While students in the School of Foreign Service are often stereotyped as workaholic pre-professionals, it is becoming increasingly easier to manage the school’s curriculum. The SFS requires a core of 16 classes, a 10-12 class major, many of which have been recently reduced, and proficiency in a foreign language. These provisions are more stringent than either the College or business school, but in both these schools students can double-major and minor within and across schools; students in the SFS have no such option. In order for SFS students to gain the most degree-credit for their work, they must be able to earn multiple majors or minors, across programs if necessary.
According to SFS Associate Dean Mitch Kaneda, SFS students cannot double major because both the core curriculum and majors are interdisciplinary. Additionally, Kaneda said that with stricter language requirements, many students do not have room to add another major or minor. The SFS’ recent decision to reduce the number of classes for many majors was to keep major requirements more in line with the College. International Economics majors needed to take 12 economics courses in addition to the four in the core curriculum; College students only need 10 classes for an Economics major. Now International Economics majors are only required to take 10 major classes.
These reasons take into account the position of a student who enters college with no previously earned credit, no background in language and a desire to study abroad. Still, many students enter the SFS with college credit earned during high school, knowledge of a language and varying degrees of desire to study abroad. Even with a blank academic slate, the SFS total program, 26 to 28 classes plus a language requirement, can be completed in just three years. The SFS fails to provide an alternative way to channel other interests because students cannot earn additional degrees or minors. Instead of minors, the SFS offers certificate programs, which complements the degree, with most requiring fluency in a language. Certificates do nothing for a student who wishes to pursue a program outside of the SFS or for one who would like to pursue a second major out of interest or with a career in mind. An International Politics student may like to follow a focused course of study in domestic politics, or an International Economics student might like to complement this degree with one in Math or Computer Science. For these students, the SFS provides no outlet but to take elective courses with no potential for a degree.
The SFS should allow students to have the flexibility to add majors or minors if they so desire. When the SFS Academic Council surveyed students this semester to see if they wanted the ability to minor, a wide majority was in favor. SFS students should not only have the ability to take courses outside their field of study, but also to channel these efforts toward a focused goal.
