DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

To get a better grasp on what I would be would be writing about for the Breadth of Knowledge outcome, I took a closer look at my transcript and advisement report. This shocked and frustrated me for a number of reasons. Firstly, it opened up the old wound of having wasted in exorbitant amount of time pursuing a business major, and having to start back up again from scratch. I also noticed upon looking at the General Education requirements that most of mine were satisfied by transfer credits which were not at all what I had in mind when I think back on where I have fulfilled certain requirements. For example, my Diversity and Ethics verification had but one course, and that was Intro to Sociology, a class I cannot even remember taking. Where I believe I have met the requirement is not in coherence to the break-down of my advisement report. I believe I fulfilled this requirement with history, literature, religion, and political science courses.

I think that for my degree there are far too many math and science requirements. I understand that colleges must provide for a well-rounded education, but I feel as though there must be some other way. I have taken three science courses, and somehow I still have not fulfilled the degree requirement. I do have a high level of respect for science, and think it is crucial to development, innovation and progress in the world. This semester I had to take the Life Science Lab I and it was torturous. The labs were very rushed and I did not know what I was doing. This was not the instructor's fault, just the way the program is set up. With the STEM requirement, I do not think I have taken these type of courses, unless one of my science classes fits the criteria. As far as math goes, I think it should be done away with completely, unless it directly pertains to your major, or if for reasons that escape me, someone would willingly elect to take it. Because I scored low on the math placement exam, I had to take remedial math courses at Middlesex. I struggled through math for four semesters, and when I got to UML, there was another math requirement of Quantitative Reasoning. All of this time could have otherwise been spent learning, reading, writing or taking classes that make me grow and develop intellectually. I wish I could say science and math courses have been a beneficial learning experience that contributed to my breadth of knowledge, but so far they have only hindered me.

There should be more of a focus on interdisciplinary work for things like science, math and technology. For students like myself whose strengths do not lie in these areas, having to take so many of these classes can in fact have the opposite effect of what I'm sure the university intends. Right now I have to find a non-lab science course, and there is nothing at all that suits me. Unlike most students, I do not mind lectures, and learn well by listening and memorizing facts. This does not come in handy for science labs or math problems. I think what could be really interesting and appealing to students that enjoy history but have a difficult time with science, would be a class on archaeology or even ancient technology. A case we studied in Historical Methods that sparked my interest was that of Richard III of England, whose remains were finally discovered after 500 years under a parking garage in Leicester, England. Forensic geologists went in to confirm the remains were indeed Richard's by using an array of scientific technologies like radio-carbon dating. A course that focuses on these kinds of cases could help bridge the gap between history and science for students.

 

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.