The current curriculum at the authors’ university
requires a graduation thesis from each student. This task,
which earns 10 credits (the equivalent of three regular
classes) involves written and oral presentation of research,
and in effect is an undergraduate preparation template for
future master’s thesis and/or doctoral thesis work. This
emphasis on research skills in the curriculum, and the
results of the survey on tasks in the workplace, lead to the
question, “Is the university meeting the career needs of the
majority of students by so clearly privileging research
skills preparation?”