Making College Relevant

From guaranteeing jobs after graduation to teaching networking and résumé building in the context of English Literature, schools and colleges in the U.S. are working harder than ever before to help students answer the question “What are you going to do with your degree?” according to an article in the New York Times.  The moves reflect a cultural shift toward a preference for university courses with “real world relevance”.  Business has been the most popular major in the U.S. for the last 15 years.  Public health, environmental science and bio-sciences are also booming.  Other schools are offering a different mix of foreign languages - Chinese and Arabic are popular and the University of Michigan has seen a 38 percent increase in students enrolling in Asian language courses since 2002.  Students are increasingly planning for their future success even before they enter university, and pursuing courses in entrepreneurialism, high-tech business and other vocational studies.

However according to The Association of American Colleges and Universities, employers also don’t want students specializing too soon. Instead, employers focus on skills like “the ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing,” “critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills” and “the ability to innovate and be creative.”

“The truth is,” says one educator, “students think too much about majors. But the major isn’t nearly as important as the toolbox of skills you come out with and the experiences you have.”

Read the full article here.