<ol>
<li>Macroeconomics/Microeconomics - So they know how the economy works. Too many people don’t know how the economy works although it is of great importance to our society.</li>
<li>Government - So people stop blaming Obama/Bush/Any other President for EVERY single one of our problems. They’re the 2nd most powerful branch of government. Seriously, stop. Also, too many people don’t know how the government works.</li>
</ol>
<p>I don’t know why anyone would suggest a science/math since we are brutally forced with sciences down our throats for 12 or so years. It gets repetitive. I don’t get it now, it’s not gonna help me later. That’s why I’m doing business. ;)</p>
<p>And come on… Statistics?? I took that and IT IS SO USELESS. COME ON. IT WILL HELP ME 0 IN LIFE. Well maybe in business, but for most people… NONE.</p>
<p>Seriously. I guess it’s kinda cool to understand how things like polls work and how they figure out how many people to poll, but I have yet to use any of that knowledge. What an awful class.</p>
<p>Some people in this thread are seriously missing the boat on this one. There is no reason for EVERY college student to take calculus or chemistry or physics, especially since most people got at very least the basics in these three courses in high school. There is no reason for EVERY college student to take an introductory programming class. I’m saying this as someone who took calc, chem, and CS freshman year and have used 0 of those skills since.</p>
<p>Courses everyone should take:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Writing/Composition course: Everyone needs to know how to write well, and sadly employers are finding that very few people in our generation can outside of the Humanities. Two courses would be even better – one as an underclassman to cover the basics of composition, and one as an upperclassman that is more major-specific.</p></li>
<li><p>Personal finance/Consumer ed: Now, there was a course like this required at my high school, but college would be the perfect time for a refresher. Especially with what’s going on with loans right now, college students really need to be aware of what awaits them after graduation.</p></li>
<li><p>Public speaking: I honestly wish I had taken a public speaking course over the past three years. Speaking at your first colloquium is not the time to realize you haven’t had practice giving a public presentation since high school. A good public speaking course will not only be applicable to giving speeches but to teaching, visiting career fairs, attending job interviews, etc.</p></li>
<li><p>A course just for fun (re: not simply a blow-off): Obviously we should all strive to do well, but not every class has to be ECON 474 or CHEM 396. Time in undergrad is more limited than people think, and more people should take advantage of the atmosphere by taking classes that are truly enjoyable. It’s unlikely that we will ever be in such a position to simply grow and learn as freely as we can now (well, perhaps not freely $$).</p></li>
</ul>
<p>I personally think the professors are more important, because they’re the gatekeepers so to speak… I took two religious classes. One of them was an easy A, while the other one taught me things that made me see religion in a whole new way.</p>
<p>In addition, a personal financing class couldn’t hurt either. There’s a class I’ll be auditing that teaches you about mortgages, engineering life, as well as a wide variety of topics that may come in handy out in the real world.</p>
<p>^A Family and Consumer Sciences Class might be important. That usually encompasses personal finances.</p>
<p>Most college-bound students don’t ever take Home Ec or FCSC classes because they’re considered “easy A” and look bad on a transcript to a potential college, but they actually are pretty useful. You learn cooking, cleaning, sewing, personal finances, and a good bit of other things that are just useful life skills to know. A lot of college-bound kids come from families where this wasn’t an issue and are pretty clueless when they get here.</p>
<p>I did not read through every post, but I often recommend a voice and diction class. Some people around here have a strong Baltimore accent and softening it is a good thing.</p>
<p>well the course is called engineering economic analysis, not quite FCS. I would imagine it involves a lot of cost/benefit analysis in different situations both professionally as well as presonally. I took FCS in middle school, and I was bored to tears. It did teach me how to make an omelet though.</p>
<p>I rate Art Appreciation and Art History pretty highly.
Ok, so it is not just because i am an artist. Art is important and people are forgetting that i think.</p>
<p>Just look at what is offered in many public schools. They cut the art budget first and then go on down the line. Next is music and then what-languages and physical ed.? It seems like young people need a reminder of what art is and why our society needs it.</p>
<p>Art is a huge part of what we are as human beings. It is how people express themselves whether to show the beauty or futility of something. If people don’t get some type of understanding of it then it becomes harder and harder to show that it has enough value to stay on the budget.</p>
<p>I also think that people that are not using math as a part of their future jobs should take a more practical approach to the subject. How about math that tackles how to balance a checkbook and what your IRA percentage means?</p>
<p>I completely disagree about US history and gov’t. Those are high school requirements (in NY at least), why repeat?</p>
<p>But I agree with foreign languages (unless there’s no room in the curriculum like with my school’s nursing curriculum where you never take less than 16-17 credits a semester without a foreign language), basic English, personal finance, some type of art.</p>
<p>AUGirl - My middle school requires Family and Consumer Science in 6th and 8th grade, so some places you get it.</p>
<p>Because government in high school, by and large, SUCKS. It’s terrible. There’s a reason why the majority of Americans are complete idiots about the government. Look at how many people think the president can make every law he or she pleases (House? Senate? what are those?!)</p>
<p>I’d support this if it meant students learning to actually create some form of art, rather than just “appreciate” it. At least in my case “art appreciation” consisted of a series of raunchy jokes followed by A’s for everyone.</p>
<p>I took an awesome music class that basically looked at popular music from the 50s to the present. Tied it in with the social and cultural movements of the times. Really interesting and fun class.</p>