General Education Courses and Developing New Interests

General Education Courses and Developing New Interests

College students were also asked about the role of general education courses in developing interest in new subjects. Experiences were mixed. Some students reported that they learned new things and were exposed to new areas of interest. Others said that general education courses had little impact on whether they continued to pursue those new interests.

Among those students who learned something new or found a new interest during their general education courses, inspiring professors and engaging course content were strong factors. One college student reported a very positive experience with a history course that led them to briefly consider history as a possible major. “It’d be the history of the Roman Empire, I think, or just Rome in general. That was really interesting because . . . do I actually want to be a history major? It was so interesting to me. I think it did shape a role in my wonder for the world.”42 Another college student, who had declared an English major, noted that their interest in the subject developed after taking a required class, which led to their continuing on with that coursework.43

In contrast, many students said that general education courses were not a factor in developing their academic interests, citing frustration with the seeming lack of applicability of these courses or thinking of them as simply a requirement to be satisfied. One college student said, “There’s a sort of, like, a stigma with general education classes, it’s just like, you know, just do them to get them over with, or, you know, add them.”44 Another referred to general education as “fun facts” but then noted that they did not “feel like the information I’m learning in the general ed courses [is] going to help me in whatever career field that I’m going to,” although they still acknowledged that the coursework helped to develop core competencies like critical thinking skills.45