The Biglan classification revisited

The Biglan classification scheme provides a valid framework for studying academic diversity within the higher education system as evidenced by its power to discriminate current faculty on a recent faculty data set.

Abstract

The Biglan classification scheme provides a valid framework for studying academic diversity within the higher education system. It continues to be a strong construct for classifying faculty as evidenced by its power to discriminate current faculty on a recent faculty data set. Previously unclassified professional disciplines of Dentistry and Nursing were classified as hard-applied-nonlife and soft-applied-life respectively. Difficulty classifying other fields may be the result of diverse, interdisciplinary subject matter, and the stage of academic development of the discipline. An expanded classification system such as the one by Becher may be more inclusive and deserves further study.