By Katherine Yaremko

It is perhaps a minority of students who are not somewhat unenthusiastic about completing Hofstra’s distribution course policy. As a liberal arts college, Hofstra requires students to fulfill nine credits each within the humanities, natural sciences/math/computer science, and social sciences, in addition to fulfilling three credits for both cross cultural and interdisciplinary studies. While I understand this policy is intended to expose students to a wide variety of disciplines and potentially help them redefine their interests or career paths, I wonder if the policy would be better served by giving students greater leeway over which distribution courses they take.

College provides the opportunity for students to dabble in different subjects and to be exposed to new modes of thought. Taking a single class in a subject to fulfill a requirement might just be the catalyst that leads a student to major in a particular discipline or toward the student developing the subject as an integral part of his life. I am not opposed to the existence of distribution courses; I am actually grateful for them. Personally, I would most likely not have developed some of my current interests had I not been required to take certain courses. Classes that I initially took for distribution even led to a change in major, as I am sure they have for other students. What is frustrating, however, (and I say this at the expense of sounding petty and immature) is that there are particular courses I will need to take for major purposes which I feel I could make better use of and would much rather take in place of those distribution courses.

Hofstra also requires students earning a bachelor of arts to complete four levels of a foreign language. With increasing globalization, it is certainly important and relevant to teach and encourage fluency in foreign languages; and Hofstra’s decision is understandable and agreeable in part. Not all students, however, may desire, or even need, to know a foreign language, depending on the person’s interests or career aspirations. If a student is not interested in or willing to learn a foreign language, despite exposure to that language through a distribution requirement, attempts to require him to learn the language will not benefit him. 

The same idea applies to any of the other distribution courses. Simply because a student is required to take a course doesn’t mean that student will bother to put in any effort or take anything from the course if it provides him or her no interest. Alternatively, that student’s time and energy could be better utilized fulfilling credits that actually interest the student and further develop his talents and skills. If a student would rather take an extra biology course in place of a literature requirement, why not allow the student the ability to do so? Those students who are interested in learning a language will take the courses regardless of whether or not they are required. 

Hofstra’s policy definitely gives students options within each of the division core requirements; (students have a good selection of time periods, genres, and authors for literature requirements) and provides students with some leeway; according to Hofstra’s website, a student can “offer courses in one discipline (e.g., literature in translation) toward several different requirements.” Hofstra’s interdisciplinary requirement also allows students to choose a course from any of the other division requirements.

What might make the system more effective would be if students were required to take only three credits each in the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences instead of the current nine credits each. The cross cultural and interdisciplinary requirements already follow this rule, although if the rule were extended to cover the humanities and science requirements, students would have more free credits at their disposal. Students could also be required to take three credits in either math or computer science. The extra credits could then be transferred toward fulfilling electives, providing students with more of an opportunity to take more of the classes they enjoy.