An even more liberal arts education

One of the biggest selling points of Muhlenberg is that it is a liberal arts college. As anyone who toured colleges before choosing to attend Muhlenberg knows, liberal arts colleges emphasize broadening general knowledge and developing general intelligence without a focus on a specific career; these principles manifest as general education courses. I am proposing to take it one step further than general education by encouraging you to take classes outside of your major(s)/minor(s) that do not meet any specific requirement.

College is supposed to be the time to try new things, right? Then why not take a class that is not connected to your major? Fortunately, Muhlenberg has a lot of options for the adventurous student. A quick browse through the course catalog reveals the multitude of class options that do not require previous knowledge on the subject. From introductory courses to special topics, there are classes in nearly every discipline available to those who would just like to try something new. You might find a passion you never knew you had, which could develop into a double major or minor. At the very least, it will shake up your schedule! As much as you hopefully love your major, taking only a certain type of class can become monotonous. Adding a class with labs, lectures, or lots of in-class writing can add diversity to not only your schedule, but how you learn.

Another plus of taking a class outside of your major is getting to meet new people. Your new best friend might be in that calculus class you decided to add to your schedule. Not only will you meet new students, but you will also get to meet new professors. Professors are sources of knowledge and advice, and even if they don’t have a PhD in whatever your major is, it does not mean they will not be helpful to your overall college experience. Personally, one of my favorite professors at Muhlenberg teaches a class outside of my intended major and required classes. If I had never decided to take the class, I would never have had the chance to meet such a caring, intelligent person who let me come to her office hours to talk about world events while applying what we were learning in class.

Perhaps the most important reason to take a class outside your major is to simply make your education even more liberal artsy. By this, I mean you will become more broadly educated and develop a more nuanced point of view. Each major has its own ways of viewing writing and analyzing data, and it can be easy to assume that the way you already know is the best way of doing things. By taking a course outside your major, you are expanding your view on how to approach homework and papers. Perhaps even more importantly, you are expanding your worldview. Personally, I am guilty of viewing the world only through historical and political science contexts because of my intended majors, but taking courses in anthropology have helped developed my analyses to be more nuanced.

When scheduling rolls around for Fall 2017, I highly suggest stepping out of your major, and possibly comfort zone, and taking a class for any of the reasons listed above. It has already enhanced my college experience, and hopefully will make your own time at Muhlenberg even better too!