Are there any UChicago students or graduates out there who majored in “Fundamentals” or who know people who did? My son, recently accepted to the class of 2024, is very interested in the major. He has read the descriptions in the course catalog and on the Fundamentals web page, but he’d love to get some first hand information. It seems like a uniquely UChicago major that plays to the traditional strengths and approach of the College.
Fundamentals has come up in a few threads. For instance here:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/21674696/#Comment_21674696
And here: http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/21546608/#Comment_21546608
It’s the undergraduate version of the Committee on Social Thought. It is, indeed, about as “UChicago” as you can get for a major. My son looked into it but is opting instead for Philosophy (at least that’s what he’s thinking at this time).
UChicago is a great place to attend if you aren’t quite sure what you want to study yet.
The faculty of the Committee on Social Thought has always been composed of the most illustrious thinkers and writers at the University. In the past these have included Saul Bellow, Leo Strauss, Allan Bloom, and Hannah Arendt. The present faculty is much expanded, I suppose partly to cover the teaching of undergrads. They look pretty stellar as well. I would expect that all classes would be relatively small but quite intense and very ur-UChicago insofar as being interdisciplinary and focussed on the big questions and “fundamentals”.
In a previous post you alluded to the deterioration that has occurred in traditional Humanities departments (notably English) due to faddishness and what I myself would call the introduction of unserious subject matter. My hunch is that these tendencies would be far less strong in this eclectic but rigorous department. If I were a present-day student at the U of C I would have a hard look at this as a major or at least at taking some of the courses taught in it.
marlowe1 writes: “In a previous post you alluded to the deterioration that has occurred in traditional Humanities departments (notably English) due to faddishness and what I myself would call the introduction of unserious subject matter. My hunch is that these tendencies would be far less strong in this eclectic but rigorous department.”
You read me like a book!
Mom2Melcs: my perspective from the class of '07 was that people who chose it as a major liked it and the autonomy it gives you across the humanities is marginally preferable to choosing say English or Philosophy and inevitably getting pushed into a handful of courses you don’t really want to take to graduate. There is also a very tangible benefit if you don’t know what discipline you want to get a selective MA or PhD in as it is more academically fungible… Fundies people get PhDs in literally every area of the soft social sciences and humanities and graduate committees look favorably upon the intellectual rigor and commitment the degree implies.
All that said, your child and your family should be comfortable with the fact that the major has little-to-no market value as evidenced by UChicago’s earnings data. It is not that students cannot find work if they go straight to market, it is just that they tend to end up in rather low paying (but potentially rewarding) cultural, non-profit or psuedo-academic roles if they do not proceed on to graduate school in some capacity. This applies broadly to all humanities degrees but should be said.
Thank you for your insights–this looks like an excellent option, and an option very much in the best traditions of UChicago.
- Thanks for bringing this major to my attention. My son is a 2023. I've just sent him the link to this major. He is thinking about Philosophy but Fundamentals looks like an amazing option.
- My wife has a Philosophy degree from Williams and I have an English degree from NYU. She's a consultant to the UN on Women's Rights and I run a private equity fund that invests in real estate. My advice to any parent would be to let your kid follow their passion. The long run results appear to validate that approach.
Also appreciate all the people’s comments on Univ. of Chicago. As a new parent with little to no familiarity, the forums have helped me learn a lot.