Quote:
Originally Posted by RIROCKHOUND
It has nothing to do with relegating them. It has to do with meeting national requirements for degrees.
Then WHY THE #^&#^&#^&#^& does ABET, who is responsible for accrediting engineering programs not accredit programs where there is no 'extra stuff'
I looked at UCONN, for Mech Engineering, I count 5 "Extra" classes labeled as Gen Ed (I am not counting a basic writing course as 'extra')
For a full-time student, there is not much difference financially for full-time (12-18 credits/semester), so this is less than 1 course a semester 'extra'. For Part-time, there is a difference in cost per-course, however, the English majors forced to take my Earth Science classes probably feel the same way, but I damn sure think they should take some science and math!
For UCONN Accounting, why don't they offer an expedited Accounting major, you think it is just a big scam? It isn't to fulfill the requirements for the national board for accrediting a degree. This isn't about denying choice.
I counted 7 "Extra" classes for accounting, and I suspect you can double dip categories and requirements to get this to 4 or 5.
"We were the first accounting program in New England to receive separate national accreditation by AACSB International, the premier accrediting agency for Bachelor’s, Master’s and doctoral degree programs in business administration and accounting."
http://accounting.business.uconn.edu/#
This is all based on MY experience as a professor. It isn't a perfect system but what you describe is a step backwards, NOT forward. |
"It has to do with meeting national requirements for degrees."
Who sets the national requirements that do get a debgree in electrical engineering, I need to take history or literature? Those aren't set by the school? I'm guessing those national requirements are set by academics, who want to stay employed and comfortable.
"WHY THE #^&#^&#^&#^& does ABET, who is responsible for accrediting engineering programs not accredit programs where there is no 'extra stuff'"
I don't know the answer to that. In my profession, to be a credentialed actuary, you need to pass brutal exams. You don't have to explain what the relationship between Ahab and Moby #^&#^&#^&#^& is a metaphor for. I'm not sure that knowledge would make me a better engineer, either.
"why don't they offer an expedited Accounting major"
because if they did, every student who isn't rich would choose that track, and then they'd need to let go some liberal arts professors.
"I looked at UCONN, for Mech Engineering, I count 5 "Extra" classes labeled as Gen Ed (I am not counting a basic writing course as 'extra')"
It was a lot more than 5 when I was there. In any event, that's a semester. At least $10k. Plus 6 months earlier that one could enter the workforce. What's average starting salary for a UCONN mechanical engineer? $50k? So if you graduate a semester earlier, you save $10k by not paying the school, and you earn an additional $25k by starting work 6 months earlier. So the total opportunity cost of those 5 classes is $35k. And that's if there are only 5.
"I damn sure think they should take some science and math!"
So do I.
"It isn't a perfect system"
It's pretty close to perfect for the people who get cushy jobs, making a good salary, lots of time off, with insane benefits (their children typically don't pay tuition at the schools the teach at).
Bryan, if we want to make college more affordable, you have to start with the biggest expenditures. That's not my idea, that's called math. You won't make college cheaper by recycling paper or by using pencils more efficiently or by switching to LED lightbulbs and low-flow toilets in the dorms.