A rarely-used joint degree program that lets undergraduate students graduate with both a master's and a bachelor's degree in four years may soon face elimination, according to administrators. Two committees have recommended the program be eliminated, but the final say rests with the faculty, which has not yet considered the proposal.
The concurrent bachelor's/master's program is still available for students who are submitting applications this year, and its elimination would not necessarily preclude current students from participating.
Though the two committees — the Graduate School Council and the College Curriculum Council — have both recommended the program be eliminated, several steps remain before the proposal would come before the faculty for an up-or-down vote.
"The process from this point is to discuss the findings of the two Councils with faculty in the small number of departments that have awarded these degrees in the past decade," wrote Dean of the College Katherine Bergeron, who chairs the CCC, in an e-mail to The Herald.
"That will happen in the next month."
The proposal will then be discussed by the Faculty Executive Committee, Bergeron wrote, adding that it is "possible" the faculty could consider the measure "this year."
It is unclear whether current students would still be permitted to enroll in the program if it is eliminated, according to University Registrar Michael Pesta. That determination would be up to the Committee on Academic Standing, he said.
The four-year concurrent-degree option has drawn only a limited number of students throughout the years. The University also offers a five-year program for students to pursue both a bachelor's and a master's, and there are no plans to end that program, said Stephen Lassonde, Deputy Dean of the College.
"I don't think there's a good reason for (keeping the program)," Lassonde said. "To me, students should be doing this in a five-year master's."
"There have been years where there's been only one" graduating student who took advantage of the program, Pesta said. "We've had eight (students) two times, in 1994 and 2001, but on average it's been two a year."
Under the program, students completing bachelor's and master's degrees in four years can pursue bachelor's and master's degrees in two different departments.
Jeremy Goodman '10 is taking courses to graduate with an M.A. in philosophy in addition to his B.A.
"I was considering the five-year (master's) program, but when I found out about the four-year program, that was a much better fit," Goodman said.
"It's been nice for me, but if it wasn't there, I wouldn't be heartbroken," he added.
Goodman said he would "probably not" be taking courses for his master's in philosophy if he could not earn it in four years.
But he said the four-year master's may not be missed in his concentration.
"I don't think it's that much of a loss for philosophy. Maybe it's a loss in other areas, where having a master's could help in other ways," he said.
Jared Lafer '11, a Herald opinions columnist who is also a B.A./M.A. candidate in philosophy, said the program has been valuable.
"I personally like the opportunity it presents," Lafer said, "because it allows me to pursue master's work as an undergrad."
Despite the program's uncertain future, Lafer said he spoke to Lassonde this semester and felt assured that he would be able to graduate with both degrees.
Professor of computer science Tom Doeppner, who has advised students on the concurrent B.A./M.A. track, said the program is "part of the Brown tradition."
"It doesn't have a whole lot of students who are doing it, but I've been here 30 years and this program has been in place (since) before then," he said. "So it's been here a long time," Doeppner said.
The program has been listed among the University's offering since 1964, according to Pesta.
Despite its accelerated timeline, Doeppner said the concurrently earned master's is not seen as any different than the same as a master's earned in the postgraduate years.
"The only difference is that you use some courses to satisfy both bachelor's and master's requirements," he said.
