The department felt it would cut students out of the social sciences classes as departments would double count more technical courses and students would gravitate to those. There is also a strong feeling that this is general education, which is distinct from the major and students need the flexibility to take courses outside their area. George agreed, saying that humanities has the same concerns. Bowen reminded the group that there already had been debate of general education as a smaller or larger part of the curriculum. Dobney accepted the smaller based on general education as central with a strong core.
Technical degrees represent only part of faculty opinion.
Student choice also came into the decision. For 90 percent of students there will be four courses to choose. It is unlikely that a science or technical degree will require, for example, Milton or anthropology. These kinds of courses are basic to education and will atrophy if we allow double counting. Mroz agreed and listed courses that a department would choose before choosing such topics as literature or anthropology.