Opinions from around the country

When students come to the University of Oregon to study, they are expecting to receive an education that will prepare them for their careers and enrich their lives. To help with this effort, the University has set up several language requirements aimed at teaching different cultures, including languages, to produce well-rounded students. Unfortunately, the school's language requirement is merely a nuisance for most students.

The requirement is nothing more than a pointless bother — language programs might teach fundamentals, but they don't teach practical application in the workplace.

Language is counterproductive when students take language courses because they have to and not because they want to. The requirement is not essential for many majors and impedes the graduation process. Although students have a choice of pursuing a bachelor of arts versus a bachelor of science degree, many who seek the former are frustrated because the language requirement is not useful for their careers. Many won't even remember what was taught after graduation.

The University should create more useful curricula for students who will need language experience for their majors, such as Japanese for business majors or Spanish for journalism students. This option would be more practical for students and it would help them prepare for their careers. