Changes in general studies

Beginning the fall semester of 2006, the old General Studies Requirements will be changed to a new program. For now, students who will graduate in Aug. 2006 or earlier will continue to follow the current requirements. However, new students in the fall semester of 2006 will be required to follow new general studies program guidelines.

To ease the change, continuing students who entered Wesleyan prior to Aug. 2006 and who will graduate in Dec. 2006 or later have the option to choose which program under which they wish to graduate. They will be able to declare their intentions through MARSIS during the fall 2006 semester.

Students choosing to graduate under the current program will be required to obtain two courses in Historical Perspectives, Aesthetic Understanding, Ethical Values and Empirical Knowledge and one course in Systems and Communications. They will also have to complete eight writing courses. All credits taken either before or after Aug. 2006 will be counted toward the General Studies Requirement.

Students who wish to follow the new program will be required to complete one course each in Historical Perspectives, Aesthetic Understanding, Ethical Value and Empirical Knowledge, six writing courses and one four-credit lab science. If any of these credits are taken before or after Aug. 2006, will be counted toward the new General Studies Requirement Program.

According to Dr. Clay Drees, professor of history, the new general studies requirement program was necessary to implement in order for the college to be properly accredited. Also, it will provide students with a more well-rounded education, especially by adding the required lab science course. Sharon Payne, assistant professor of health and human services, agrees:

“I’m very supportive of the lab science requirement. It’s important for anyone graduating from a liberal arts college to have a hands-on empirical learning experience.”

Payne, a freshman seminar advisor, has reviewed the terms of the new general studies program in her freshman seminar class.

She noted to students that the thought behind lessening the amount of hours in the general studies requirement program “was for students to be able to concentrate and begin taking the courses required for their major a lot earlier.”

Opinions are torn between the two programs.

Noting that the only real changes are requiring a lab science course and requiring fewer courses in general categories, many of the freshmen who will have the opportunity to choose the new program agree it is much better and more convenient.

“The education department already requires students to take a lab science so it this really doesn’t affect them,” says freshman education major Sarah Higginbotham. “The program is very beneficial in that sense.”

With two fewer writing courses required in the new program, many who feel less proficient in this area found this an appealing aspect.

Others had reservations about being required to take a lab science course while some agreed it was beneficial.

“I think it’s a good idea,” said freshman Desiree Ellison. “Everyone should have to do it.”

Even the upperclassman who are not affected by the change have opinions about whether or not the program will be as effective as the one already in place.

Some feel that taking a science course is not necessary in order to receive a balanced liberal arts education.

“As a senior, I have gone the last three years without taking any science courses,” said Cory Johnson, a freshman peer advisor. “I looked for other alternatives and I still felt that it was fulfilled. Overall, I would not go for this new program of study.”

Drees advises students who will graduate in Dec. 2006 or later to begin to anticipate which General Studies program they intend to follow during their tenure at Wesleyan.

“These students should plan their spring 2005 course selection carefully during the registration process,” said Drees. “This should be done to in order to register for the courses that will count in the program under which they expect to graduate.”

When registering in November, students affected by the change should keep in mind which program they want to pursue in order to avoid taking unnecessary courses.

Freshmen have been advised in seminar classes to make a decision about the General Requirements programs before meeting with their advisers. This is so they can better plan for the semesters until the change in 2006.