The article stresses that research has not been a highly valued activity in education; although research in special education is somewhat different from that in education, generally, it may still be viewed as a microcosm of the broader field. Special educators must be involved in research. (DB)

Computer-assisted advisement provides solutions to the most fundamental of advising problems by giving reduced time in evaluating students for graduation, improved accuracy, ease in obtaining information, frequency in providing information, reduction of cost, and versatility. (MSE)

Describes a computer engineering program including: (1) student activities; (2) positive impact of complementary programs; and (3) additional faculty tasks to support the program. (SK)

The responses to questions of class size, degree requirements, starting salaries, and teaching load from 156 academic institutions involved in foreign language teaching are revealed. These may be benchmarks for evaluating and improving programs nationwide. (PMJ)

Folklore has traditionally been excluded from the definition of the humanities. The value of folklore to the humanities is in providing an opportunity to view the tension between tradition and creativity, an appreciation of oral power, and an appreciation of cultural diversity. (JMF)

A return to a more structured undergraduate education with a return to distribution requirements would be disastrous for higher education, says the author. What is needed is an understanding of the students' world, their needs, and their future needs. Old ideas should be discarded, fundamentals examined, and creativity accepted. (Editor/LBH)

Reports a study that examined the extent and nature of mental health/illness education in American undergraduate higher education. Surveys of 93 program chairpersons and directors indicated that 56% of responding programs required a course emphasizing mental health or mental illness for students with a major or minor in health education. (SM)

Suggests that a basic scientist with a background of integrative physiology, pharmacology, anatomy, and pathology, with a special emphasis on pathophysiology, would be very well qualified to practice medicine of the future. Proposes a Ph.D. training track with this objective and lists some advantages and disadvantages of such a program. (AIM)

Argues that most doctoral training in English departments is concentrated on requirements, credentials, and the accumulation of a diversified portfolio. Emphasizes the need to discuss the scope of the doctoral enterprise and to explore the values that make such an enterprise worthwhile. (RS)

In response to the increasing amount of time it takes many students to complete a bachelor's degree, Arizona's Board of Regents has lowered the number of credits required to graduate from the three state universities. Critics are concerned about educational quality and the role of the Arizona Board of Regents in academic matters. (MSE)

An unusual degree requirement at Christ College, the honors college of Valparaiso University (Indiana), involves freshman production of an original musical theater production. The role of such a collaborative and imaginative effort in a liberal education is discussed, focusing on the arts as a context for inquiry. (MSE)

A survey of 16 optometry schools found 12 had a required course or portion of a required course dedicated to teaching ethics. Classroom hours varied from 0 to 60; the median was 7. Topics covered varied. Courses were usually offered in the first and third years. Faculty were typically, though not exclusively, optometrists. (MSE)

A study compared the performance of dental students following the traditional clinical curriculum that requires exposure to a specific range of discipline-oriented procedures with that of eight similar students in a curriculum focused on meeting patient needs but not traditional curriculum-based requirements. The nonrequirement group had higher…

Researchers examined college and university graduate bulletins to determine titles, admission information, and graduation requirements for master's degree health education programs. Degrees most common in nonschools of public health were master of science and of education. In schools of public health, master of public health degree were most…

In an effort to combat juvenile speech patterns of "mallspeak" and engage students in intelligent conversation, classes in oral communication are appearing among the general education requirements at colleges, and speaking-intensive classes are emerging in all disciplines. Communications faculty feel the skills should be taught within their…