艾略特与哈佛大学选修制

１９世纪中叶，选修制成为美国高等教育论战的中心问题和焦点问题，艾略特极力倡导在大学中全面实行选修制，他在担任哈佛大学校长期间，坚决打破哈佛大学固定的课程体系，经过不懈地努力，最终建立起了选修制课程体系，此举对哈佛大学由一所地方性大学发展成为全国性大学，起到了重要作用，并为哈佛大学日后跻身世界一流大学的行列奠定了基础，在哈佛大学的影响下，美国各大学纷纷实施选修制，美国高等教育经历了一场革命性的进步。

Eliot and the electiveness in Harvard University

In the mid-19th century,electiveness became the focus of debates in the field of higher education in the U. S. Charles William Eliot strongly advocated the implimentation of electiveness in the universities. During the period when was the president of Harvard University(1869-1909),Eliot, with perseverance, was able to establish the system of electiveness and the curriculum of elective courses which played an important role in turning Harvard University from a community university into a national key university.