A student sits in an economics class and struggles to stay awake. They’re bored out of their mind in a class they might not need to be in. 

College students should not be required to take classes outside of their major. Students should have the freedom to focus solely on their chosen field of study.

Major-related coursework is extremely rigorous and demanding. Majors in the sciences have labs, English majors have never-ending papers and math majors have numerous equations to memorize. 

When students have to take additional courses outside of their major, their workload increases. When students’ workload increases, it adds stress they don’t need or deserve.

Katherine Follmer, a junior early childhood education major, believes gen ed courses can make students feel discouraged.

“When the first three years of my college experience were gen ed courses, I almost stopped because it was boring to me, and it wasn’t based on my major. It was discouraging,” Follmer said.

College is meant to be a time for students to have fun, make new friends and figure out what career they want to pursue. Individuals should not feel discouraged over something as unnecessary as gen ed courses.

Courses outside of students’ majors may not contribute directly to career goals. For example, if students are majoring in English and have to take algebra, taking algebra has nothing to do with being an English major. 

By only taking classes within students’ majors, individuals can find their passion and show off their strengths. Students may also feel more motivated and engaged if they are only in courses that apply to their major and they enjoy, instead of boring, useless courses. 

Robert Brinkmann, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at NIU, said students should know basic skills no matter what career they go into after college.

“I think that by removing them (gen ed courses), students would limit their opportunities in the workforce,” Brinkmann said. “I work with a lot of employers who hire our students, and some of the things they’re always telling me is no matter what, whether it’s a computer science major, whether it’s a geology major or whatever, they want the students to have the ability to think critically, to be able to speak in public, to be able to write, to be able to understand the history and the culture of our country. All of those things matter.”

While basic skills such as writing and critical thinking are important, students should have learned these skills in high school. 

High school should have taught students basic skills such as writing, communication, basic math and critical thinking. If students did not learn the basic skills before attending college, then high schools need to do better at ensuring that individuals develop these skills, so they can succeed in the working world. 

Patrick Logan, a junior computer science major, said taking courses outside of one’s major is unnecessary.

“I think those who have a good idea on their major shouldn’t be forced to take random unrelated classes, but instead give them ones to help them graduate earlier,” Logan said.

If individuals have the option to graduate early, they should take full advantage of it. Having to take unnecessary courses that don’t align with a student’s career path is a complete waste of time.

An argument can be made that students should take courses outside of their major in order to explore different options, according to Stanford University Advising. 

However, there are other ways that students can explore courses outside of their major without taking gen ed’s. For example, the various electives many students are required to take provide opportunities to explore new fields. 

Students who want to explore different topics could take electives in whatever they are passionate about. Students can even minor in a program if they want broader exposure to different course offerings. 

Kate Haupt, a first-year middle level education major, believes more high schools should provide the option of allowing students to take dual credit courses in high school.

“If high school students have the option to take general college classes, that would result in less gen ed’s. I took college classes in high school and I found it beneficial,” Haupt said.

Colleges should reconsider general education requirements for the sake of college students around the world. Students should not have to be forced to take courses that they don’t want to, especially when they’re paying to attend.