Our son is a junior at CWRU. We have come to appreciate why SAGES is a good core curriculum for all students. For one, all nursing, arts and sciences and engineering students take these writing seminars. This is particularly good for undecided students like my son to mingle with other students who have chosen a major. Also, my son had a SAGES advisor
as he was undecided, so no slipping through the cracks for undecided students at CWRU. Note that the university picks top lecturers for these classes although of course some teachers are better than others. Some students do projects associated with SAGES and have had all expenses payed trips to Africa for instance. To win Phi Beta Kappa at CWRU, a student must finish his core requirements and write a portfolio about his SAGES experiences.
My son did not like one of the three SAGES classes, but loved the other two he chose. I think its fair for a university to expect nurses, engineers, and all majors to learn to write well. I think SAGES has improved the level as some students come in with significant writing skills to todays CWRU.
Today’s CWRU is not the engineering college of yesteryear.
Do the SAGES classes require the same amount of work as non-SAGES classes? I’m trying to figure out my schedule and do not want to be buried in homework/exams. If SAGES is as rigorous as a typical class, I will stick with the schedule I have.
They are writing classes. I think it may depend on which SAGES class you pick as to how many essays you write. Its good to take just one a semester so you then can find out which teachers are considered the best, once you are on campus. Some teachers will be better than others for SAGES.
Most SAGES classes, as I understand it, require reading a number of books and writing many essays, some of the essays are longer. The purpose of the SAGES requirement is to learn to write fluently. Most students can finish the SAGES classes by second term sophomore year, if you take one per semester. Its mostly freshman and sophomores, but you can take them in junior year too, if you want to try classes in your major earlier or explore a number of majors.
How hard they are will depend on your strengths going into college. Are you already a top writer in your high school? Sages will be easy, in that case. If you struggle to write a five page essay, SAGES may be very useful to you and challenging.
Some SAGES seminars lead to project work, and seems pretty fun. There was a project in Africa as I remember.
Some are more or less English classes, others have science content, but they are all writing classes.
Also, if you are undeclared major, you will get an advisor with SAGES until you declare a major.
Many colleges have a similar concept…writing intensive course (instead of Freshman Composition English Class) where you get to know a professor well plus there is a particular topic you write about.