Dept. Alters Requirement In Economics

Extensive changes affecting all Economics concentrators have just been instituted by the department, Lee Preston, chairman of the Board of Tutors, confirmed yesterday. The changes, leading toward greater flexibility in requirements, were made on recommendation of the Department's Committee on Undergraduate Instruction.

Beginning this year, honors candidate will be specifically required to take only Economics 1, the elementary course, a and 100, the junior Honors seminar, and may take any three other Economics courses they wish. Economics 106, an applied theory course, is "recommended," but not required, for all concentrators, said James S. Duesenberry, professor of Economics. Course requirements for non-Honors candidates remain the same, although some changes may be made in the future.

Since many concentrators will take a more varied course program than previously, general examinations will be less specific, and "tied less closely to courses" than in the past, Duesenberry said. For Honors candidates, these examinations will be expanded to four hours, while non-Honors generals will still last three hours.

Most non-Honors concentrators will still take oral exams in their junior year, but some will be exempted on the basis of unusual performance in tutorial. Orals will be abolished for all Honors candidates.

Further, generals written by Honors concentrators will be graded by professors in the Department, "subject to the availability of funds," Duesenberry said.