Survey of Rutgers Camden
Students on Degree Requirements
April, 2000
by Ted Goertzel
A brief survey instrument was
designed by the Methods and Techniques of Social Research class and administered
to a sample of Rutgers Camden students. There were 352 valid responses,
101 of whom filled out the questionnaire during an Intellectual Heritage
class on April 3, and 251 of whom were called at their homes. 147
had entered Rutgers as freshmen, 205 as transfers. Most, 68%, were
juniors or seniors.
We were not able to address
all the issues raised by the Academic Policy Committee's two proposals
in a brief questionnaire, so we focused on issues that the students thought
were particularly important. The students thought three of the existing
requirements were questionable, so we asked about them:
-
Literary Masterpieces:
22% found it very valuable, 42% somewhat valuable and 37% not valuable.
-
A Course in a Foreign Language
Department: 29% very valuable, 41% somewhat valuable, 29% not
valuable.
-
Interdisciplinary IH/STS Course:
18%
very valuable, 37% somewhat valuable, 45% not valuable.
We then asked the students' opinions
about some possible changes. Some of these were committee suggestions,
others were suggestions that came up in our class discussion.
-
"Rutgers should offer a choice
of literature courses, instead of requiring literary masterpieces or a
course offered in a foreign language department": a. strongly disagree
13% b. disagree 8% c. uncertain 12% d. agree 37% e. strongly agree 30%
-
"Rutgers
should require a course dealing with the languages or cultures of Asia,
Africa or Latin America a. strongly disagree
15% b. disagree 19% c. uncertain 22% d. agree 29% e. strongly agree 14%.
-
Rutgers should require a
course dealing with the cultures and identities of groups in the United
States such as gender, ethnicity, race, religion, social class, sexuality
or age: .a. strongly disagree 9% b. disagree
13% c. uncertain 15% d. agree 40% e. strongly agree 23%
-
Rutgers should require a
course on computer and information technology skills: a. strongly
disagree 13% b. disagree 8% c. uncertain 8% d. agree
38% e. strongly agree 33%
-
Rutgers should drop
the Interdisciplinary IH and STS requirement: a. strongly disagree
8% b. disagree 17% c. uncertain 30% d. agree 21% e. strongly agree 24%
-
Rutgers
should require an additional intensive writing course:
a. strongly disagree 25% b. disagree 26% c. uncertain
20% d. agree 19% e. strongly agree 10%
-
Requirements
should be the same at all Rutgers University campuses: a.
strongly disagree 8% b. disagree 9% c. uncertain
11% d. agree 26% e. strongly agree 46%