Achieving a doctorate presents candidates with certain challenges--undertaking the research, writing the thesis and defending both at their viva. Throughout that doctoral journey, candidates are expected to display doctorateness in their thesis via the characteristics of high-quality scholarly research. The blockages that occur and prevent…

The Common Ground Multicultural Dialogue program in the Department of Resident Life at the University of Maryland is an innovative peer education program designed to teach skills for engagement through exploration of contemporary multicultural societal dilemmas. The Common Ground Dialogue Program was launched in 2000 to provide undergraduate…

This paper describes staff perceptions of the implementation of an alternative curriculum, Skill Force, for disaffected pupils in the UK. The perceptions of Skill Force and school staff were compared based on data from questionnaires completed by 62 Skill Force and 84 school staff, and interviews with representative samples of each. While the data…

Several studies have emphasised the importance of addressing social and emotional factors in facilitating adjustment to tertiary education. This article describes the Skills for Success in Science programme at the University of Cape Town. The broad aims were life skills development and improved adjustment which are assumed to underpin academic…

Functional Therapy (FT) is a social skills training program that enables students to change their overt behaviors by altering their cognitive thoughts. Various aspects of FT and its application are discussed in this paper. The basic constructs of FT are ownership of the problem, accepting responsibility to solve the problem, and developing and…

Presented is a discussion of an intercultural orientation seminar for foreign and U.S. university students at Colorado State University. This 1-day retreat is held each semester at a lodge in the Rocky Mountains. It is designed to bring together the students and community people to experience an international environment where the goal is to…

The Coppin Critical Reading Project at Coppin State College, Maryland is designed to help undergraduate students to become critical readers across a wide range of disciplines through the introduction of significant texts into the general education curriculum, through analysis of these texts from the perspective of the humanities, and through…

Describes a four-hour career orientation program provided by employment center counselors for all West German students in grade eight. Program provides: career information; an opportunity to discuss career needs and career decision making; and an overview of employment services available. Includes a career-orientation questionnaire. (RC)

This report presents comparisons of high school students in New York State with those of the United States as a whole and is organized in five sections: the first describes experiences in high school (coursework, grades, vocational training, behavior, school practices, and student opinions on high school); the second outlines activities outside of…

Reports the retrospective thoughts of 161 former participants of Saturday and summer gifted programs at Purdue University (Indiana). The programs offer enrichment and accelerated classes in all areas of the curriculum for children from age 2 through middle school. The programs' role in shaping career choices is discussed. (CR)

This report describes the evaluation process of Portland, Oregon's Student Mentoring Program (SMP), a program which brought college students from four private universities and at risk eighth grade students from four middle schools in mentoring relationships. The evaluation design is described, as are the various measurements used to assess program…

The results of a survey of the alumni of the class of 1981 of Arizona's three public universities are presented as part of the final report of the Arizona Board of Regents' Task Force on Excellence, Efficiency and Competitiveness. A letter and survey form were sent to all alumni in this class, and the response rate was good to excellent. Findings…

The Multicultural Awareness Project for Institutional Transformation (MAP IT) was developed at the University of Minnesota's General College with the goal of integrating multicultural education within higher education. As the acronym indicates, the aim is transformative. MAP IT is an adaptation of "Diversity Within Unity: Essential Principles for…

The Student as Learner Inventory, which was developed at Alverno College (Wisconsin), is described. Alverno College is a private, 4-year liberal arts college for women with an enrollment of 2,500 students. The inventory, which is completed by entering and second semester students in an undergraduate program, is integral to the curriculum. The…

The Writing Center at Troy State University (Troy, Alabama), is described in this report. Currently in its seventh year of operation, the Center functions under the philosophy that any student can be successful given the appropriate method of instruction and sufficient time. It provides a multiplicity of services including one-to-one tutorials,…