General education courses make a crucial part of a well-rounded schooling and, therefore, all universities and colleges must incorporate the courses in the curriculum. General courses include “basic science and math courses, basic literature and writing, and basic arts like music and drama” (Kolby 580).
Although some learners regard these courses as a useless divergence from their preferred areas of specialization, they offer learners a more enhanced education, than they would attain from only taking classes in their areas of specialization. This paper argues that the general education course gives learners a chance to identify with diverse people meet the requirements of the interdisciplinary world and realize their preferences.
First, general education courses enable learners to become well-rounded (Kolby 580). This happens due to the knowledge that students obtain from various disciplines, which form the general course. Graduates, from colleges and universities acquire information from different disciplines, which facilitates meaningful interactions and associations with the diverse people they are likely to meet. Thus, general education courses enable learners to take part in diverse roles, in this versatile world.
Also, general education enables one to relate well with others as an employee, a parent, spouse or citizen. It generates lawyers, scientists, businesspeople, medical experts, teachers, and law executors, who are conversant with various elements of human contemplation, and have refined the skills of creative and critical thinking. The drift towards thin specialization at the cost of a general education ignores such aspects.
Second, general education courses equip learners with critical thinking skills, which guide them through the democratic process and other processes that require substantial reasoning (Bessick 9). After taking general education graduates are able take part in the process of election based on sound judgment, rather than voting politicians who try to employ irrational arguments to influence electorates.
A firm background in humanities, sciences and the arts aid in making people t make the right voting decisions. Although, a graduate may fail to recall all that he/she learnt from a psychology, philosophy or physics class, the critical thinking skills that one acquired during the study of general courses can not be deleted.
Such skills enable graduates not to be at the mercy of the subtle exploitation, which may be employed by various advertisers. Also, through the use of critical thinking, the general courses enable learners to enhance their techniques of problem solving. This implies that such learners are able to assume managerial responsibilities, since they can effectively solve problems in their areas of work.
Third, general education provides a broad and profound education (Kolby 580). Universities, which sustain general education courses, gain fame for offering learners with a truly broad and profound education with the intention of empowering learners, in their entire life. Although, there are some universities and colleges that have decreased or ignored offering general education courses, their move is unwise, as they limit the knowledge of their learners to their areas of specialization.
Fourth, general education courses offer learners a chance to discover their areas of interests as they pursue general courses, which the university recommends. A number of students usually join college without an idea of course that they want to take as a specialty.
Also, shifting majors is a regular practice among college learners, and this usually occurs when learners begin classes in the areas of their majors, only to discover that the areas do not interest them. Most university and college learners, who take the general education course, get to discover new areas, which, they would not have known, devoid of the classes. However, some learners may argue that they knew the areas they wanted to specialize in, ahead of joining the institution.
Such circumstances become catered for by many institutions through giving learners the autonomy to select those general classes that may be useful to them. For instance, a learner specializing in Chemistry may opt to choose Ethics and Technical Writing to stand for her Humanities and composition requirements, areas she can relate to her career and area of specialization.
Classes that learners take at the beginning of their college life offer them valuable chances to search their interests and preferences. It is providential that learners become familiar with a number of diverse disciplines early in college, lest they may choose to change their areas of specialization, for this is convenient during the initial year at college.
Fifth, general courses enable learner’s s to enhance their areas of specialization with courses that will support their careers, for instance statistics, philosophy and technical writing. Learners gain maximally from general education courses if they distribute them all over their programs, to exploit chance and enhancement.
Lastly, the skills that learners acquire in college are more essential than the content knowledge they acquire from their areas of specialization. An example of such a skill is the capacity, of the student, to consider a task and establish what the requirements, so as, to thrive, even in fields outside their areas of specialization.
Attending classes in just areas of specialty, throughout the school life, will offer learners partial experience in meeting diverse expectations. Different fields hold diverse expectations for learners. Hence, the more knowledge students obtain from these diverse fields, the more triumphant they will be in their potential occupations. We exist in an interdisciplinary planet as diverse fields of study are inter-connected.
For instance, Linguistics and Psychology meet in the field of Psycholinguistics, while Medicine and marketing meet in the sale of fresh prescription medicine. The more knowledge learners acquire from diverse fields, the better they will acclimatize to and appreciate the expected demands.
In conclusion, general education courses are essential in the learning course. First, they help one become a well-rounded individual through the knowledge that students obtain from various disciplines. Second, through a firm background in humanities, sciences and the arts, the general courses equip learners with critical thinking skills that become useful in the democratic process.
Also, the general courses enable learners to enhance their problem solving techniques through the use of critical thinking skills. Third, general education is vital in offering learners with a truly broad and profound education. This, in turn, empowers learners in their entire student and career life. Fourth, general education guides new learners in discovering their areas of interests ahead of establishing their area of specialization.
This is helpful to those learners that join college without an idea of course that they want to take as a specialty. Fifth, general courses enable learner’s s to enhance their areas of specialization with courses that will support their careers, for instance statistics, philosophy and technical writing. Lastly, the skills that learners acquire in college are more essential than the content knowledge they acquire from their areas of specialization as different fields hold diverse expectations for learner.
Works Cited
Bessick, Sherlynn. Improved Critical Thinking Skills as a Result of Direct Instruction and their Relationship to Academic Achievement. Pennsylvania: Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2008. Print.
Kolby, Jeff. Nova’s GRE Prep Course. Los Angeles, CA: Nova Press, 2004.Print.