Bucknell prides itself on being a liberal arts institution, and in theory, that’s great. A well-rounded education is important, and it makes sense that students should take a variety of courses outside their major. But in practice, some of these general education (gen ed) requirements, especially in math and science for students in the College of Arts and Sciences, are way harder than they need to be.
No one is asking for gen eds to be at a high school level. But when a required class meant for non-STEM majors ends up being just as difficult as one for students majoring in that field, something isn’t adding up. Yes, I’m talking about the lab sciences and Natural Science and Mathematics (NSMC) designated courses. The purpose of a gen ed should be to introduce students to a subject, not to make them suffer through it. Yet, every year, students find themselves dedicating way too much time and stress to courses that, realistically, they will never use again.
This year, Bucknell introduced new courses supposedly designed to be easier and better suited for first years and sophomores. But from what I’ve heard, even those are unnecessarily difficult. If these classes are meant to help students fulfill requirements without completely wrecking their GPA or draining their time, why are they still so challenging?
At some point, we have to ask: who is this benefiting? Sure, some difficulty is expected. College isn’t supposed to be easy, but there’s a difference between a class being appropriately challenging and it being designed in a way that overwhelms students who just need to check a box. The reality is that students end up spending an absurd amount of time on these courses, often at the expense of the ones they actually care about and need for their future.
It’s also worth noting that not all gen eds are created equal. Some are genuinely interesting and manageable, while others feel like an uphill battle for no reason. It raises the question of why these disparities exist. Shouldn’t gen eds be designed to encourage exploration rather than punishment?
Other schools seem to understand this better. Many universities offer legitimately approachable gen eds that still provide a meaningful learning experience without putting students through the wringer. Bucknell should take note. My friends at other schools take classes like “Math for Liberal Arts” and “College Algebra.” Making these classes more accessible wouldn’t necessarily mean sacrificing academic integrity. It’s just recognizing that a non-STEM student shouldn’t have to struggle through a course that feels like it was designed to weed people out of a major they aren’t even in.
It’s honestly kind of amusing when I, as an International Relations and Classics double major, have to explain to my friends or parents that I am being absolutely demolished by some random math or science class. If I wanted to spend hours studying math, I would’ve just majored in it. Bucknell, I am begging you—just let me breathe.
At the end of the day, students want to learn. But they also want to graduate with their sanity intact. If Bucknell is serious about maintaining a strong liberal arts education, it should ensure that gen eds do what they’re supposed to, introduce students to new subjects in a way that is engaging, not exhausting.
