The Value of Elective Courses
One of the biggest things colleges emphasize is choosing your major. This makes perfect sense, because what else would you graduate with? Your major is your focus, the path you’ve decided to follow toward a future job.
However, college electives are usually left out of the picture. But even if the emphasis isn’t as strong, electives are important to your college career.
Maranatha’s academic structure is built on the necessity of studying broadly to succeed specifically. At the center of the academic structure, the Bible core grounds students to their relationship with Christ. The Major core deepens students’ understanding of an individual emphasis, generally applied to a targeted industry or career. The elective space given to students reflects the true philosophy of liberal arts: learning requires a broad exposure.
There are three ways that broad academic exposure adds to your college career.
Explore other ideas
Whether you’re studying Business Management, Humanities, or Elementary Education, you still have room to learn in different areas. Maybe you’re wanting to see the business side of life even though you’re training to become a second-grade English teacher. Or maybe you’ve recently been interested in Literature while taking Accounting.
You have room in your schedule to take those electives, so why not seek something out that piques your curiosity? It might help you in the long run.
Find a new path
Maybe you don’t feel comfortable with your current major. Trust me, that is okay. The majority of students end up changing their major at least once during their academic careers.
If you’re here and don’t know where to go, look to your electives. Your interests will flourish in the classes you actually enjoy. It’s not wrong to change your mind; this is the time to feel around and make sure you love your major.
There are many opportunities to dig into the electives that are offered each semester. Phil Holbrook, a Business Management major, has experienced the value of electives.
“I’m currently taking Sports and Society with Coach Pill as an elective. Coach Pill keeps the class fun and interesting, and it’s changed my perspective on how I view sports. I always pictured it as a business trying to make money or a college trying to raise profits. But there’s a lot more to it that’s not all about money.”
Emily Dean is a Humanities major who has been able to explore politics through different teaching styles.
“Civil War and Reconstruction and Early American Political Thought both challenged my viewpoints and taught me things that I had never even considered. They opened up a new world to me, and I’ll always be thankful that I took both of those classes. Although Mrs. Meinhardt and Dr. Licht have very different teaching styles, I appreciated their emphasis on class discussions and student questions. Electives are a great way to learn more about a subject that interests you.”
Grow as a person
Even graduate students see the value in taking electives. Alyssa Wright was a Business Management major with a Coaching minor and is currently an Organizational Leadership graduate student.
“I’m so thankful for the opportunity to participate in a school choir. This elective gave me the chance to make friends in several different majors, travel across the country, and minister in several churches. Madrigal helped me develop a love for singing and to become a more well-rounded person.”
So, go for it! Take those classes that don’t immediately pop up on your degree audit. Electives are so important to helping you further your education in areas outside of your desired major. You never know, you may find something else that’s worth pursuing later on.