đ From Breadth to Relevance: How Higher Ed Is Rethinking General Education in the Age of Purposeful Learning
Introduction: It’s Time for a Change & Here’s Why
It’s time for a change in our emphasis areas. The world our students are entering is fast-moving, technology-driven, and demanding in ways that higher education simply hasn’t kept up with.
As the chair of a marketing and entrepreneurship department, I’ve watched the discipline of marketing evolve from a creative-based field into a highly technical, data-driven profession. Yet, our curriculum still reflects a simpler time. At my institution, we require only three core courses of our marketing majors: Principles of Marketing, Marketing Analysis, and Marketing Management. That’s it.
Meanwhile, our students graduate having never touched Google Ads, learned how to set up a drip email campaign, or built a customer journey map in HubSpot or Salesforce. Many have never heard of paid search or mobile marketing. This is unacceptable.
The reality is that general education requirements, while valuable in their intent, are crowding out the room students need to take the kinds of applied, career-ready courses that will truly prepare them for the job market. Digital marketing, SEO, CRM, Google Analytics certification, social content strategy, and mobile optimization aren’t nice-to-haves anymore. They are the job.
The trends we’re seeing across campuses and states tell a story that higher education can no longer ignore: it’s time to modernize. Let’s look at what’s happening, and what’s at stake.
Why General Education Is Under Pressure
A long-standing view articulates that general education “assure[s] intellectual breadth … develop the abilities to communicate clearly and effectively, use mathematics, … understand multiple modes of inquiry …”.
Nonetheless many critics assert that the old “distribution requirement” model caters more to faculty research specialties than student needs.
The rationale for Gen Ed as a foundation for critical participatory citizenship is increasingly at odds with demands for degree efficiency and direct career preparation.
“I took five gen ed classes my first year, and only one had anything to do with my major. I just felt like I was wasting time.”
— Sara G., junior in Information Systems, University of Colorado
Campus- and System-Level Reform Cases
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University of Alabama: Launching the “Built by Bama Core,” a redesigned general education framework to offer more flexibility for students entering fall 2025.
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Florida State University & Florida College System: The state Board of Governors approved removing hundreds of general education courses, including some focused on topics such as race, gender, and LGBTQ history.
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Texas and Ohio Laws: In Texas, legislation enables boards to override Gen Ed requirements, eliminate low-enrollment programs, and evaluate DEI initiatives. Ohio’s Senate Bill 1 requires a civil literacy course and outlines limits on DEI-focused hiring and academic content.
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Utah Public Institutions: All state institutions capped Gen Ed at 27–30 hours to improve graduation timelines and transferability.
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Iowa Legislation: Proposed House Study Bill 63 would standardize Gen Ed across universities, requiring 40 hours but allowing flexibility for some majors.
“We wanted to reduce redundancy in course offerings and allow students to gain more domain-specific expertise earlier in their academic careers.”
— Dr. Amelia Thornton, Associate Dean, University of Iowa
Quotes and Themes
đ On Value vs. Efficiency
“Courses with curriculum based on unproven, speculative or exploratory content” are being targeted for removal, a shift toward workforce-relevant content.
Texas lawmakers say the reform ensures courses are “worth the cost” and help students prepare for life and work.
⚠️ Academic Freedom & Diversity Concerns
“It’s an existential attack on higher education…” — Isaac Kamola, AAUP
đ Student-Centered Learning
“I actually liked some of my gen eds, especially my philosophy class. But I wish they were tied more to my major, like ethics in tech.”
— Jason R., sophomore in Computer Science, Arizona State University
Broader Trends and Reform Models
Some campuses are exploring interdisciplinary “big questions” curricula that align gen ed with majors. Research shows traditional Gen Ed courses often fail to build critical thinking, especially for applied majors.
Universities are reallocating credit hours from general electives to internships, certificates, and career-focused skills.
“The idea is not to eliminate general education, but to integrate it so it feels relevant and purposeful to the student.”
— Dr. Ken Liao, Chair of Undergraduate Studies, Portland State University
đĒŠ Reclaiming Credits for Career Readiness: A Better Balance?
Many degrees require 120+ credit hours to complete, yet only 40–60 of those relate directly to a student’s field. That means students spend up to half their degree in unrelated coursework.
This is especially problematic in professional programs like business, nursing, or computer science, where emphasis areas require increasingly specific coursework.
“Reducing general education requirements allows academic departments to build in more coursework that actually prepares students for real-world jobs, not just checking off boxes.”
— Dr. John D. Kemp, Curriculum Chair
đ Is Gen Ed Part of Why Students Are Skipping College?
Yes, according to national surveys and trend data.
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A Gates Foundation survey found that 46% of non-enrolled adults said college “wasn’t worth the cost,” and 31% cited “too many classes that don’t matter.”
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A New America survey reported that only 25% of Americans believe general education courses are very valuable, down from 38% in 2017.
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Postsecondary enrollment in the U.S. dropped by over 1.23 million students between 2019–2022.
đ Case Example: Utah & Alabama Reform Models
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Utah: Reduced Gen Ed to 27–30 hours, freeing credits for stackable credentials and deeper learning in STEM and health sciences.
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Alabama: Introduced a flexible Gen Ed framework so students can “go deeper” in their major without being overloaded with unrelated electives.
But Let’s Be Fair: Why Some Say Gen Ed Still Matters
Despite mounting calls for reform, many still champion Gen Ed as the bedrock of higher learning. Supporters argue it:
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Builds well-rounded thinkers
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Encourages adaptability and civic literacy
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Provides flexibility for students who switch majors
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Builds soft skills employers consistently demand
“If we strip away general education entirely, we risk graduating technicians instead of educated citizens.”
— Dr. Eleanor Kwan, Dean of Liberal Arts
Conclusion: Why This Is Personal for Me
General education should be a bridge, not a barrier, between students and their aspirations.
Right now, it’s often a bottleneck. And I’m tired of watching my students graduate unprepared for the roles they’ve studied so hard for.
Marketing has evolved, and so should the curriculum that prepares students for it. We owe them more than just three required courses. We owe them access to the knowledge and tools they’ll actually use.
When students graduate with a marketing degree yet have no
idea what CRM stands for, or have never heard of HubSpot, Salesforce, or drip
campaigns, I can’t help but feel that we’ve let them down. These skills are
essential in today’s marketing world. We offer these courses, but unless we’re
empowered to make them required, too many students will miss out. That must
change. It’s time we prioritize purpose
and relevance in how we educate.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject.
Author Note
Dr. Perry Drake is the Chair of the Marketing and Entrepreneurship Department at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. He is also founder of the Midwest Digital Marketing Conference and a passionate advocate for career-aligned curriculum reform in higher education.
References
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University of Alabama News: Built by Bama Core
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Inside Higher Ed: Florida Gen Ed Overhaul
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AP News: Texas and Ohio Legislation
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Salt Lake Tribune: Utah Gen Ed Cap
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Iowa Capital Dispatch: House Study Bill 63
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Civics Alliance: Criticism of Distribution Models
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Academic Impressions: Reform Models
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Gates Foundation: Higher Ed Survey
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New America: Public Attitudes Toward Gen Ed
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National Student Clearinghouse: Enrollment Trends
