General Studies: Why Spend the Time?
Original article published in the 2009 Today’s Christian Teen College Prep Guide
College freshmen often question the need for students with a particular major to take classes of a general nature. They wonder why engineering majors are required to take History of Civilization or why music majors are required to take English. Some students reason that they should not have to study information that they “won’t ever use.”
Some parents have similar questions. Facing high tuition costs, parents wonder if it is wise to pay for classes that aren’t part of the core curriculum for a particular major. These parents may want their children to study only the things that will most likely advance their careers after they graduate.
And so arises the age-old question:
Are general studies (or the liberal arts, as they are commonly called) really worth studying?
The answer to this question is a resounding yes! A liberal arts education includes courses in the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities and the arts. Added to the courses of your major, these courses provide you with a well-rounded education, which will play an important role in your success both in your vocation and in your service to the Lord.
