Required Courses in University

By: Jessica Lusky

I was very frustrated the other day after receiving a test score from my History of Life course. I have not done well on any of the exams thus far and have done everything in my power to prepare for the best results possible. The reason I am slightly angered by the course is because it does not have any relation to my major in which I chose to focus on for the next four years. This is not the first university required class I have taken, but it is the least interesting to me and least related to my major which has made it very difficult for me to succeed. I decided to do a little bit of research to see if maybe I was just being a little bit too negative, or if others had the same views I did.


I came across an article, “Why You Should Consider a College That Doesn’t Require General Education Requirements”, which explains a pro and con of general education course requirements at the university level. The pro discussed is that there is a high value in a well-rounded education. This type of education is said to enhance communication skills, improve critical thinking skills, and solve problems in a more creative manner which are all helpful to employers in any field and the world as a whole. The con brought up explains that general education classes are a waste of money and time to students who already have a major declared and could be taking classes that relate to their interests.


I completely understand both sides of the argument, and to be completely honest my stance varies depending on the specific requirement. While I agree a well-rounded education is very helpful, I think we get the basics in kindergarten through 12th grade and there are only a few general courses that should be continued. Maybe the general requirements should vary for each college within the university? For example, I am in the college of social sciences and the class I mentioned earlier is about the evolution of rocks and fossils which has absolutely no relation to any profession that a social science major might choose to pursue. Therefore, the class seems like a waste of time and money to me. However, I understand why an english or writing class would be necessary because basic writing skills could be essential for many occupations in the social science field.


Do you think it would be too complicated for the universities with general requirements to drastically change them for each college/major? If so, do you believe they should be kept for a well-rounded education or taken out because of the unnecessary money and time?