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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I know lots have mentioned Wesleyan: they call themselves an open curriculum school — and I thought they were too — but they are not one. They have gen ed “expectations” that a student take 3 courses each in three areas — so a total of 9 courses, or over a year of coursework. What if those “expectations” are not met? Well, first off, some majors require that these gen ED credits are met.

For all other majors, they punish you: no graduating with honors if you don’t do the gen ed’s, no thesis allowed, and [b]no double major with a minor — let alone a triple major.[/b]

Never saw such a two-tiered, gen-ed system system before where students who truly want an open curriculum are treated as second-class citizens.  It’s bizarre, and, to me, smacks of poor leadership: either have an open curriculum or don’t. Wesleyan is trying to have its cake and eat it, too.

If a student really wants an open curriculum, and might want to do a thesis or graduate with honors, stay away from Wesleyan’s 9-course gen ed requirements. Plenty of other open curriculum options to choose from….[/quote]

Re: the bold -- Full disclosure, I don't have a kid looking at Wes (or anywhere as DC has already graduated from an open curriculum LAC) but I don't quite get that paragraph, PP. Is it a done thing at Wes to go for a double major with a minor or even a triple major? I've never even heard of anyone doing a triple major anywhere at all (open curriculum or not; that's not the point of my question, BTW). Are you saying it's a "punishment" to be denied the chance to do a double major, double plus a minor or even a triple? All of those are difficult anywhere and I'm not clear on what you mean by framing it as a punishment by the college to deny those to students. 
Asking seriously, not with any snark -- because it's impossible to tell tone in a post! Thanks. [/quote]
Yes, it is a punishment not to be able to major in certain subjects, graduate with honors, be prohibited from writing a thesis, and not double major with a minor. (Not to mention the advisor pressure to “meet expectations” that is obviously also brought to bear — and these advisors are often future job and graduate school recommenders.) Double majors with minors are way more common these days than a generation ago. But the main problem is the thesis and honors issues, and the two-tiered treatment of students generally — never heard of such a thing.

As an aside, I found this out last night reading the “Fiske Guide” for Wesleyan, which describes somewhat extensive general education distribution requirements/expectations. Surely Fiske was wrong, I thought, as everyone knows Wesleyan has an “open curriculum.” But Fiske was right.

If my explanation is confusing, take a look at Wesleyan’s convoluted website and their discussion of what they call their “open curriculum.” It reads as deliberately confusing and even downright disingenuous.[/quote]

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