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Oxford and Cambridge in England. You take math, then you take only math courses. Likewise physics, computer science, philosophy, and etc., you take only courses in the particular subject you are majoring in. No one classifies these schools as anything less than world class. No one classifies these schools as technical/career/trade schools. And the undergraduate degrees are done in 3 years!
I disagree with the poll. Eliminate those classes unrelated to the degree of study.
Yes, but also make it tougher to get in, better basic skills.
Like a 5th-year college prep year of HS, like they used to have in Europe? That's the only way it would work, and the standards for that year would have to be higher than in most high schools. Everything's gotten so watered down, that universities have to offer remedial math and English, require a Freshman writing class (this could be done in that HS 5th year), and so on.
But the better public universities already require applicants to have several college-level courses on their transcripts, and it's becoming more common for high school students to take college classes concurrently with HS. So, are 4 years of college even necessary at this point? If all 4-year colleges required that, maybe college could be shortened to 1 year of gen-ed, then 2 yrs. of specialization.
make it where you have to pass entrance exams to get in that mean more than an SAT/ACT score... because you can fail those and still attend college
If they can't pass basic skills of knowing where the money they are paying to attend college is coming from along with an actual plan on paying it back realistically, then they aren't "college" material... they aren't even high school graduate material because they failed one of the basic adult skills, paying bills
Oh please, that is so stupid. We do that in high school. What I am trying to say is that there is no need for example for me to take an astronomy class if I'm going into business. It's just stupid and it wastes my time and money.
Not if it expands your world it isn't.
Would you like to know how many professional relationships I've established with non-core knowledge?
I met someone who had an interest in archaeology and anthropology as I do, and that led to both a professional relationship and a friendship.
The purpose of college is to make you a better person, not a better machine.
Like a 5th-year college prep year of HS, like they used to have in Europe? That's the only way it would work, and the standards for that year would have to be higher than in most high schools. Everything's gotten so watered down, that universities have to offer remedial math and English, require a Freshman writing class (this could be done in that HS 5th year), and so on.
But the better public universities already require applicants to have several college-level courses on their transcripts, and it's becoming more common for high school students to take college classes concurrently with HS. So, are 4 years of college even necessary at this point? If all 4-year colleges required that, maybe college could be shortened to 1 year of gen-ed, then 2 yrs. of specialization.
Just thinking out loud.
Reality is it's the other way, at least in the hard core technical disciplines. There is so much more to learn now that four years often isn't enough. In my discipline for example, physics, I had a chance to compare my courses (circa 1980) with both the course material from circa 1900 (in the physics library) and with having a daughter who majored in physics at the same college I graduated from. The material I was taking in 3rd year was graduate material in 1900, and much of my senior year had not even been discovered when someone went to college in 1900. Since I graduated, there has been so much more, like dark matter and dark energy just to name a few. Daughter was doing research as an undergrad equivalent to what first/second year MS students were doing in 1980.
A relative of mine is an Accounting Major in a four year College Degree Program. He just completed his 2nd Year and will be a Junior this Fall. He said his first two years of college were basically a waste because it involved taking mostly the required Liberal Arts General Education classes. He only was able to take two Business classes due to the heavy requirement to take liberal arts classes his first two years of college. He got good grades and studied hard in these "fluff classes" so he could get into the business school and impress potential employers, but he considered the classes to be a waste of time and money.
He said the general feeling of everyone in his Accounting classes was Colleges should be only 2-3 years with basically no general education classes so the students can devote themselves to their Major.
They think that they had lots of time to study liberal arts in High School and due the cost of college it should be shorter and career related.
Another relative who is a Computer Science Major told me the same thing.
Should College general education requirements be eliminated to save time and money, so the students can devote themselves to career related classes?
Why eliminate them?
If you - or anyone - doesn't want to take general eds, you/they don't have to take them. Just take the classes you want to take, such as the core classes applicable to the profession you seek, and leave it at that. You won't get a degree, of course, but you don't need one, right? Because a degree conveys a broad-based education, and you claim that's unnecessary. So just take the classes you want, and go to prospective employers with your transcript and see how that works out.
Of course, you'll find that employers are looking for people who have learned more than a trade - they're looking for people who have actually learned about the world and have a broad-based education. Which is the entire point of a bachelor's degree.
Old post. But god no. I agree with the poll. It would be ridiculous to eliminate these classes.
Engineering major here: I think lib arts majors should be required to take at least 2 year of college level chemistry, physics, mechanical and electrical engineering, and advanced math well beyond calculus.
Seriously, the lib arts courses were a complete waste of time and money. I could have learned far more useful things by taking extra engineering courses. Lib arts requirements for engineering is absolute disaster.
If you - or anyone - doesn't want to take general eds, you/they don't have to take them. Just take the classes you want to take, such as the core classes applicable to the profession you seek, and leave it at that. You won't get a degree, of course, but you don't need one, right? Because a degree conveys a broad-based education, and you claim that's unnecessary. So just take the classes you want, and go to prospective employers with your transcript and see how that works out.
Of course, you'll find that employers are looking for people who have learned more than a trade - they're looking for people who have actually learned about the world and have a broad-based education. Which is the entire point of a bachelor's degree.
Required. Can't graduate without certain lib arts classes. Just a money grab by profs in useless majors.
Engineering major here: I think lib arts majors should be required to take at least 2 year of college level chemistry, physics, mechanical and electrical engineering, and advanced math well beyond calculus.
While I agree that advanced levels of calculus should be taken, the other classes make no sense for someone who plans to study liberal arts.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yuptag
Seriously, the lib arts courses were a complete waste of time and money. I could have learned far more useful things by taking extra engineering courses. Lib arts requirements for engineering is absolute disaster.
Hardly. Obviously you never completed college.
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