My D is a sophomore in high school and is looking to study engineering (EE or CS) or science (Physics) and would also like to be able to study Drama/Theater. Obviously, she will probably have to choose which direction she’d like to go, but wondered if there are colleges that don’t require a core curriculum?
Some schools with no, or few, curriculum requirements:
Brown
Amherst
Wesleyan
Grinnell
U of Rochester
Colgate
Hamilton
Oberlin
Reed
Vassar
Smith
Whitman
Pitzer
Hampshire
Beloit
Sarah Lawrence
Bard
Thank you! I know most of the schools on the list, but will have to look up a few, and start doing some research.
Many colleges have distribution requirements. This differs from a core curriculum. URochester is an example of a school with the former but not the latter. Colleges with neither include Brown, Smith, Hamilton, Amherst and Grinnell, though not all of these offer direct engineering programs.
I may be wrong but I think for an eng’g program to be ABET accredited, certain distribution courses must be required.
That said, to fulfill ABET req’ts, there aren’t many distribution requirements. In fact, my son was able to use his AP credits to fulfill all or nearly all of his school’s distribution req’ts.
My D recently graduated from Lafayette College. Some engineers she knew there did a second major or a minor in a liberal arts discipline. The school has some distribution requirements, but there was a good deal of flexibility. I’m sure with enough research you can find many other schools that would be a good match for her varied interests.
Most schools have some general education requirements. If the student intends to study an ABET-accredited engineering major, it will have humanities and social studies requirements, as required for ABET accreditation, although such requirements vary considerably (e.g. Brown requires four courses, while MIT requires eight courses, including some in each of humanities, social studies, and arts, and a concentration that include some advanced level courses in one area).
prezbucky, I think you need to remove Whitman from that list. All freshman are required to take a two semester core curriculum class called Encounters; it introduces the major religions and philosophies globally, and studies their effects on cultures. There are other curriculum requirements as well.
Very few colleges have core curricula.
Thanks all…she is definitely looking for flexibility if she decides to pursue both engineering/physics and/or drama. Its just nice to know that there are some options out there. Hopefully we have some time to figure out if she wants to do both or if she will need to choose between the two. If she chooses both, we’re looking for a school that could offer some flexibility Layfayette College or Brown, as we know that it won’t be possible to study both at the more traditional engineering schools.
OP it would be a shame to narrow the criteria to the two areas - pursuing both fields (eng/physics and also drama/theater) and then overlooking all the other decision factors that may be actually more important.
Music/performance majors at my daughter’s school have to choose one instrument to pursue - and musicians of course do play multiple instruments. But when they are expected to put in 8 hours/day on their instrument, you can see why they are upfront about the one instrument focus.
Perhaps your DD might want to pursue technical study and combine it with the theater industry.
Maybe @thumper1 can provide some insight/help.
IMHO you are either looking for a large flagship or a smaller/private. Sometimes a small private can have more flexibility with double majors and completing degrees in 8 semesters. With a flagship, if AP, CLEP, dual enrollment hours, may also have room in the schedule to pursue interests/degrees.
nordies,
Contary to what’s showing above, Colgate does indeed have a core curriculum:
http://www.colgate.edu/academics/core-curriculum
Go 'gate!
In some ways, a school with distribution requirements could be helpful to someone with disparate interests. Most LACS have some variant of these. The purpose is both to experience different disciplines as well as discover their intersection. Union might be worth considering as it has engineering, and the student body is about half engineering, half LA.
I do think it is important to think about whether engineering is key or simply strong sciences.
Many more schools fit the latter category.
I agree with @SOSConcern . It’s easy to be looking for certain things that provide a “solution” , when there are other solutions out there as well.
Just a technical point on the recommended Union (#13), USNWR lists engineering as the major for 7% of their students.
You may want to consider USC then. They are strong for both Engineering and Dramatic Arts, and USC has an amazing alumni network worldwide that can assist beyond graduation. USC has general education distribution requirements like most schools, but she could potentially double-major or at least minor in theatre and also have the opportunity to participate in stage productions and/or student films. Good luck…
Sorry, I should clarify…we aren’t narrowing the criteria to two choices. We are just starting the process and that was one of her questions…could she pursue both interests at a school or would she have to choose between two?
Thanks again for all of your input, I think she’ll be interested in checking out some of the schools mentioned in this thread.
At most schools where all of the subjects are offered, she could study one as a major and another with breadth or free electives. How many courses she could take of the second subject depends on how voluminous the major is (EE is commonly more voluminous than liberal arts majors like physics or performing arts) and how many of the breadth requirements can be used on the second subject. You need to go through several schools’ degree requirements for the majors and breadth requirements to see if, at each school, the second subject can be studied up to a full second major or just a few courses.
Another thing to consider is that EE and physics courses with labs, and performing art courses with performance, could have high time commitments, so taking many of these in the same semester can be a high workload.
@merc81 , I am guessing that has something to do with USNWR categorization. It may not be exactly half, but it’s well over 7%.