English Non-Honors Tutorial Fills Gaps in Individual Study Programs

Only one of the University's more than 30 fields and departments offers tutorial instruction to non-Honors juniors and seniors. Although the English Department's unique program is both voluntary and non-credit, about 70 per cent of the 221 non-Honors concentrators attend their group meetings regularly, according to David D. Perkins '51, Head Tutor of the Department.

The most likely reason for the English program's success is that it helps students pass the general examinations required by the Department of all concentrators. Under the old program, non-Honors candidates had "advisors," who signed study cards and tutored them intensively during the three-or-four-week cramming period before generals. At present, senior non-Honors tutorial concentrates on English literary history--an important topic on the examination.

Junior groups, which are not oriented so much toward the generals, consider periods or authors individual students have not studied under the regular program of courses.

Junior non-Honors, however, meets a groups of up to six people. Should the individual interests or needs within given group vary, students can switch tutors; and the Department will assign students expressing preferences for a given author to a tutor doing work in that period.

At least four juniors have switched tutors this year solely because they were interested in material other than that covered by their group. The problem of conflicting interests does not arise in Senior non-Honors tutorial, which runs largely on an individual basis.

The mechanics of the new program closely resemble those of the traditional, Honors-only tutorial. Ordinarily, students are assigned to tutors within their own House. The groups meet every two weeks for at least an hour, carrying a work load approximately equal to that of a half course spread over a full year. Also, Perkins tries to avoid situations where tutors cover the same material with different groups.

Course Credits

The matter of course credits constitutes the main differences between Honors and non-Honors tutorial. Honors has it; non-Honors does not. Honors tutorial is required; in the non-Honors program, every student has a tutor, but the Department has no way of enforcing attendance at tutorial sessions.

The number of additional tutors which the non-Honors program will require is difficult to determine exactly. There are more tutors in the Department now than a year ago, but some increase would probably have been necessary even without the new program. Also, the conversion of "advisors" to tutors has partially offset any increase in staff. Getting salary funds from the University for the extra tutors was not a problem, according to Perkins.

Junior non-Honors, however, meets a groups of up to six people. Should the individual interests or needs within given group vary, students can switch tutors; and the Department will assign students expressing preferences for a given author to a tutor doing work in that period.

At least four juniors have switched tutors this year solely because they were interested in material other than that covered by their group. The problem of conflicting interests does not arise in Senior non-Honors tutorial, which runs largely on an individual basis.

The mechanics of the new program closely resemble those of the traditional, Honors-only tutorial. Ordinarily, students are assigned to tutors within their own House. The groups meet every two weeks for at least an hour, carrying a work load approximately equal to that of a half course spread over a full year. Also, Perkins tries to avoid situations where tutors cover the same material with different groups.

Course Credits

The matter of course credits constitutes the main differences between Honors and non-Honors tutorial. Honors has it; non-Honors does not. Honors tutorial is required; in the non-Honors program, every student has a tutor, but the Department has no way of enforcing attendance at tutorial sessions.

The number of additional tutors which the non-Honors program will require is difficult to determine exactly. There are more tutors in the Department now than a year ago, but some increase would probably have been necessary even without the new program. Also, the conversion of "advisors" to tutors has partially offset any increase in staff. Getting salary funds from the University for the extra tutors was not a problem, according to Perkins.

At least four juniors have switched tutors this year solely because they were interested in material other than that covered by their group. The problem of conflicting interests does not arise in Senior non-Honors tutorial, which runs largely on an individual basis.

The mechanics of the new program closely resemble those of the traditional, Honors-only tutorial. Ordinarily, students are assigned to tutors within their own House. The groups meet every two weeks for at least an hour, carrying a work load approximately equal to that of a half course spread over a full year. Also, Perkins tries to avoid situations where tutors cover the same material with different groups.

Course Credits

The matter of course credits constitutes the main differences between Honors and non-Honors tutorial. Honors has it; non-Honors does not. Honors tutorial is required; in the non-Honors program, every student has a tutor, but the Department has no way of enforcing attendance at tutorial sessions.

The number of additional tutors which the non-Honors program will require is difficult to determine exactly. There are more tutors in the Department now than a year ago, but some increase would probably have been necessary even without the new program. Also, the conversion of "advisors" to tutors has partially offset any increase in staff. Getting salary funds from the University for the extra tutors was not a problem, according to Perkins.