One of the more foolish notions in American education these days is that students should just “follow their passion” and study whatever strikes their fancy. Most colleges and universities have helped by allowing their course catalogs to expand and expand. Consequently, students often graduate after having taken a hodge-podge of courses that sounded fun and (often) rather easy.
In this Martin Center article, Shannon Watkins looks at this problem. At many schools, students don’t have to ever take a course relating to Western civilization, but they can take courses on sports, entertainment, and “diversity.”
The University of North Carolina is one of the worst offenders, she shows.
On the other hand, however, there are a few schools that have resisted curricular bloat and still have a solid core — such as St. John’s in Annapolis and Santa Fe.
Watkins concludes,
UNC-Chapel Hill and other North Carolina schools should work to develop a general education curriculum that is more intellectually coherent and more conducive to producing graduates ready to succeed in civic life and the work force. Evidence suggests that real reform will require returning to more foundational coursework that has stood the test of time, as well as university leaders courageous enough to challenge students or others who may feel differently.