Which subject do you think should be REQUIRED studies for university students?

[Ichirou]

I'm genuinely curious as to how you guys feel about this.

[MrAngryFace]

Specialization is important. Our parents should teach us about being good people.

[Ichirou]

Well, what if your parents know nothing about literature or physics?  You don't think it's important to at least try to gain an appreciation of the value of those things if you're not getting it at home?

[Oblivion]

I think Philosophy should be required for every person starting in middle school.

[Scurvy Stan]

"Jack of all trades, master of none" is too often the result of college it seems. You get ppl that went to school and took all this shit but still have less actual skills in the thing they are supposed to do than some laymen who's been geeking out at it or already worked in said field for a couple years.

One example is when I used to work in a fab shop we'd get engineering students who could speak german and do complex math but didn't know fuck all about designing anything where as you had guys who didn't even graduate from HS but knew autocad, how to weld, and some common sense and worked circles around them. On paper the guy with the degree sounded awesome but he really didn't do enough stuff in the real world to be worth a damn. I see the same thing with accountants and anything else too. We got some old lady who just has been "doing books" for years and years, no training, that can do 10 times more work than the ppl who come with degrees and can't fucking figure simple equations without a lot of time and thought.

I think school is a good idea but it translates poorly to the actual jobs you're supposed to get when you get out.

[Van Cruncheon]

i need an option for "[] self-discipline, ethics, creativity, and basic logic"

[Ichirou]

"Jack of all trades, master of none" is too often the result of college it seems. You get ppl that went to school and took all this shit but still have less actual skills in the thing they are supposed to do than some laymen who's been geeking out at it or already worked in said field for a couple years.

I think this is typical of people who don't choose majors and spend their years at college "undeclared" or whatever it is they call it.

i need an option for "[] self-discipline, ethics, creativity, and basic logic"

None of those courses existed when I was in college.  Well, there was a class on journalistic ethics but that was it, as far as I know.

[Oblivion]

i need an option for "[] self-discipline, ethics, creativity, and basic logic"

Wouldn't most of those fall under 'philosophy'?

[Ichirou]

I think you're right, Oblivion.  Those things Drinky (?) mentioned fall under social science or humanities.

[Phoenix Dark]

What kind of question is this? The current elective system is more than sufficient already. Math, biology, english, and then various social electives to fill things out. Philosophy shouldn't be required. It's a social elective, just like sociology, psychology, and criminology. Personally I feel it's the most irrelevent, but that's just my opinion. Most universities are fine as long as you take what, 6-12 credits of that stuff?

Luckily I was able to get all that shit done a few years ago, so now I can just concentrate on the important things.

[Van Cruncheon]

really? then how come we graduate so few folks with any of those life skills?

[MrAngryFace]

'Well Rounded' doesnt mean 'Productive' Do we really want a bunch of do-nothings thinking philosophical about shit?

Becoming Well-Rounded is only something I can respect when its born from personal ambition to become something better, not when its force fed to people who need a degree bad.

I mean granted, I have two degrees in basically nothing and make lots of money, but I am where I am because of what I accomplished on my own time. Not what some school pretended they had the ability to teach me.

"well-rounded" is the nice way of saying "liberal arts" which is a nice way of saying "indecisive"

[Ichirou]

'Well Rounded' doesnt mean 'Productive' Do we really want a bunch of do-nothings thinking philosophical about shit?

Becoming Well-Rounded is only something I can respect when its born from personal ambition to become something better, not when its force fed to people who need a degree bad.

I think teenagers going into college don't know wtf they really want at that age.  I know I'd trust a lawyer who'd taken courses on philosophy and ethics a lot more than I'd trust one whose sole focus was on getting that degree.

[Scurvy Stan]

really? then how come we graduate so few folks with any of those life skills?

Because most people are fucking tools.

[Phoenix Dark]

really? then how come we graduate so few folks with any of those life skills?

"Life skills" aren't solely taught in the university, oh great one

[MrAngryFace]

Ichiro: Ethics don't win cases. Id trust the lawyer that knows how to get me out.

