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October 22nd, 2014

Reality Of The Core Curriculum By Megan Neely

The Core Curriculum Can Be Unnecessary For Graduation Requirements
Did you know that in order to graduate from Purdue University with a bachelors degree,
you must fulfill the following five requirements.
1.Complete the plan of study underlying a degree.
2. Live as a resident for at least two semesters, and complete at least 32 semester hours of
coursework. Courses must be at least junior level.
3. Register as a candidate for the desired degree during the semester immediately
preceding its conferment.
4. Achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00.
5. Demonstrate satisfactory knowledge of the English language.
Although each degree has differing requirements, graduating from Purdue, ultimately,
looks the same for each student. Go to class, get decent grades, do your best, and youll
be there. Looking at graduation from this perspective is a relief. As students, we are
constantly thinking about what it will take for us to graduate. We are always worried
about taking the right path in order to walk across that stage in four years. If only this
perspective was that easy to see.
The above five requirements dont even begin to describe the hard work and effort, stress
and emotions, and unnecessary difficulty that we are put through in order to walk across
that stage. College is supposed to be hard, but are certain aspects of graduating
unnecessary? Are certain aspects of this process even beneficial to our future after
college? Through personal experience, one of the main unnecessary aspects is the core
curriculum of course work for specific colleges at the university.
No matter the degree or major we are studying, we are very fortunate to be attending
Purdue University. This institution is effective in putting students on their path to a
successful career someday. As a first semester junior in the College of Liberal Arts, Im
two years away from completing all of my requirements for gradation. I need at least 120
credits completed, all coming from my major, core and elective courses. By being half
way through, Ive almost finished all of my core classes, and am now working on my
major classes.
Generally, each college at Purdue has a type of core curriculum, each benefiting the

students in a specific way. According to Purdues website for its initiatives and purpose,
The core curriculum is a set of common learning outcomes required of all undergraduate
students. It acts as a mechanism by which all Purdue University students share a similar
educational experience and, in doing so, achieve a set of common goals.
(http://www.purdue.edu/provost/initiatives/curricul...)
For the College of Liberal Arts, the core classes act as the core curriculum and intend to
provide a broad way of thinking for all students. Math and statistics, U.S. tradition and
racial/ethnic diversity, aesthetic awareness and natural sciences, are just a few of the
categories of coursework we experience. These classes can be taken at any time prior to
graduation, but I decided to get them over with early in my college career.
The variety of classes show the importance of having an open-minded perspective on the
world which, ultimately, should better prepare us for experiences after college. Although
these classes have intentions of broadening our horizons with new knowledge, this is the
main aspect I have found unnecessary to our process of graduation. Not only do these
classes drop one's GPA drastically, but professors misunderstand the reasoning for
students being enrolled, therefore, provoking the question, are we really broadening our
horizons by taking these classes?
Now that Im here for my fifth semester, Ive almost finished taking my core classes.
And with that, I can easily say those core classes have been my worst grades. Ive taken
anthropology, oceanography, history, entomology, womens studies, African American
studies, math and statistics, and more. All of these satisfy one of the categories on this
core curriculum, and all of which I chose from the list, thinking they would be the most
interesting. For whatever reason -- the professor, the class structure, the exams -something about these classes lowered my GPA. I had a hard time finding success in
these classes, like I do in my classes that are actually related to my major or minors. Im
majoring in public relations and advertising, with minors in Spanish and art and design.
Its definitely evident that I am able to get better grades in the classes where my interests
are located, but, more importantly, Im able to get better grades in those classes because
they are actually crucial for graduation. I need good grades in those classes because of the
experience I will have after college.
One of the biggest issues Ive had in these classes, despite the lower grades, is that there
is a misunderstanding between the students and the professor. The professor is simply
doing their job, unaware that we are simply trying to earn some core credits. We are
taking the specific class just to get through to graduation. We arent taking the specific
class because we want to be an anthropologist or earn a degree in gender or racial studies.
It doesnt even mean that Im not interested in those topics, Im just explaining how the
topics arent necessary to my major, and are not related to what Im studying. The
problem comes when the professor doesnt know that. When the professor thinks Im
taking the course because I want to study insects in my future career, there are issues. The
professor doesnt think I have other classes that are more important to worry about and,
instead, will assign me a 10-page, single-spaced research paper on dolphin
communication. Overall, point proven. The professors believe we are in their class to

major in what they love. As much as I love how passionate they are about the specific
topic, Im just a college kid trying to get through to graduation, with my own personal
passions, not theirs.
All of the above demonstrates why these core classes, in most cases, are not necessary for
graduation. If Im getting Ds on my transcript, and cant graduate because I couldnt do
well in math -- as a communication major -- thats a problem. Am I supposed to explain
on my resume to my future employer that I couldnt pass jewelry making? Am I
supposed to tell my future boss that my GPA was low because the professor didnt like
me? All of which just creates conflict, not only for graduation, but for our future careers
after college.
These classes are meant to be challenging. Were in college, and we cant expect
anything to be easy. I have my points for why the core curriculum is detrimental and,
potentially unnecessary. But the intentions weigh out more in the end, despite my
personal opinion. Purdue University does a lot for us in the big picture, and if were
asked to take classes that are meant to broaden our knowledge, in exchange for a career, I
guess Ill take it. My advice it to just push through. Yes, taking those classes is
challenging and, at times, impossible, but whats important is that when were finished,
were one step closer to graduation.
When that time comes to graduate, we will walk across that stage with ultimate pride. I
can only imagine what the feeling will be like two years from now. One thing I do know,
that when I walk across that stage I will be thinking about all I have achieved in the past
four years, all of the unforgettable memories and, most importantly, the new person I
have become. I will be thinking about all of the classes I have taken the past eight
semesters and all the hours of work put in for each. What I wont be thinking about is
those core classes. I wont be thinking about what brought me down, or what was the
most unnecessarily challenging. At that point, Im a graduate, and it doesnt matter
anymore.
When I graduate, I will have a new outlook on the world around us. I will have a
new found knowledge and perspective on topics, and I will have the ability to think
broadly, and with an open mind, thanks to Purdue's graduation requirements and the
College of Liberal Arts core curriculum.