So this is college?

[Zdrasti]

In my undergraduate you couldn't even get an English major without taking quantum mechanics. Different schools have different thresholds for what they consider a bare minimum of knowledge to graduate from their school. Since during your life you are expected to have ~5 different careers, it's probably a good thing that colleges prevent you from putting all your eggs in one basket. However, if you want a very specific skillset, what you're looking for a trade school not a college or university.

[Klutzington]

To behonest, you need to suck it up. Think of it as you are getting somewhere you want to be. Don't think of it as useless bullsh*t. Do it for where you want to be, not what you want to do atm.

[Badpaladin]

Marketing, and pretty much any introductory business classes are going to be very helpful in the field you're looking at. Ultimately it's "business people" who pay "tech people", and the more of the "business guy" language you can speak the better you are to them.

[Symphonic]

At film school I had to take some psychology classes, and some computer classes... all very unrelated. I really think those type of classes weed out people who won't actually succeed. Do your best in all your classes and prove that you're able to handle anything.

[zoefschildpad]

Glad I don't live wherever you all do. I study computer science in the Netherlands, and all my classes are on computer science (or maths related to computer science). It just seems completely ridiculous to be forced to do other things...

[Badpaladin]

Glad I don't live wherever you all do. I study computer science in the Netherlands, and all my classes are on computer science (or maths related to computer science). It just seems completely ridiculous to be forced to do other things...

You'd be surprised how much demand there is for interdisciplinary CS stuff in the states.

[ragingsoul]

You'd be surprised how much demand there is for interdisciplinary CS stuff in the states.

not only in the States, everywhere. Multi disciplinary Engineers here in Switzerland are also in high demand.
There is no point to develop a project if it's economically not viable. Some will say that's for the manager to decide, but every engineer that first ask himself/herself if something is doable will save a lot of time and thus money for his/her company.

[Auloria]

A college degree opens up a lot of doors, even well outside of your major, because it is understood that you have a well-rounded education.

[Deleted]

It seems especially Americans are negative about the courses they have to take with their study. I don't feel that's the case in my country at all.

I'm doing an IT study currently, but it's split into 4 real courses. Business, Technology, Software and Media Design.
Coming from a Design school, I already know I will choose to focus on Media Design. Luckily we're able to drop 2 courses after the first few weeks, and another one after half a year. This means that after half a year I'm already busy only doing the course I want, and I will continue to do so for the rest of the years.

So yeah, I think it's just an American thing. At my school we get to learn some basics and then we can really choose what we want to improve on.

[Steelyorc]

college is a business. they're not there to help you, they're there to confuse you into taking things you don't have to, making you pay to take things you don't need and turn a profit

Possibly the most ignorant statement I have ever read.

If you do not want a well rounded education...go to a trade school.
If you want to a well rounded education...go to a university for a Bachelor's degree.

As an IT director who does hiring, I will take the bachelors degree over the trade school every time.
It shows me that the applicant can complete a full curriculum, as opposed to rushing through and taking short cuts

[Skippy88]

From what I remembered of university we got to pick 2 electives per year. From a university stand point I think it's meant for students to pick something they like so if they don't make in their major then maybe they will switch to one of the elective fields.

In reality most students picked the 2 easiest ones (aka less homework) or used them for fun. My first year I remember taking politics and astronomy as I had taken them in high school so I had basic knowledge of the subjects already. In college we didn't get electives as our courses were pre-determined already.

[Reeve]

I think my electives were all like French National History, Swing Dance, World History, Speech/Debate, Meteorology, etc. The only easy ones I did were the dance and meteorology. And Meteorology taught me more than I expected it to.

[poser765]

I think my electives were all like French National History, Swing Dance, World History, Speech/Debate, Meteorology, etc. The only easy ones I did were the dance and meteorology. And Meteorology taught me more than I expected it to.

I had to take aviation meteorology in college. Damn that class was murder. I can't tell you what all i learned in that class but I sure as shit can read a Skew-T chart plotting the temp/dew point spread at varying altitudes.

the prof was a smart man. Way to smart for his own good.

[Reeve]

I had to take aviation meteorology in college. Damn that class was murder. I can't tell you what all i learned in that class but I sure as shit can read a Skew-T chart plotting the temp/dew point spread at varying altitudes.

the prof was a smart man. Way to smart for his own good.

Yeah, my meteorology class was pretty much a fluff class. We learned about the Coriolis Effect, how tropical storms form, why the coast of Northern California is so prone to fog, El Niño, La Niña, etc. We didn't get into anything particularly difficult or mathy.

[poser765]

Yeah, my meteorology class was pretty much a fluff class. We learned about the Coriolis Effect, how tropical storms form, why the coast of Northern California is so prone to fog, El Niño, La Niña, etc. We didn't get into anything particularly difficult or mathy.

That's good. Weather is a pretty interesting topic to get into. Plus it always makes you look bad ass when you can predict the weather as good as the weather man.

[FathomFear]

So I enrolled in online classes looking to better myself and find a new career. As I got my first 2 courses, Human relations and Marketing I began to think is this worth it or are these courses that have nothing to do with my major a necessary evil? My major is Computer Information Technology with networking and database structure. Now human relations i can see as to why it pertains a bit because of human interaction and being politically correct in the workplace, but marketing?? I have zero interest in this. I find myself pushing the assignments off this the last minute because I really don't care. Now that could be a bad attitude on my part but still I am lacking interest. Is this what college is? Taking classes that don't apply to your major? I think I may need to take a new route. Needed to vent this is all.

Simply put, college and university education is not "job training". You're going to take courses that have absolutely nothing to do with your major. However, the main objective of that is to get you a broader base of learning, to help you become a better writer/thinker/etc. Only taking courses in one subject would work against that goal.

[Deleted]

In The Netherlands we have a class called "Maatschappijleer" (social science/sociology)... man, that's one of the biggest bullsh*t classes i was forced to follow for 4 freaking years. Bunch of hippies, the whole lot of em.

[FathomFear]

In The Netherlands we have a class called "Maatschappijleer" (social science/sociology)... man, that's one of the biggest bullsh*t classes i was forced to follow for 4 freaking years. Bunch of hippies, the whole lot of em.

What's interesting is that the Netherlands is a common destination for Sociology/Psychology majors to do work-abroad study. I have a friend here in Canada who is spending a whole month next summer in Amsterdam to study the Red Light District, lol. It is counting towards her Psychology degree.

[Deleted]

I still claim that for the most part you are not able to teach a college level class to a 15 or 16 year old.

The final year of School in Scotland is focused on subjects being taught at year-1 university level. Most people in that year are between 16-18 years old. I think it's highly possible to teach people that age at college level.

[Elegiac]

I don't understand why such classes even exist in some educations, i had absolutely zero use for the history/society lessons that i had in a IT-networking class that i went to, i saw no reason for studying ancient literature when i would work with network administration afterwards and i still don't understand the reasoning afterwards.

Because the social sciences are supposed to give you perspective on history and society.

Not to mention pure business majors tend to come away with less developed critical thinking skills.