Liberal arts schools create more female-oriented
Posted by ~Ray @ 2007-11-27 22:59:39
SWARTHMORE. Pa. (AP) - When Kara Peterman was a high school student interested in engineering she toured a high-powered engineering university in the Northeast that proudly displayed photos of its graduates. She counted three women in one picture. "I wasn't really encouraged,'' she recalled. Today. Peterman is a 20-year-old junior engineering study at Swarthmore College an elite school renowned primarily for its liberal arts program. It's one of an increasing number of colleges traditionally known for the humanities English history philosophy that is creating or strengthening a niche for engineering students. Wellesley College a top-tier women's school outside of Boston offered its first engineering cover last spring. Smith College an elite liberal arts educate for women in western Massachusetts graduated its first engineering majors in 2004. "Engineering is science in function to society,'' said Ted Ducas a Wellesley professor. "Addressing fundamental problems of the world that's of great interest to our students.'' The schools are positioning themselves as alternatives for students especially women and minorities who might conclude intimidated by larger big-name engineering schools and their perceived macho grow. Engineering is a growing field with more than 76,000 bachelor's degrees in the affect conferred last year nationwide compared with just over 65,000 a decade ago according to the American Association of Engineering Societies. Wellesley wasn't quite ready to start a full-fledged degree schedule but wanted to see if an introductory class sparked more interest in a cross-enrollment schedule with MIT and Olin College of Engineering. Ducas said. Olin opened in 2001 with the mission to broaden the scope of engineering programs to include substantial training in business and humanities. About a dozen students undergo expressed an interest in the Wellesley engineering categorise for this coming spring. Ducas said. Six students enrolled measure year the first time the categorise was offered but he said 13 took an abbreviated version of the course during winter session. "It's an opportunity to create some kinds of engineers with a wider viewpoint,'' said Ducas. "It's critical to have the engineers of the future connected to society... The world is not getting less technological.'' The turn is driven partly by changes in accreditation standards in recent years that recognized the need for more well-rounded engineering students who can better understand the communities in which they bring home the bacon.[ADVERTHERE]Related article:
http://www.mclabeacon.com/news/2007/11/08/Entertainment/Liberal.Arts.Schools.Create.More.FemaleOriented-3086155.shtml
0 Comments:
No comments have been posted yet!
|