[Human Snorenado]

An Atheism, Reason and Logic class.  Learn the stupid out of people.  If you can't pass it, you can't pass at all.

[MrAngryFace]

I SAY WE GO BACK TO THE MASTER APPRENTICE SYSTEM FUCK FORMALIZED EDUCATION

[Human Snorenado]

really? then how come we graduate so few folks with any of those life skills?

"Life skills" aren't solely taught in the university, oh great one

Yeah, I'm sure you learned a lot of them in home school, sitting around agreeing with everyone.  :rolleyes

[Ichirou]

Ichiro: Ethics don't win cases. Id trust the lawyer that knows how to get me out.

Perhaps I'm too naive.  I believe in the importance of a basic sense of morality.

[Scurvy Stan]

I SAY WE GO BACK TO THE MASTER APPRENTICE SYSTEM FUCK FORMALIZED EDUCATION

They still have that with electricians, contractors, plumbers and stuff and all their labor union hierarchy system.

[MrAngryFace]

Ichiro: Ethics don't win cases. Id trust the lawyer that knows how to get me out.

Perhaps I'm too naive.  I believe in the importance of a basic sense of morality.

That only gets you so far. If you expect to survive in this world you should probably learn to apply a mixture of pragmatism and idealism.

Trust me, I used to be a stupid idealist too.

[Ecrofirt]

I think a public speaking class is important to have. I also think everyone should be subjected to a good writing class in college. There's absolutely nothing worse than trying to read some of the drivel that spews forth from people that are supposed to have college degrees.

[MrAngryFace]

I think everyone should be forced to work retail for 2 years.

[Human Snorenado]

I think a public speaking class is important to have. I also think everyone should be subjected to a good writing class in college. There's absolutely nothing worse than trying to read some of the drivel that spews forth from people that are supposed to have college degrees.

Indeed.  It's really sad when I work for people who have multiple degrees that have shittier grammar than I do.

[MrAngryFace]

DONT U MEAN MORE SHITTIER HAHAHA OMG im drunk

[xnikki118x]

"Jack of all trades, master of none" is too often the result of college it seems. You get ppl that went to school and took all this shit but still have less actual skills in the thing they are supposed to do than some laymen who's been geeking out at it or already worked in said field for a couple years.

Good point!

I'd be a better person if I hadn't taken calculus.

[Ichirou]

I think a public speaking class is important to have. I also think everyone should be subjected to a good writing class in college. There's absolutely nothing worse than trying to read some of the drivel that spews forth from people that are supposed to have college degrees.

I agree with this post 100%.

[Phoenix Dark]

I think a public speaking class is important to have. I also think everyone should be subjected to a good writing class in college. There's absolutely nothing worse than trying to read some of the drivel that spews forth from people that are supposed to have college degrees.

That's why it's a core college class. Sadly people are still able to make it through university classes without learning anything. It amazes me how poor some of my peer's writing skills are.

[Oblivion]

The reason I feel we should require philosophy is so that it can at least somewhat guide people into thinking for themselves.

[Human Snorenado]

DONT U MEAN MORE SHITTIER HAHAHA OMG im drunk

I DON'T KNOW MR. I AM 1/3 OF THE WAY THROUGH BOX OF WINE MYSELF

[Scurvy Stan]

The reason I feel we should require philosophy is so that it can at least somewhat guide people into thinking for themselves.

I'm sure that'll happen.

[brawndolicious]

a lot of people get a lot of different types of degrees without getting anything out of them, that's why liberal arts majors have to take calculus.

make them invent/solve something and if you think they deserved it, give them a degree.  However, colleges prefer to curve the grades than make pass/fail classes.

realistic solution is to replace all written homework with presentations so maurice manboobs in statistics isn't so embarassing.

that is a realistic solution, and I'm just saying maurice and manboobs because it goes together.

[brawndolicious]

The reason I feel we should require philosophy is so that it can at least somewhat guide people into thinking for themselves.

that guides what people think for themselves.

