蔡元培时期北京大学的选科制改革

Elective System Reform at Peking University During the Presidency of Cai Yuanpei

现有的研究基本上将“本科八十单位,半为必习科,半为选科”误认为是北大选科制最终的实施方案,其实这只是一个建议方案。1917年10月,北大文科在教育部召开的修改《大学规程》的会议上提出要以选科制取代年级制,这是北大最早提出“选科制”概念。1918年9月,北大文科率先试行临时选科制方案,这是北大最早实施选科制的时间,也使当时的北大成为最早实行选科制的国立大学。1919年9月,北大文理科新生开始实行新制选科制方案。北大的选科制改革有多重动因:教育部变革学制、修改《大学规程》是其体制动因;蔡元培执掌北大和胡适来到北大任教是其人事动因;人的自由发展和教育发展的历史趋势是其时代动因。北大选科制改革的意义不仅在于北大本身,还必须看到的是,北大的选科制改革从大方面体现出的是在中国近代高等教育起步之时,有关各方对建设中国高等教育的探索与尝试。

Current researches always mistake“80 units for undergraduate,half of which are compulsory courses and half of which are elective courses”as the final plan of Peking University’s elective system.In fact,this is only a suggested plan.In October 1917,Peking University’s College of Humanities first proposed to replace grade system with elective system at a conference held by Ministry of Education to revise University Regulations.In September 1918,Peking University took the lead in trying out temporary elective system for the first time,which made it the first national university to do so.In September 1919,freshmen at College of Humanities and Science began to use new elective system program.Elective system reform at Peking University has multiple impetuses:Ministry of Education’s reform of school system and the revision of University Regulations are institutional impetus,Cai Yuanpei’s leadership and Hu Shi’s work at Peking University are personnel impetus,and the free development of man and educational development are time impetus.The significance of the reform goes beyond Peking University and it reflects the exploration and experimentation on China’s modern higher education at the very beginning.