Shane is a third-year political science student.
By Jennifer Shane
General Education requirements are very odd: while they are
general, they often fail to be education.
While choosing what GE courses in the physical sciences will
edify me and make my political science degree stronger, I was
shocked to realize that learning about contour lines or whether a
rock is metamorphic or igneous does little to advance my knowledge
of politics or fortify my writing.
But I have to take almost as many of these classes as I do for
my concentration in my major. And I have to take more GE classes
than total upper division classes in my department.
This is somewhat disappointing, but the picture becomes grimmer
when you realize it’s not just physical sciences but also
life sciences, humanities and others, depending on your major. Most
of the people I interact with dislike GEs, usually because they are
responsible for lower GPAs, not necessarily as a result of an
inability to perform, but more because of a lack of interest.
It would be foolish to advocate the total elimination of GEs,
since admittedly, they do help give you a broader education. I
don’t mind, for example, taking a few literature or art
classes, because these are things that interest me. Isn’t
that what GEs are about?
A rethinking of what GEs we should be taking needs to take
place.
I wouldn’t mind learning about metamorphic rocks if it
were in a context where my personal needs could be more directly
addressed by the professors. But this is not possible, classes are
huge: one course I considered taking, Microbiology 12, has over 400
people enrolled with no discussion sections!
How does the university expect students to be enriched in
classes that they don’t want to take and that are unable to
accommodate personal growth using experienced faculty? These are
two major negative obstacles.
Most large GE classes do have teaching assistants to clarify
lectures, explain the material and administer labs. But I hate that
I’m paying thousands of dollars to have more than half my
education given to me by students who, only a couple of years
before, were sitting in the same class I am now.
It’s frightening to think my graduate school prospects are
in the hands of student graders who likely ““ and perhaps
justifiably so ““ prioritize their dissertation over a handful
of undergraduates.
I understand why the administration would be weary of shrinking
large GE classes: UCLA is too large and there’s not enough
faculty and classrooms to accommodate 20 person seminars for all
classes. But this doesn’t mean positive and productive change
cannot occur.
If it’s necessary to keep the 400 person classes in place,
the amount and type of requirements need to be fiddled with in
order to change the mindset students carry with them into their
classes.
If the university thinks it essential that I have a science
background, does it really make a difference whether I take biology
or physics? I mean, even if I took a physical science class, I
could take it in earth science. Wouldn’t that bypass my
acquiring a knowledge of physics anyway? So what does it matter
what kind of science makes up my scientific background? I
can’t be educated in all forms of science.
Instead of requiring three physical science and three life
science classes, require four science classes ““ any four.
This will allow students more freedom to pick classes they’ll
enjoy, implanting a sense of curiosity and knowledge that will help
them learn (possibly even making up for their having to sit in a
400 person behemoth).
The same reasoning can be applied to the social sciences and
humanities for students who are science majors. Forcing education
never works, whether it be science or a diversity requirement.
Professors and administrators: sometimes we just don’t
care. No matter what you do; no matter how hard you try; regardless
of requirements ““ we just don’t care. As soon as the
final is over, we forget everything “”mdash; not because we have bad
memories, but because we’re completely indifferent.
Perhaps it’s very selfish and ungrateful to carry this
attitude toward education when other people around the world
can’t get an education at all, but it’s a sad fact of
life: we’re paying for our education, please let us have a
say in it.