What makes this memo from E. Cary Brown particularly useful is that it provides us with a list of the graduate economics fields along with the participating faculty members as of 1975. Also the major revision proposed was to have a system of two major fields (satisfied with general examinations) and two minor fields (satisfied by course work). Interesting to note that graduate student input was clearly integrated into the revision procedure.
________________________
Memo from Chairman E. Cary Brown
on a Revision of General Exams, 1975
April 28, 1975
To: Economics Department Faculty and Graduate Students
From: E. C. Brown
Re: Revision of General Examinations
While it has been left that a Committee would be appointed to review the procedures of the general examination (see minutes of the Department Meeting of April 23, 1975), further informal discussion has moved toward a proposed concept of these examinations that I am submitting for consideration and agreement.
- There seems reasonable satisfaction about the structure of the present examinations, subject to clarification of the final 2 field examinations and their relationship to the 2 field write-offs.
- It is proposed that the 2 fields satisfied by passing the “general” examinations be designated major The examination will be offered in a field, will cover the field in a general way, and will be separated from course examinations. Minor fields will be satisfied by course work. A somewhat lower standard will be imposed in minor fields than in major fields. The “generals” examination, therefore, would apply to the fields of the candidate’s expected expertise, and emphasis would be on a broad coverage of the field.
- Each field should, therefore, describe its general requirements for the field as a major one, and list the subjects that may reasonably be offered as a write-off to satisfy the field as a minor one. There should also be some details on the requirements when fields are closely linked (e.g., the proposal for the transportation field and its relationship to urban economics).
- Assuming this proposal to be agreeable, the question of term papers still needs settling.
I propose, therefore, the following procedures:
- Would each of you give Sue Steenburg a list of your graduate subjects for this academic year, with an indication of whether or not a term paper was required and, if so, the percentage of final grade it represented.
- Would faculty in each field submit a list of subjects that may be used to satisfy major and minor requirements in their field as it would ultimately appear in the brochure. The fields to be covered are as follows, the faculty in the field are listed, and the responsible member underlined.
| Advanced Economic Theory | Bishop, Diamond, Solow, Fisher, Samuelson, Varian, Hausman, Weitzman |
| Comparative Economic Systems | Domar, Weitzman |
| Economic Development | Eckaus, Bhagwati, Taylor |
| Economic History | Kindleberger, Temin, Domar |
| Finance | Merton |
| Fiscal Economics | Diamond, Friedlaender, Rothenberg, Brown |
| Human Resources and Income Distribution | Thurow, Piore |
| Industrial Organization | Adelman, Joskow |
| International Economics | Kindleberger, Bhagwati |
| Labor Economics | Piore, Myers, Siegel |
| Monetary Economics | Fischer, Modigliani |
| Operations Research | Little, Shapiro |
| Russian Economics | Domar, Weitzman |
| Statistics and Econometrics | Hall, Hausman, Fisher, Kuh |
| Transportation | Friedlaender, Wheaton |
| Urban Economics | Rothenberg, Wheaton |
If there are any difficulties with these suggestions, let me know right away. If we can proceed along these lines, it appears to be simply a clarification of our recent past and a substantial timesaver. The reports can be looked at this summer by a student-faculty group, with responsibility for faculty on me and for students on Dick Anderson.
Source: M.I.T. Archives. Department of Economics Records, Box 2, Folder “Grad Curriculum”.
Image with identifications: Economics Faculty group portrait, 1976.