How does this help for STEM oriented student/graduation?
Thanks for your replies to my postings. My son entered to college graduate as STEM graduate. He is taking Physics/math.
His adviser is asking him to take arts/humanities, social Sciences,& global cultures etc.
We are asking him, why will he need to spent his college time (our money) into these subjects. He studied those subjects in high school. How does these subjects help him on STEM?
His advisor says, it is required for completion of degree.
Most colleges have general education requirements for students pursuing bachelor’s degrees. If he did not want to take such general education requirements, he should have considered what each college requires before choosing a college.
Humanities and social studies can be useful for a physics and math graduate. For example, math (and statistics) may be applied to various social studies, and can have some relation to philosophy, art, and music. General knowledge of humanities and social studies can be helpful in understanding the social and political issues around science subjects (e.g. evolution, climate science, nuclear power, credit scoring).
My son started at MIT as a physics or math major, ended up as a math major, and now works in a field very far removed from that world- but was inspired by his humanities classes and one professor in particular. He has had a terrific career so far, and loved every minute of his math studies- but loves what he does and says he couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
So even physics/math majors can love history, literature, art and music.
If your son did not want to take classes outside of his field, he should have gone to college in the UK. In the US, most universities have core requirements outside of one’s major or field.
Are you seriously asking this question? Most colleges have some kind of requirements to complete humanities and arts courses. You know…they create well rounded and open minded individuals.
My husband is an engineer. One of my kids has an undergrad degree in engineering…both were required to take humanities and arts courses as part of their graduation requirements.
If your son doesn’t want to take these courses…I would suggest he try to find another college that doesn’t require them. BUT good luck with that. I don’t think even the tech schools have NO humanities in their curriculum.
Oh…and my opinion…it’s not a waste of your kid’s time or your money to learn about things other than STEM things.
My son had to take an English class, writing for scientists. Another was on sci-fi. A history class could relate to science. The tech schools know their audience.
The best known “no general education” / “open curriculum” schools are Evergreen State, Brown, and Amherst. None are considered “tech schools”. Indeed, some of the best known “tech schools” like MIT and Harvey Mudd have relatively heavy humanities and social studies requirements.
Insular thinking in engineering studies does not make for a good engineer.
And don’t contact his advisor. I don’t know how to put this except bluntly - let your kid grow up and fight his own battles. Stay out of his education.
Is this the Univ. of Maryland at Baltimore? The advisor isn’t asking your son to take courses because he thinks they’ll be beneficial to your son. He’s informing him what classes he needs to graduate. The advisor doesn’t determine those, the college does. If your son wants a degree, he has to complete all the requirements.
On parents weekend, my son encouraged me to attend the psychology class. Students were giving brief talks that day. He said the psych teacher was one of his favorite professors.
MIT and Caltech require many classes in humanities and social sciences. I can’t speak for the schools that I don’t know.
OP, I was going to suggest your son take these classes during the summer, but he would be far better served by internships.
One element of ABET accreditation of a engineering program is the curriculum, which must encompass the following:
(c) a broad education component that includes humanities and social sciences, complements the technical content of the curriculum, and is consistent with the program educational objectives.
Hopefully your DS will not go into these courses with an “I don’t need this” attitude. These things have value even if it’s not so easy to see. One of H’s biggest complaints is that his engineer subordinates can’t write. Many of these courses are writing intensive and can improve writing skills if nothing else.
“Cuban’s forecast of the skills needed to succeed in the future echoes that of computer science and higher education experts who believe people with “soft skills,” like adaptability and communication, will have the advantage in an automated workforce.”
OP- your troubles with English and question make me think you are originally from another country. American education is so much more well rounded than in some other countries. Breadth, as well as depth, is required for a college BA or BS degree.
My Indian husband, a physician who got his medical (MBBS) degree in India tells me I took a course in everything in college. Compared to him I did. Yes I majored in Chemistry- with honors but I also took literature, art history, a symphony course and so many other courses unrelated to chemistry. Then I went to medical school. I spent some extra years by getting a BA instead of the MBBS like he did (yes, a BA- same chemistry requirements as the BS but I also met the breadth ones for the BA) before becoming a physician. But it enriched me so much more than my H’s education did him. Time well spent.
It is an excellent idea to require courses outside of one’s major. The arts, humanities and social science majors need STEM credits, like them or not, also. Different schools/colleges within a university will have some different requirements but none require only courses exclusively in/related to the major.College is for an education, not just learning a job skill. People are multifaceted regardless of their main interests or passions. There is so much more to life than just one’s career. There is also a reason colleges have basic proficiency requirements- such as passing a placement test in English and math or taking remedial courses in college for the few who need them.
btw- never would place Harvey Mudd in the same tier as the top STEM U’s. Good in its class but NOT tops, no matter how many of its students go on to top STEM schools for grad work.
C’mon, @wis75, how is Mudd not a top STEM school? Great grad school results and great Payscale results for those who don’t go to grad school. I’ll concede MIT and Caltech as stronger, but noplace else.
If I’m not mistaken…past posts indicate this student is attending UMD-Baltimore County…not Mudd or MIT or Caltech.
The school requires courses in the humanities and arts to graduate. Period. The student has two choices.
Take the required courses..and get his degree from this college.
Refuse to take the required courses...which will result in him NOT getting a degree,
He needs to take the courses.
The OP seems to have disappeared…but I’d be interested if this is a student concern…or his parent concern.
My engineering daughter actually LOVED her non-engineering courses as it gave her a welcome break from hard sciences and math. She was also in the school orchestra and took private music lessons all four years. All were worthwhile…not a waste of time or money in any way.