Yeseul Hong Dr.

Heidi Harris RHET 1312 Sep 16 2013

As a music major student, taking Earth science class this semester, I wonder why I have to take this class. Every school has their curriculum to graduate. They need some requirements for graduation. According to UALR academic advising web site, to graduate school, a student must satisfy requirements related to credits, grade point average, program of study, and courses. It is the students responsibility to ensure that all requirements for graduation. The university maintains their requirements in concordance with nationally recognized expectations of academic performance and achievement. Usually most of school wants their student take English, writing, history, second language, math and science class. But after all, I think we all will forget everything about history or science stuff. Why college/university require general studies for graduation? Are they really necessary? And what is the purpose for taking general class?

Everyone has own purpose of college. I have mine too. Mostly it is all related with my major, but Ive learned a lot from general education classes too. I came this country 4 years ago. At that time, I just wanted to learn English more. That was my first goal for studying abroad.

I came from South Korea. I just wanted to learn English first time. In this era of globalization, it is unquestionable that the English language is indispensable. But especially in our country, English skill is required everywhere. High school curriculum has English class and we have to take the exam (like SAT) get into College. For that test we do have grammar, listening, reading and writing section for English. Also when we find job, we need TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) score to apply job interview. So in Korea, the number of students who apply to universities or graduate schools in foreign countries is high. Most of students said they decided to study abroad to get better job opportunities. So in order to better understand English for my study, I decided to leave my country too. For me, the purpose of studying abroad is, of course, to study. For an American student those who born and raised from America, they have their own purpose of college too. Every college student, no matter their nationality, we all have their purpose for college. People come into college with the thought that college is a place to learn so they can get a job but just as importantly, college is a place to grow as a person. The universities have expanded, thus allowing many more people the chance of higher education. School offers a basic education that everyone should have. Most of school requires these for graduation. (www.UALR.Edu/academics) (The amount of required class hours can vary among different schools.) -Humanities, Civilization Studies, and the Arts -Natural and Mathematical Sciences

-Social Sciences -Language Requirement -American History and world history The American History requirements are based on the principle that a U.S. resident graduated from an American university should have an understanding of the history and governmental institutions of the United States. ("General Catalog Undergraduate Education - Undergraduate Degree Requirements." General Catalog Undergraduate Education - Undergraduate Degree Requirements. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2013.) Also Arkansas law requires that all students who receive an associate or baccalaureate degree successfully complete a course in U.S. history or U.S. government. (Academic Policies. UALR, n.d. Web.) There is a lot of flexibility in how student choose to mix and match with these general education requirements. That is a good chance to stretch their comfort zone and experience academic fields theyre less familiar with. For me, as a music major and also studio art minor student, Im not familiar with science subject and math. But still, these classes can teach us basic information related in our life, society. And also as an international student, I learned a lot about this country from American history class. From these general classes, we can explore what we know we like from a different perspective or methodology. Students are strongly urged to complete most of the General Education Requirement before declaring the major and minor. Without the necessary background, they may find themselves at a disadvantage in major courses. However, if students intend to pursue a highly structured program in the sciences,

mathematics, foreign language, or the BFA, BMus, or BS, they should begin their major and minor courses and the General Education Requirement concurrently and in consultation with an Advisor. General Education Requirement offers student opportunities to explore potential majors and minors or to satisfy prerequisites for the major. Sometimes it can be a guideline for student who doesnt decide their major yet. Not only does this curriculum provide the background for any major and for continuing study after graduation, it also provides a common experience for all students in the college. All students have taken the same sorts of classes and read the same kinds of text, struggling over the same sorts of ideas. This gives every student a common vocabulary of ideas and skills, no matter his or her background before coming to the college.

The purpose of university is to gain an education, hopefully a job, and to grow as an individual. And General Education requirements support schools goal of education. Also school and government wants student to understand and complete basic course such as history class. School just have a very broad range of cultural subjects and provide that we can study. Without these General Education Requirements, our education cant be well balanced.

Work Sited

-General Catalog - Undergraduate Education - Undergraduate Degree Requirements." General Catalog - Undergraduate Education - Undergraduate Degree Requirements. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2013. -Academic Policies. UALR, n.d. Web. "The True Purpose of a University Education." Yahoo Contributor Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2013. - Lang, K J. Job Outlook for College Grads Better, but Not Ideal | La Crosse Tribune Newspaper | Find Articles at BNET. Find Articles at BNET | News Articles, Magazine Back Issues & Reference Articles on All Topics. 2 May 2010. - Kaplan, Max. The Campus and the World. Preface. One Life: the Free Academic. Madison, NJ: Fairleigh Dickinson UP, 1998. Print.