When students graduate high school and go off to college, most are ready to dive in and finally start taking classes that interest them.
No more math or science. No more things that have nothing to do with what they want to do for the rest of their life. They’re ready to take steps towards their future career.
But wait! Not so fast — unfortunately, most majors require students to take courses that don’t pertain to their major in order to graduate.
These time-consuming, seemingly unimportant courses are called general education courses, “gen-eds” for short.
So what is the point of taking gen-eds anyway? Most non-science majors feel no need to take a science course and most science majors feel no need to take a business course.
Wouldn’t it just be easier to just take all the courses pertaining to our major? College would definitely be less expensive and students could probably graduate in about two years.
“I feel gen-eds are necessary in order for us to explore other areas of study, but I also think at this point in our lives, we already have an idea of what we are interested in and what we could do without,” creative writing sophomore Talisa Timms said.
Timms enjoys taking gen-eds because they create a diverse schedule and open her mind to areas she wouldn’t have otherwise studied if she just had to take English courses.
However, Timms does not like taking all of the required gen-eds.
“It seems like a waste of time for an English major to be required to take a math course,” Timms said.
According to an article by H. Brian Strecker, an academic success advisor at American Public University, gen-eds are required in order to help college students become an educated person.
These required courses also give students “the skills needed for success in the higher level, more intense courses”.
Interdisciplinary studies senior Josh Watson also sees the value behind taking gen-eds. Watson believes that sometimes people may end up changing their major because they become interested in a course they were required to take.
Watson enjoys taking the gen-eds that fulfill the Global Awareness, Historical Awareness and Cultural Diversity in the U.S. requirements that all ASU students must take.
“I feel that gen-eds are there as a ‘just in case’ and also may help you on refreshing your skills for grad school,” Watson said.
While gen-eds may seem pointless, it’s important to remember that there is a reason that universities require their students to take them. It is important to not only be an expert in one subject, but also have general knowledge in a variety of subjects.
Not only does this make a student well-rounded, but it also gives them the opportunity to expand your horizons.
So next time you’re sitting in one of your boring, required classes, just think of the benefit in the long run.
Reach the columnist at agales@asu.edu Click here to subscribe to the daily State Press newsletter.
