WSU faculty vote to reduce gen ed requirements

[RoyalShock]

I can think back to more than 6 hours of classes between HCC and WSU that I feel didn't do anything to prepare me for a career in computer science.

Geology
Psych 101
Econ 101
English Masterpieces
Ecology

It's been too long for me to recall if all those were considered gen eds, but that's 15 hours right there. While I found some of the material interesting, I don't think having taken them increases the value of a degree outside those fields.

[wufan]

Kansas Board of Reagents required the following 45 hours as of 2007:

12 core hours; comp 1 and 2, speech, algebra

12 hours of humanities

12 hours of social/behavioral sciences

9 hours of math/science

I hope that in cutting some of the classes that they combine humanities and social sciences.

I guess if I were king, I would require 12 hours of English/communications, 12 hours of math/science, and 12 hours of social sciences/humanities.

I know that I spent my senior year taking philosophy courses because I had already taken every science class offered at Southwestern College, which was 74 credit hours of biology, chemistry, and physics.

[C0|dB|00ded]

Geology
Psych 101
Econ 101
English Masterpieces
Ecology

3-4 of those classes are a complete waste of time. I believe all the Geology tests were open book.

Econ 101 on the other hand........ If I were provost, I would force all students to take that course no matter how much they kicked and screamed. ESPECIALLY in this day and age.


T

[RoyalShock]

I did get some personal value from Econ and Ecology (even if we did have to read Al Gore's book. Yuck!).

[SHOCKvalue]

Econ should be a required gen ed. It applies to SO much of the world around us, and it is SO obvious the majority of the population knows nothing of the subject. Then add in also some sort of basic accounting/finance course so a college graduate can do such amazing things as understanding how to reconcile their checkbook, or how the amortization of their student loans or mortgage works.

[tangent]

That news is kinda shocking, really.

I hated my English classes, but they totally changed my ability to communicate in the written word. Public communication... eh, not sure I got much out of that.

I took a bunch of sociology classes for my lib art reqs. Enjoyed them, honestly. Totally useless for what I do for a living (and for most everyone else as well), but interesting nonetheless. Enjoyed my poli sci classes too. History as well.

Nothing was more utterly and totally useless than the art classes I had to take. Zero application to my life or the world I live in. Zero.

Really, there is a just a small core of relevant and useful gen eds that should be required of all college students; the balance of gen eds are essentially lib art and humanities professors hoping to snag some undeclared folks and generally just protecting their jobs.

[wufan]

I did get some personal value from Econ and Ecology (even if we did have to read Al Gore's book. Yuck!).

Does Al Gore know anything about economics?

[wufan]

Econ should be a required gen ed. It applies to SO much of the world around us, and it is SO obvious the majority of the population knows nothing of the subject. Then add in also some sort of basic accounting/finance course so a college graduate can do such amazing things as understanding how to reconcile their checkbook, or how the amortization of their student loans or mortgage works.

[tangent]

That news is kinda shocking, really.

I hated my English classes, but they totally changed my ability to communicate in the written word. Public communication... eh, not sure I got much out of that.

I took a bunch of sociology classes for my lib art reqs. Enjoyed them, honestly. Totally useless for what I do for a living (and for most everyone else as well), but interesting nonetheless. Enjoyed my poli sci classes too. History as well.

Nothing was more utterly and totally useless than the art classes I had to take. Zero application to my life or the world I live in. Zero.

Really, there is a just a small core of relevant and useful gen eds that should be required of all college students; the balance of gen eds are essentially lib art and humanities professors hoping to snag some undeclared folks and generally just protecting their jobs.

I impressed a gal mightily when we went to Italy. This was due almost exclusively to my art appreciation class.

[1972Shocker]

Not sure about the change in gen ed requirements but does this enhance your resume upon graduation:

Population of Geuda Springs is around 178. But still shows some initiative.

[WstateU]

Econ should be a required gen ed. It applies to SO much of the world around us, and it is SO obvious the majority of the population knows nothing of the subject. Then add in also some sort of basic accounting/finance course so a college graduate can do such amazing things as understanding how to reconcile their checkbook, or how the amortization of their student loans or mortgage works.

[tangent]

That news is kinda shocking, really.

I hated my English classes, but they totally changed my ability to communicate in the written word. Public communication... eh, not sure I got much out of that.

I took a bunch of sociology classes for my lib art reqs. Enjoyed them, honestly. Totally useless for what I do for a living (and for most everyone else as well), but interesting nonetheless. Enjoyed my poli sci classes too. History as well.

Nothing was more utterly and totally useless than the art classes I had to take. Zero application to my life or the world I live in. Zero.

Really, there is a just a small core of relevant and useful gen eds that should be required of all college students; the balance of gen eds are essentially lib art and humanities professors hoping to snag some undeclared folks and generally just protecting their jobs.

Spot on "[tangent]… each college student should be required to take a 'Personal Finance 101' course.

[mattdalt]

What is the rationale for the reduction? What drove the decision?

[RoyalShock]

Speaking of personal finance, the high school I and my sons attended now requires a personal finance course to graduate. And the small private school my step-kids are in offers it. I expect that trend to continue.

In the 80s we had to take a particular social studies class (You and the System or System and Business, something like that) as a sophomore that included a personal finance section, stock market exercises and the like. Why schools ever got away from requiring courses where students learned to write a check, balance a checkbook and understand basic investments is baffling.

[The Mad Hatter]

What is the rationale for the reduction? What drove the decision?

Two major reasons I saw discussed:

1. WSU hadn't revamped its gen-ed requirement in decades, so it was time to rethink how to structure it. This move gets WSU more in line with how many other schools are structuring gen-eds, including other state schools.

2. WSU wanted to prioritize the ability of students to graduate in timely fashion. For some majors, there are so many course hours required for the major that it has been virtually impossible to graduate in 4 years when the course specific classes are combined with the gen-ed load. Reducing the gen-ed load helps with that. Reducing the course specific load is often not an option because many of the degrees are structured they way they are to meet the standards of an external accrediting group.

[Kung Wu]

We need to be careful here. If it weren't for Gen-Ed classes, most engineers would never find a wife.

[pogo]

We need to be careful here. If it weren't for Gen-Ed classes, most engineers would never find a wife.

And there you have it. Engineers, Accountants and math majors need classes like the humanities to show them that there is something out there beyond their scope of study. Unless they stay single and live in their parents basement they will need to be able to converse with non-similar adults. I do like the idea of an Econ 101 class being a requirement to graduate. I was wondering if the Koch economics theory is taught at WSU Surely that should be and integral part to the study of economics

[pogo]

We need to be careful here. If it weren't for Gen-Ed classes, most engineers would never find a wife.

That needs to be in the running for post of the year awards. Well done.