What's the Purpose of General Education?

For many students, starting college centers around choosing the right major. Universities are places for students with a variety of unique interests to take courses in areas that will interest them while developing in them the skills they’ll need to start their desired career one day. It may be surprising, therefore, when one arrives at college and must take courses in subjects that are far outside their areas of interest. These courses are part of the general education curriculum, also known as a liberal arts curriculum, that forms the initial foundation of one’s college education.  

At Concordia University, Nebraska, the Living Stones general education curriculum helps students answer key questions about life through the acquisition of broad knowledge about the world. The goal of the curriculum is to develop transferable skills that can guide students through their specific major and into a professional vocation. Students must choose courses to take from areas of scholarship like life sciences, physical sciences, math, health, communications and more.  

Sometimes, general education courses can seem like a waste of time, especially if one feels that a course has limited applicability to their future vocation. However, these classes strive to build in students the ability for critical analysis and application of knowledge gained in service to church and world wherever they end up. Plus, students do have choices regarding which general courses they take. For example, a student could choose to take introductory geography or a global issues course to fulfill the same requirement. In this way, students can still pursue courses that are more personally interesting to them than others. 

Furthermore, general education aims to provide students with a broad understanding of various disciplines. Although many students enroll in college with a particular major in mind, others don’t. General education can allow students who haven’t declared a program of study to find one that sparks their interest. It can also help students who have declared a major to ensure that they are truly passionate about it by allowing them to experience the full spectrum of alternate options.  

The requirement of general education within the college curriculum is, at its core, an attempt to build vital skills in students, from problem-solving to close reading. The academic foundation established by these courses serves students as they continue into their upper-level classes. For example, the required English course “Experiences in Writing” can establish composition skills that a biology major might need to write a research report in the upper-level “Research in Biology” course.  

Finally, it is important that, when choosing general education courses to take, you also consider the requirements of the major you hope to – or think you might – declare. Most often, some general education courses overlap with major requirements. For example, psychology majors can take Introduction to Psychology, fulfilling three credits of their major at the same time as a Psychology & Sociology general education requirement. 

The general education curriculum at Concordia Nebraska aims to instill a sense of purpose and vocation in students, providing them with a well-rounded academic basis upon which they can build the rest of their lives. It gives them the opportunity to build applicable skills rather than just career-specific knowledge and opens minds to the many ways that God works in His creation. It is refreshing, therefore, to look at these general education requirements in a new way.  

Concordia University, Nebraska promises students a Lutheran, Christian higher education that equips them not only with skills and a degree, but also a sense of vocation and purpose for the future. It emphasizes the importance of the Gospel and is a Christ-centered community of believers and academics. Learn more about applying to Concordia here.