Propaedeutics or propedeutics (from
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...
, ''propaídeusis'' 'preparatory education') is a historical term for an introductory course into an art or science. The word ''propedeutics'' comes from the
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
prefix ''
pro'' 'earlier, rudimentary, in front of' and Greek ''paideutikós'' 'pertaining to teaching'. As implied by the etymology, propaedeutics may be defined more particularly as the knowledge necessary before, or for the learning of, a discipline, but not which is sufficient for proficiency.
In
medicine
Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...
, the terms "propedeutics"/"propedeutic" specifically refers to the preliminary collection of data about a patient by observation, palpation, temperature measurement, etc., without specialized diagnostic procedures.
The 1851 ''
Encyclopaedia Americana'' writes that it is:
...a term used by the Germans to indicate the knowledge which is necessary or useful for understanding
or practising an art or science, or which unfolds its nature and extent, and the method of learning it. It is applied,
therefore, not only to special introductions to particular branches of study, but also to auxiliary sciences, logic, philology, etc., and the encyclopaedic views of particular branches of science which facilitate
an insight into the relations of the parts. Such a survey can be presented only by one who has studied a science in
all its ramifications. The term propaedeutics is often, of course, merely relative : thus philology belongs to the propaedeutics of history, while it is itself the main study of a certain class of scholars. The term, however, in its common use, is generally restricted to the body of knowledge, and of rules necessary for the study of some particular science — rules which originate in the application of the general laws of science or art to a particular department.
Thus we find in the catalogues of lectures to be delivered in German universities medical propaedeutics, &c., enumerated.
Netherlands
In the Netherlands, ''propedeuse'' (''propaedeuse'' in older texts) is a propaedeutic diploma issued after the first year of studies, often referred to as "''P''" or "''propjes''" by
student
A student is a person enrolled in a school or other educational institution, or more generally, a person who takes a special interest in a subject.
In the United Kingdom and most The Commonwealth, commonwealth countries, a "student" attends ...
s.
Universities
A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...
and
''universities of applied sciences'' are not forced by law to make use of this propaedeutic diploma,
but it is quite common. The diploma is also a recognized degree in the
Flemish educational system. It has remained in use after the introduction of the
Bologna process
file:Bologna-Prozess-Logo.svg, 96px, alt=Logo with stylized stars, Logo
file:Bologna zone.svg, alt=Map of Europe, encompassing the entire Bologna zone, 256px, Bologna zone
The Bologna Process is a series of ministerial meetings and agreements b ...
and the international
bachelor-
master system in the
Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
.
When in use at an educational institution, the propaedeutic diploma is a mandatory diploma which a student acquires by successfully completing all subjects (60
credits) and study requirements of the first year.
This first year is therefore also known as the ''propedeuse'' or the ''propedeutische fase'' (literally, "propaedeutical phase").
Some study programs require the student to score
sufficient on an additional
examination.
History
The propaedeutic diploma was introduced as a means to determine whether students were suited for studying in the direction of their choice.
and traditionally signifies that a student is officially accepted at a university.
To symbolize this, schools may choose to organize an annual formal event where the propaedeutic diploma is awarded, mostly in early October, although this tradition is on a decline for financial reasons.
Educational reforms in 1982 emphasized the orientational, selecting and referring function. The difference between ''hogescholen(university of applied sciences)'' and universities was diminished so that the ''propedeutische fase'' became a commonly used name for the first year in all tertiary education. It became possible to enroll at university with a ''hogeschool propaedeutic diploma''. This method is often used by students who did not obtain the required secondary education. University students can also enroll at a different university or ''hogeschool'' for the same or a similar study program.
At the end of the first year, an educational institution is obligated to issue advice on a student's suitability,
whether the institution awards the propaedeutic diploma or not. In the vast majority of cases, this will be positive advice. The two possible consequences of not obtaining the propaedeutic diploma in one year are a ''negatief advies'' (literally, ''negative advice'') which implies that the university or ''hogeschool'' recommends the student to enroll in a different study program, and a ''bindend negatief advies'' (literally, "binding negative advice") which prohibits the student from continuing or re-enrolling for the same study program at the institution.
Furthermore, most ''hogescholen (university of applied sciences)'' have included in their statutes that should a student fail to meet the requirements for the propaedeutic diploma within a set period of time, usually set at two years, the student cannot continue to obtain a
bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...
.
Education level
An intermediate qualification according to UNESCO, classified at
ISCED-A 550 (level 6 phase programme) /
EQF 5.
Analogies
In the UK, the
Certificate of Higher Education
A Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) is a higher education qualification in the United Kingdom.
Overview
The Certificate is awarded after one year of full-time study (or equivalent) at a university or other higher education institution, or ...
is roughly equivalent to the propaedeutic diploma, being earned after the first year of the three-year course of study culminating in a baccalaureate degree.
In the US, the equivalent of the propaedeutic diploma lies somewhere between an
undergraduate certificate and an
associate degree
An associate degree or associate's degree is an undergraduate degree awarded after a course of post-secondary study lasting two to three years. It is a level of academic qualification above a high school diploma and below a bachelor's degree ...
. Undergraduate certificates can be completed in as little as one semester (one-half of one academic year or about four months) and do not necessarily lead or contribute to any degree. Associate degrees (e.g. AA, AS) are typically earned after the first two years of the four- to five-year (in the US) course of study culminating in a baccalaureate degree; however, students matriculated in a bachelor's degree program are not usually awarded the associate degree en route (as is often the case when a
doctoral student
A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''Licentiate (degree), licentia docendi' ...
is awarded a
master's degree en route). Additionally, there are
first professional associate degrees (e.g. AAS, AGS) that do not necessarily lead or contribute to a bachelor's.
See also
*
Threshold knowledge
References
{{Authority control
Academic terminology
nl:Propedeuse