“Why Do I Have to Take This Course?”

Abstract

For a variety of reasons, student engagement in general education continues to be a challenge. Perhaps one way to increase engagement is to connect general education with a deep student need: finding meaning and purpose in their lives or exploring what some have called “big questions.” Recent scholarship has defined these clusters of meaning and purpose needs as “spirituality.” General education can address these larger questions not only through “culture and belief” types of courses but also by having students study the world through multiple disciplines and perspectives. Academic advisers, who regularly talk with students about their values and goals and advise them on the entire curriculum, are in a prime position to help students make personal connections between their search for meaning and purpose and general education.