Soc. Rel. Department Announces Plans to Liberalize Requirements

Social Relations concentrators will have the choice of three programs of concentration beginning next year, according to Robert W. White '25, professor of Clinical Psychology and Chairman of the Social Relations Department.

White announced yesterday that the Department will offer two different plans which include tutorial and one in general studies, without tutorial. Each of the new offerings leaves Soc. Rel. majors more latitude in choosing their courses than they have had.

"We want to give greater freedom to students in planning their programs," White said. The changes coincide with the College-wide liberalization of requirements recently adopted by the Faculty.

Concentrators who adopt the departmental plan will be required to complete six full courses, or an equivalent total of full and half courses, in the Department.

The other plan offering tutorial is tagged "Interdisciplinary" and calls for seven full courses for concentration, of which two many be in related fields. Specific requirements, besides tutorial work, are Soc. Rel. 10 and two or more half courses in methods.

Those who elect the third option of general studies will take six full courses, including at least two in one of the five restricted areas of Soc. Rel.--Comparative Cultures of Communication and Interaction, for example.

The methods courses themselves will be reworked to allow more choice. The Department expects to create a new course in the theory of knowledge and theory construction, and to revise present courses in field methods, statistics, and research methods.

"There was too much course taking to fulfill rules, to fit into slots," commented Senior Tutor Richard D. Mann '54. The responses to a questionnaire given all concentrators, and the dissatisfaction of some members with the present system spurred the changes.

White admitted concern about the shortage of funds for enlarging the staff to handle the large increase of Soc. Rel. concentrators. Fifty per cent more sophomores came into the Department last fall than the year before, including a high proportion of honors students. The high student-teacher ratio will necessitate continuing group tutorial for juniors instead of offering individual sessions.

Professor White also announced two Department promotions. Leon D. Bramson becomes assistant professor of Social Relations, effective July 1; David May-bury-Lewis moves up to assistant professor of Social Anthropology on the same date.