*points at maurice manboobs fucking a bible*

[xnikki118x]

I also think everyone should be subjected to a good writing class in college. There's absolutely nothing worse than trying to read some of the drivel that spews forth from people that are supposed to have college degrees.

This is another reason why I love you.

[MrAngryFace]

I AB 2 COLLEJE DEG34r3s ECROFIRT

[Oblivion]

The reason I feel we should require philosophy is so that it can at least somewhat guide people into thinking for themselves.

I'm sure that'll happen.

The reason I feel we should require philosophy is so that it can at least somewhat guide people into thinking for themselves.

that guides what people think for themselves.

*points at maurice manboobs fucking a bible*

*shrug*

When posed with some philosophical questions, it really made me rethink everything I believed in. Course, I was pretty open minded to begin with.

[Phoenix Dark]

The reason I feel we should require philosophy is so that it can at least somewhat guide people into thinking for themselves.

Yes let's force people to take a class, so they learn to think for themselves. Pretty interesting idea there good sir

[Oblivion]

The reason I feel we should require philosophy is so that it can at least somewhat guide people into thinking for themselves.

Yes let's force people to take a class, so they learn to think for themselves. Pretty interesting idea there good sir

Sometimes enlightenment must be force fed. 

[Human Snorenado]

The reason I feel we should require philosophy is so that it can at least somewhat guide people into thinking for themselves.

Yes let's force people to take a class, so they learn to think for themselves. Pretty interesting idea there good sir

Sometimes enlightenment must be force fed. 

I like the way you're thinking, dude.  Let's beat these idiots into thinking for themselves.

[Ichirou]

That's not what Oblivion is saying.  I think the point is that when you've been sheltered and indoctrinated from an early age, like PD, you are not going to be predisposed to wanting to hear other points of view or having your horizons broadened.  In that case, having these courses be required instead of electives will basically force people into learning these things, hopefully helping to propel them into thinking for themselves.

[Oblivion]

That's not what Oblivion is saying.  I think the point is that when you've been sheltered and indoctrinated from an early age, like PD, you are not going to be predisposed to wanting to hear other points of view or having your horizons broadened.  In that case, having these courses be required instead of electives will basically force people into learning these things, hopefully helping to propel them into thinking for themselves.

Thank you, Ichirou. You said what I was trying to say, but more eloquently.

[max_cool]

None of the above, despite really wanting to choose humanities. Since one is paying to attend, they should get to have as much freedom as possible when choosing courses. I can understand why there are some general university requirements since a university doesn't want to send English graduates out into the world that can't do simple mathematics nor do they want mathematicians who can't write coherently. Other than that, college is the time to focus on your specific field of study.

[Human Snorenado]

That's not what Oblivion is saying.  I think the point is that when you've been sheltered and indoctrinated from an early age, like PD, you are not going to be predisposed to wanting to hear other points of view or having your horizons broadened.  In that case, having these courses be required instead of electives will basically force people into learning these things, hopefully helping to propel them into thinking for themselves.

Yes, that's all good and well, but if we don't get to chain the Christians to the desks and beat them occasionally, where is the FUN in it?

[Oblivion]

Yes, that's all good and well, but if we don't get to chain the Christians to the desks and beat them occasionally, where is the FUN in it?

But who says we can't do those things as well?

[Fresh Prince]

In Australia you basically have your subjects set out for you. Depending which university your in however you can take humanities subjects first year but most people option to take subjects that are related to their course. I didn't have this option though.

There's a push for our tertiary education system to follow the American scheme though. Apparently academia and the government think our degrees are too specific.

Personally I think humanities should only be taken as part of a double degree (as in Australia part of uni is covered by the government- hence tax). Basically it buys you a job in customer service or teaching English in Japan. They're referred to cappuccino degrees because most of your time at university is spent at the cafe.

[BlackMage]

I picked none of the above. I also wish that Speech wasn't required!!!!!! I HATE PUBLIC SPEAKING AHGGGHHHHHHHHHH!