Seminars and Master’s Theses as an Element of Economic Education at the Warsaw School of Economics

Abstract

This article contains extensive fragments of a report from a study conducted in 1998 by the Warsaw School of Economics’ Center for Economic Education Development. The research was conducted among faculty conducting Master’s seminars. The materials presented here are the first attempt at judging the functioning of Masters’ seminars in the WSE’s teaching system, which was reformed in the beginning of the 1990s. The study analysed assignments, the organization of teaching, as well as the implementation and effects of the work conducted during Master’s seminars. Due to the nature of the target group (Master’ s thesis tutors), the report is not meant to offer source material for judging the quality of the subject matter of the theses. This can only be judged by the students, graduates and employers, who are the indirect recipients of educational services. The results of the study show the danger to this system of education posed by the individualization of every student’s course of learning. Many faculty members representing less “fashionable” fields face problems attracting students to their seminars. Moreover, the study noted a tendency to eliminate group seminar sessions, a fact detrimental to the quality of education.