Well-rounded education

Most colleges have some type of general requirements that must be completed in order for their students to graduate. It’s a “necessary” evil of the university system. Portland State has them. However, they also have the University Studies program.

Huh?

The University Studies program is a separate, yet required, entity from the general requirements. The courses cannot be taken for your major. It is broken down by year, with freshmen taking a Freshman Inquiry and sophomores taking a Sophomore Inquiry. Juniors take three courses that qualify for University Studies, and seniors take a Senior Capstone.

I second many students’ frustrations at having to take these courses. Why on earth do we have to take all these extra credits for courses that aren’t even in our majors? As a psychology student, courses in art or anthropology might be very interesting to me, but they aren’t preparing me for psychology work in my future career.

Portland State argues that University Studies courses teach critical thinking, communication, diversity and social responsibility. What I don’t understand is how they feel that taking extra courses—courses that also fulfill requirements of other majors and that you can take outside of the University Studies program—is fulfilling needs our other classes are not.

How do PSU’s requirements compare to other universities’ requirements? The 180 credits needed to graduate with a bachelor’s degree are comparable to other schools, such as Washington State University. The difference comes in the content—many of the courses you will take at PSU will not have anything to do with what you are actually majoring in, whereas other colleges place more emphasis on your own goals.

Oregon State University, another college in the Oregon University System, requires only general requirements in the usual math, writing, diversity, literatures, etc.

The fact that PSU is the only school to offer a program like this may seem like a plus. After all, doesn’t it mean that the school cares deeply about a well-rounded education for its students? It certainly can’t be about making more money off of us!

Having 180 quarter credits (120 semester credits) is pretty universal for the area. PSU isn’t making any more money off of students by forcing them to take these courses. That’s what makes it all the more baffling—why require students to take these courses when they could be taking more specialized classes in their chosen major or minor?

Surveys conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers show that less than one-fifth of 2009 graduates have job offers. Creating a bachelor’s degree that caters to the future beyond the classroom is essential at this time for students. Specialization is already something that is lacking in bachelor’s degrees. In this faltering economy, students need all the resources they can get to make them more desirable to employers.

Instead of a University Studies program, why not a career studies program? Give students tools such as knowing how to write a great résumé and cover letter, something that was taught in high school but that so many graduating college students just are not very good at. Hold mock interviews. Allow practicum and internship credits to count toward the bachelor’s degree requirements.

After all, isn’t this what college is supposed to be preparing us for? Work?

The Senior Capstone is the only component of the University Studies requirements that faintly resembles a hands-on, community-oriented approach to education. Students in their senior year are required to take a six-credit course in the Capstone of their choosing. These range from areas in marketing, education, environment, media, and community outreach. I believe it is the one University Studies course worth keeping around.

The bottom line is that the University Studies program either needs a serious overhaul, or needs to be dropped from the PSU required curriculum. Scholars need the freedom to customize their education—after all, they are paying for it—and the tools to enter the workforce with confidence and excellent skills. Portland State would be doing its students a great service to concentrate more on the goals after school, rather than what makes it seem more like a “creative” place to attend.