Tulane students often dread seeing lab science or aesthetic and creative arts requirements on their course plans. Going out of one’s way to pursue completely unrelated courses tends to induce boredom. Despite the complaints, it is important to consider why many universities have such a broad range of general requirements. The overarching goal is clear: to create informed and whole citizens ready to tackle our multifaceted world. Like it or not, students should appreciate the rare opportunity to learn from another field.
According to Newcomb Tulane College, these core requirements are designed to “deepen your perspective” and “start with curiosity,” important traits for freshmen. After high school, students experience academic liberation. At Tulane, this means accessing over 75 majors and being able to freely take any course of interest. With each discipline fostering a range of different skills integral to success in today’s world, it is imperative that students gain exposure.
However, the only way for students to acquire diverse knowledge is if they are required to do so. Many students, especially those with a major or career set in mind, could be hyperfixated on their area of study, to the extent that they take no courses from different disciplines. This mindset would fail to develop crucial skills, and neglects being able to discover new things.
As such, universities ought to set core requirements, guaranteeing a holistic education. STEM-focused courses require quantitative reasoning and utilize the empirical scientific method to answer questions. Non-STEM students may lack exposure to this kind of thinking — an art or English student would never need to deal with math or science unless required to do so.
On the other hand, liberal arts courses emphasize intellectual aspects of academics, building critical thinking skills. A mathematics student immersed in numbers would rarely think about the relationship between art and society unless required. These skills, such as effective communication and analytical thinking, are often important in any field.
Core requirements are not only practical but can also lead students to new interests. Seldom do students know exactly what they hope to accomplish in life. For those who have an idea, plans often change and go in directions that were never considered before. Requiring a broad range of courses allows students to lay out their options and discover what they like.
For example, a business student who always wanted to go into finance may share a serendipitous story and describe how a film course encouraged his or her pursuit of cinema instead. Passions are lifelong. Having the ability to discover a variety of potential interests and hobbies is a blessing.
Like it or not, students should appreciate the opportunity to dip their toes into different fields. There could be hidden talent to discover. Maybe a future spouse will be in that dreaded lab science course. Until we experience the diverse range of studies academics offer, we will not fully understand the world or know what we truly want to do.
