Plan B Forum

http://www.dailycal.org/2012/04/02/sant ... urriculum/

Facts eluded presidential candidate Rick Santorum when he took aim at the history curriculums at California’s universities Monday.

“I was just reading something last night from the state of California,” Santorum said at a campaign stop in Wisconsin. “And that the California universities — I think it’s seven or eight of the California system of universities don’t even teach an American history course. It’s not even available to be taught.”

UC Berkeley history professor Robin Einhorn, who is teaching a course titled “The United States from Civil War to Present” this semester, called Santorum’s claim “completely, laughably false.”

Santorum’s campaign headquarters could not be reached to clarify what Santorum was reading, but a perusal of course catalogs from the University of California, California State University and California Community Colleges reveals a plethora of courses focusing on U.S. history.

Each of the state’s 112 community college campuses offers a course in U.S. history, according to community college spokesperson Paige Marlatt-Dorr.

At the UC and CSU, all undergraduates must take a U.S. history course in order to graduate, UC and CSU spokespeople said.



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Who cares?

Are you concerned that we might elect someone who occasionally makes a mis-statement? Are you aware of who is in the White House?

Could it be that Rick read that at some California state schools it is not possible to major in American History?

Who knows?

Who cares?

dgs49 wrote:Could it be that Rick read that at some California state schools it is not possible to major in American History?

Perhaps he should have done a teensy bit of investigation before spouting off about something he read.

dales wrote:
At the UC and CSU, all undergraduates must take a U.S. history course in order to graduate, UC and CSU spokespeople said.

Why?

It's one of a number of requirements typically required to graduate from an American university, to ensure a well-rounded education.

Santorum Steps In It...........Again

Santorum can step in it...

Hell, he can do the cha-cha in it ....

It matters not at all, since he has no more chance of being the GOP nominee at this point than Ron Paul....

What Mr. Santorum has to say is no longer relevant to the national debate...

He's like the dead man who just hasn't had the sense to lie down....

Scooter wrote:It's one of a number of requirements typically required to graduate from an American university, to ensure a well-rounded education.

Not only that but I think it is one of the requirements for accreditation to be a US University...

Gob wrote:

dales wrote:
At the UC and CSU, all undergraduates must take a U.S. history course in order to graduate, UC and CSU spokespeople said.

Why?

So we won't turn out like Australians

Gob.......

Don't the univerities in the UK or Australia have a similar requirement?

No, why would they? We don't mandate a flag in every classroom in case kids forget where they are either.

Scooter wrote:It's one of a number of requirements typically required to graduate from an American university, to ensure a well-rounded education.

I assume you're being sarcastic there Scoot?

No, Regardless of major, most American universities require students to take courses in history, science, literature, foreign languages, fine arts, etc. in order to satisfy breadth requirements.

Oh, ok, surely world history would be more useful for a "well rounded" education though?

History in general, however if one is after a liberal arts degree in history American History certainly comes in handy.

A degree most US Colleges offer...

A US history course is generally required in HS, but I know plenty of universities that don't require such a course for a liberal arts major.

Students can choose core general studies courses from a variety of disciplines, and art history or European history could satisfy such a requirement.

Santorum is sowing seeds of fear and division by insinuating that California universities are 'other' - pinko Commies, no doubt.

So, let me make sure I have this right; if I sign up to study say psychology, at a University there, I have to also do modules in history, science, literature, foreign languages, fine arts etc?

A LITTLE science/math it's a Bachelor of Arts degree.

A Bachelor of Science requires more math/science (where I fit in).

Still I took World History I and American History I, both had a I & II.

I didn't do any Art or Music.

Wanted Spanish had to take French I & II, could never fit Spanish in when it came around.

Blah, blah, blah...

Most U.S. Universities require something variously called "breadth requirements" for a Bachelor's degree. I'm told that this is not so for most European Universities which allow you to study only in your degree area.

The specifics vary quite a lot so I don't know what the current stds are. But there is a sense that there is a body of knowledge which a 'generally educated' person ought to know something about and a BA or BS degree ought to include a significant introduction to this.

Personally I do like some of the heterogeneity of the whole thing but some parts should be included for everyone. 1. The Milgrim experiment(s) and 2. The Stanford Prison Experiment. Because they tell us something central to who we are.

And a history of science which includes the brutal repression of knowledge by the christian church for most of 2,000 years.

If you don't know how thoroughly, completely and systematically religion has brutalized humanity over the centuries then you didn't 'get it'. Superstition is evil. Religion is superstition.

yrs,
rubato

Gob wrote:So, let me make sure I have this right; if I sign up to study say psychology, at a University there, I have to also do modules in history, science, literature, foreign languages, fine arts etc?

In CALIFORNIA, yes (although World History could be substituted).

Science.....obviously, why would someone wishing to obtain a BA is Psych. without some science training?

Literature/Humanities.....I would think this to be ESSENTIAL for anyone wishing such a degree.

Foreign Language.....never required when I first got my BS decades ago, but now it is. Spanish would be a HUGE PLUS for anyone persuing a degree in psychology (with perhaps obtaining MFT licensure in the future).

Fine Arts......film

In addition:

Mathematics (comes in handy when dealing with data from psychological tests).

Writing Skills

Critical Thought/Philosophy

Religion/Spiritual Systems

Physical Education (believe it or not, this was REQUIRED when I fits started college in 1970)

etc.....etc....etc...etc....

In the UK or Aus it would be assumed from the qualifications necessary to get onto a degree course that the person had either studied broadly, or that they had the ability to pick up the necessary information to understand the breadth of the topic undertaken.
Hatch for example is studying psychology, biology, world literature, Japanese, maths, physics, and chemistry, in order to get an admission into Uni. In the UK and Aus degrees are more specialist, though you can do extra modules outside of your specialism, or double specialisms, if you are up to it.