project investigators censused library directors at all U.S. academic institutions about their activities planning, pilot testing, and implementing the institutional repositories on their campuses. Out of 446 respondents, 289 (64.8 percent) were from master's and baccalaureate institutions (M&BIs) where few operational institutional repositories (IRs) were in place but where interest in learning more about the M&BI experience pertaining to IRs was high. Comments by these library directors in the MIRACLE study demonstrated their desire to learn more about IR planning and implementation at institutions like their own. We address their comments in this paper, which compares IR activities at M&BIs to research universities (RUs).

Tenure, Promotion, and Textual Scholarship at the Teaching Institution

To begin, I want to clarify a term I use here as short hand for those institutions that generally focus on undergraduate rather than graduate education, that are thus categorized by the Carnegie sys tem as either Master's or Baccalaureate institutions, and that are therefore distinct in this way from research universities. I am not using the term to suggest that teaching is the only activity such institutions find important, nor am I using the term to imply that teaching is an activity that research institutions devalue. Teaching is an important activity at research institu tions, and indeed high-quality teaching?even of undergraduates?may be found there, no matter what certain polemicists and pundits say. Likewise, scholarship is an important activity at teaching institutions, and indeed high-quality scholarship goes on there too, no matter what others, includ ing some of our colleagues at research institutions, might think. My own institution, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, is classified in the cur rent Carnegie Classification system as a Master's institution in the smaller programs subcategory. At Mansfield, English faculty members teach four courses per semester, two of which are usually composition courses. We are a unionized faculty, contractually obligated to demonstrate teaching effectiveness, scholarly growth, and university service in order to have our appointments renewed and ultimately to earn tenure and promotion. Now that you know where I'm coming from, I'll arrive at my main point as quickly as I can. Textual scholarship is devalued across academia,

Characterization of Human Genetics Courses for Nonbiology Majors in U.S. Colleges and Universities

We characterized college human genetics courses for nonscience majors (NSM) by 1) determining the number of U.S. institutions offering courses and the number of students taking them; and 2) surveying course instructors on course demographics, content, materials, and pedagogies. Between 2002 and 2004, an estimated 480 institutions of higher education (15.2%) offered a course: 8.4% of 1667 associate colleges, 16.1% of baccalaureate institutions, 25.3% of master's institutions, and 32.9% of doctoral institutions. This indicates a need to increase access to genetics education in 2-yr colleges. Based on instructor responses, approximately 32,000-37,000 students annually complete an NSM human genetics course out of approximately 1.9 million students earning a college degree each year (2.0%). Regarding course content, instructors consistently rated many concepts significantly higher in importance than the emphasis placed on those concepts in their courses. Although time could be a factor, instructors need guidance in the integration of the various concepts into their courses. Considering only 30.2% of the instructors were reportedly trained in genetics (another 25.4% in molecular and cellular biology) and the small fraction of students completing NSM human genetics courses, these results demonstrate the need for increasing the availability of these courses in undergraduate institutions of higher education, and particularly at 2-yr colleges.

Consensus and Divergence in International Studies: Survey Evidence from 140 International Studies Curriculum Programs

There is a growing debate over the extent of consensus or divergence found within interdisciplinary International Studies (IS) programs. Unfortunately, with a few exceptions, this debate has taken place in the absence of empirical data. This article advances our understanding of the current state of IS curricula through an analysis of data generated from a survey of 140 interdisciplinary undergraduate IS majors across the United States. The surveyed programs comprise 63 Doctoral/Research institutions, 40 Master's institutions, and 37 Baccalaureate institutions found in 38 states and the District of Columbia. The 140 programs are analyzed in terms of six basic components: introductory course(s), research methods, capstone course(s), area and/or thematic concentrations, study abroad, and foreign language requirements. The findings demonstrate significant areas of both consensus and divergence in IS programs.

Hiring Criteria in Biology Departments of Academic Institutions

We surveyed faculty in the biology departments of US institutions of higher education to compare the experience and training valued by faculty at hiring institutions with the experience and training most graduate students receive. Our data show that associate, baccalaureate, and master's institutions value teaching experience and skills more highly than research skills. In contrast, doctoral institutions place a higher value on the ability to publish research and obtain outside funding. These findings provide quantitative and qualitative insight into discrepancies between the values of those who train graduate students in biology and the expectations of the institutions likely to hire these individuals.

To Ph.D. or Not to Ph.D.? That is the Question!

Is a master's degree sufficient for a successful career in human factors, or is a doctoral degree necessary? This question has been a recent cause for discussion, especially among graduate students. In order to address this issue, the Old Dominion student chapter of the HFES developed some questions regarding the relative advantages of both degrees. Panelists were selected based on their experience with differing degrees. Megan Brown and Dieter Jahns are both practitioners who have master's degrees. Dieter is also Executive Director of the Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics. Anthony Andre and Arnie Lund are practitioners, but both have doctoral degrees. Anthony is also an Adjunct Professor of Human Factors and Ergonomics at San Jose State University. In addition, Nancy Cooke and Tom Eggemeier are faculty members who have doctoral degrees. Tom teaches at a master's level institution while Nancy teaches at an institution that offers both master's and doctoral degrees. At the HFES panel session, panelists will focus on answering questions from the audience.