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Show DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE C8 August 2010 General education doesn't have to be bland I ncoming students are bombarded with demands, one of which is declaring a major. However, if you're like me, you have no idea what you wish to pursue in terms of education or a career, which is often cause for lament. This is one of the many reasons for required general education courses. General education require- JESSE PETERSON 4 ,1 ' Graduate Student, Environmental Humanities ments aim to give each student a basis of shared knowledge and an education in various disciplines. By studying a wide variety of material, a student should be placed in a better position to figure out what major he or she wishes to declare. This is not always true. The most widely available, and most popular, general education courses are cookie-cutter classes designed to provide students with the most generic and readily available knowledge in the discipline. These are the basics. However, these courses, with their large auditorium seating and impersonal lectures, often fall short of engaging the interests of students. Generals perpetuate the indecisiveness of students. By making these classes uniform, universi- WILLUS BRANHAM/The Daily Utah Chronic! ties strip any luster, passion or inspiration the course work might deliver students. Luckily, at the U, many general requirements can be met with a variety of courses. Sure, some might not be offered every semester, and the most generic are usually required by the academic department whose degree you might be seeking, but with an inventive spirit, you might be able to engage your intellect with a more specific and personable course with fewer than 3o students. I guarantee that by finding a more obscure class that fits a behaviorial science or quantitative reasoning requirement, you will have a better educational experience and gain a better understanding of what it would mean to declare a major in that area. Students might have to venture outside the core curriculum to gain a better understanding of what they might be considering to devote their time to for more than four years. Do not take this decision lightly; Take into consideration not only your goals of personal enjoyment and fulfillment, but the time it takes to complete a degree. Will graduate school be required for you to do what you want? What types of career opportunities might be available by the time you do graduate with your specific degree? The best thing you can do is to be smart about these decisions. You do not need to know everything and wallow in indecision, but be proactive and seek out courses less traveled. Try "International Lifelong Learning" or "Population & Society, Does E.T. Exist?" or "Mind, Language, and Reality." Drop out of inflated general courses and enroll in something new letters@chronicle.utah.edu |