As a new undergraduate student a year ago, I was looking forward to exploring various disciplines since I had not decided on a major. Being in the College of Letters and Science, I was required to take quite a few prerequisite classes since L&S focused on a liberal arts background.
Yes, I know that a majority of students despise these classes. However, I believe these courses are advantageous. Unfortunately, the current prerequisite curriculums at most undergraduate institutions are flawed, as they leave out many fields of study that current undergraduates need in order to improve their common knowledge.
A prerequisite education should concentrate on learning that cultivates broad intellectual skill, rather than technical or professional skills. There are a copious number of disciplines that deserve to be emphasized more. However, I believe one to be more important than the others: gender and women’s studies.
I have taken three gender and women’s studies courses thus far in my undergraduate career, and each class has subsequently made me more aware and grounded. I have learned about a multitude of issues and historical events, as well as about people that have successfully shaped our world.
Some of the topics covered in these courses include the complex details of women’s reproductive anatomy, various misconceptions regarding women’s reproductive structure and the concept of masculinity. These are just a few of the noteworthy topics discussed in gender and women’s studies courses.
Ultimately, the sad reality is that the average college student won’t be educated about any of these subjects. Sure, the average undergraduate will know a thing or two about calculus, American History and Spanish or French, but they will lack knowledge on a number of other relevant topics. For example, when asked about certain important figures and concepts that fall into the breadth of gender and women’s studies, most people will have absolutely nothing to tell you.
Many people believe that this field of study is trivial and irrelevant to what they want to pursue in their future. They think that they are wasting their time by taking a class that won’t help them in any substantial way. Those who never attempt to open their minds to a new field of study just out of pure curiosity, are, in my eyes, at a disadvantage.
Most employers prefer applicants who are well-rounded and cosmopolitan. When someone tells me that they find all disciplines of study worthy and that they have made an effort to learn more about them, I consider them admirable. I strongly believe that any wise employer would see these qualities in a similar light. I understand that people come to college to focus on their intended major or passion, but I believe that a gender and women’s studies course should be a requirement for everyone at a university.
Here at UW-Madison, all students have to take courses in communications, quantitative reasoning, a variety of sciences, ethnic studies and many other subject matters. With so many classes available to freshmen, it is easy for students to avoid topics that might be more difficult or less desirable for them to understand. For this reason, I believe that it is the university’s duty to make students step out of their comfort zones. Making a gender and women’s studies course mandatory to all students can be the first step the university takes to make its students more well-rounded.
Calculus and biology are no more important than how gender, race, sexuality, ability, age and class affect our everyday lives. I find these issues quite relevant to the comprehension of a society that I interact with daily, and you should too. I challenge you to take a chance and enroll in a gender and women’s studies course, you certainly won’t regret it. It changed my perspective on so many pertinent issues, and I believe that is what receiving a rigorous and substantial education from an institution like the UW-Madison is all about.
Leila is a sophomore. Do you agree with her that the university should require students to take a gender and women’s studies class in order to graduate? Let us know at opinion@dailycardinal.com.
