Would "liberal science" be a good major to create?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=82294

by aswanson • 19 years ago

1 6 19 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

Most curricula in the technical fields are self-centered, but would a curriculum based on the overlap and interplay between the fields create a more adaptable, inventive graduate than the micro-focused majors of today?

cperciva• 19 years ago

No.

tlrobinson• 19 years ago

Like industrial systems engineering? At least at my school that was considered the "easy" engineering major. I have a feeling that "liberal science" would tend to be even easier.

But if executed well I think it's a good idea.

rms• 19 years ago

Industrial Engineering is my major at Pitt, and it's not THAT easy. It's the easiest of the engineerings, sure, but still a lot harder than everything else.

I think liberal science would be a good idea, but how would you make it be more than a watered down pure science? At Pitt, science majors have to take a lot of liberal arts classes anyways and double majors are common.

mwerty• 19 years ago

I think a more practical trade-off would be to do a double/triple major.

yubrew• 19 years ago

Or getting work experience outside of your area of academic study.

amichail• 19 years ago

Universities don't care about educating entrepreneurs. They are only concerned about educating specialists with a high probability of finding a high paying job.

Would "liberal science" be a good major to create?

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