Now this is just dumb.....More Liberal Logic at work or illiberalness run amuck. What say ye? A university literally named after George Washington and located in the nation's capital just dropped its requirement for American history, for history majors. In order to graduate with a history degree from George Washington University (GW) in Washington, D.C., you do not have to study American history. To make matters worse, the department said they made this stunning decision in order to kowtow to current trends and make history more popular. This change comes among other updates to the curriculum: history majors will no longer be required to take foreign language classes, can do an electronic capstone project instead of the traditional thesis, and will not have to study European, North American, or U.S. history. "I think the main gain for students is that they have a great deal more flexibility than they had before, and they can adapt it to whatever their plans are for the future," Katrin Schultheiss, chair of the history department, told The GW Hatchet. "Whatever they want to do, there's a way to make the history department work for them." In 2016, GW implemented a new funding formula, allocating money to the various departments based on the number of students enrolled in that major's classes. Each school receives $301 for every student in a class, incentivizing majors like history to offer classes that will be popular......snip~ https://pjmedia.com/trending/2016/1...s-u-s-history-requirement-for-history-majors/
Your source's source does a better job of delineating it: "Of the upper-level classes, one must be focused on a time period before 1750 and three must be in three different regions of the world, including Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. Students are also required to take a theory or methods-based course that deals with subjects not tied to geography, like digital history. Before, students had to take two courses focused on Europe and the North America but now can choose from any of the regions....Denver Brunsman, an associate professor of history and the director of undergraduate services for the department, said letting students take courses focused on other regions allows the program to approach history from a global perspective." http://www.gwhatchet.com/2016/11/13...anges-major-requirements-to-draw-in-students/
They wont even have to take foreign languages with their studies from whatever region of the planet they are studying. Just English and its interpretation, huh?
My guess is that they think students from foreign backgrounds might be more interested in the history than the language. I cannot say that my 4 years in high school and 18 hours in college in French in anyway enriched my learning of history much beyond France's history that was part of the French classes. Either way, the fundamental problem of most history departments are the prerequisites. Before I could take a class on the rise and fall of Nazi Germany or Russian history, I had to take a class on American history which I couldn't take until I had taken Western Civ. That sort of thing keeps people from being able to take the classes they want. Given that American history is taught in our high schools and middle schools and American History intro classes in college are generally representing the exact same stuff, I personally don't have an issue with what they are doing other than they need to lighten up on pre-req's.
` ` This is just another one of those famous "right wing" outrages that have become so popular within the republican ranks. If one looks at the actual GWU site that outline the course called; "University General Education Requirement", there is no US History listed but there are about 30 other social studies electives you can choose from. This is a just a core list. Fake News, no surprise who fell for for this.
Woe be the GWU grad who comes through my door for a job interview. The degree would present many a question.
` No rational person would work for a company who was biased against their education because the schools, 1st year, 1st semester core curriculum, did not contain US History.
You missed the point. What value is a degree in US History if you never had to study it? So it is logical to deduct that a degree from that university is virtually useless if not fraudulent. WHat makes you think that it other subjects will be given a pass going forward and degrees given out like gum drops?
Assistant Editor of PJ Media, Tyler O'Neil is a conservative fundraiser and commentator. He has written for numerous publications, including The Christian Post, National Review, The Washington Free Beacon, The Daily Signal, AEI's Values & Capitalism, and the Colson Center's Breakpoint......snip~ same link. Dropping the U.S. or European history requirement is different in kind, and much less excusable. The new requirements still mandate at least one introductory course, of which American history, world history, and European civilization are options — as well as "Approaches to Women's History." Nevertheless, this introductory requirement may be fulfilled by scoring a 4 or a 5 on the Advanced Placement exams for U.S., European, or world history. Even worse, many of the institutions that do not require a U.S. history course do actually mandate a class on areas outside the United States. Many allow very strange, highly specialized topics to substitute for such a class, such as "Soccer and History in Latin America: Making the Beautiful Game," or "Modern Addiction: Cigarette Smoking in the 20th Century," or "Lawn Boy Meets Valley Girl." Even among the schools requiring American history, 11 allow courses like "Hip-Hop, Politics, and Youth Culture in America" or "Mad Men and Mad Women" to satisfy the requirement. "Historical illiteracy is the inevitable consequence of lax college requirements, and that ignorance leads to civic disempowerment," declared Michael Poliakoff, then-president-elect of ACTA, upon the release of the study. "A democratic republic cannot thrive without well-informed citizens and leaders. Elite colleges and universities in particular let the nation down when the examples they set devalue the study of United States history." Indeed, American college students are painfully ignorant of American history. According to one study, between 60 and 70 percent of American college students could not name a country outside the United States which has had slavery. It appears that the unhealthy focus on the guilt of slavery in America has led many young people to think the United States invented slavery.....snip~ There goes that lame excuse about fake news. Of course, those that have limited education.....do fall back upon such a premise.
` You have four years (if you're in that program) to complete the minuscule amount of credits needed to get past the core curriculum requirements. A US History major will take US History courses anyways. When I hire an engineer, or other professional requiring a degree, a class in US History is not required. I know that in hospitals, a nursing degree including US History, is not required. It has become an elective, as it has been and should be.
Once again.... the POINT, is that there is little if any confidence in the value of a degree from GWU. Where a candidate went to school and their reputation and accreditation are very much a part of the decision process in hiring . I might ask for transcripts.
` Your opinion. If you are only hiring new grads, and you have a favorite alma mater, it might matter. I graduated from Marquette University and those grads, once they are established, tend to hire their own. But where I come from, the experience, performance and temperament of a college grad once they have entered the work force, is all important. Most companies interested in profit have no interest in the core prerequisites a college student has.....however, to each, their own. All of this, coming from me, is rather ironic. I didn't have a degree when I was the first person hired for the company I work for.
No argument with any of what you have presented. When hiring, depending on the position in question, a degree may or may not be required. If it is, I really don't give a rat's ass what college it came from , as long as it is credible and valid. I do not require or give preference to any specific college or university.
