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[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 no double major with a minor — let alone a triple major.

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]

When I went to Wesleyan in the 90s I was one course short in science. I had to get some form signed and the professor who signed it gave me a short lecture.  That was it.  I still graduated with honors etc. But when my DS was looking  at open curriculum schools we noticed that Wesleyan had changed as explained above.  He chose a different school with a true open curriculum. But even at his school his advisor pressures him to take classes in all divisions.  It’s great that he doesn’t have specific gen Ed requirements but there is still an expectation that he take a mix which includes courses he’s not interested in. [/quote]

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