New Programs Advise Freshmen On Their Concentration Options

Faced with an April 30th deadline for completing field of concentration forms, large numbers of freshmen are consulting counseling services provided by the individual departments and by the Office of Undergraduate Affairs.

Departments have held informal meetings for prospective concentrators at the Freshman Union this term to discuss course requirements and acquaint students with professors, tutors and students affiliated with the department.

In addition to these individual department meetings, the Office of Undergraduate Affairs is sponsoring panel discussions about departments in the social sciences.

This week, the panel will concentrate on Government, History and Economics. During the last week of April the talks will focus on Psychology and Social Relations, Sociology and Anthropology.

The panel is designed to give students considering a specific department "perspective on that field and what it is relating to," Katherine E. Kleeman '74, member of the board of freshman advisers, said yesterday.

Susan W. Lewis '65, assistant dean of freshmen, said yesterday the panel was created to provide discussion of concentrations "not by requirements but rather in a more inter-disciplinary and broad way."

Soc Sci A Blur

The coordinators of the program chose the social sciences for this "experiment," Kleeman said, because more students are confused about the division between departments in this area than in the natural sciences and humanities.

Kleeman added that students planning on concentration in the natural sciences usually get more individual care by the departments when they are selecting their major.

Special Attention Necessary

Andrew M. Gleason, Hollis Professor of Mathematicks and Natural Philosophy, said yesterday that most freshman advisers and proctors are not natural science majors, and that the special attention is therefore necessary.

Students interested in special concentrations will complete applications during the next few weeks, with the exception of Social Studies, for which the deadline was April 7.

Richard M. Hunt, acting chairman of Social Studies, said yesterday that 118 students applied to the Social Studies concentration--"almost exactly the same" as last year's total. Forty-five to fifty students will be admitted to the department.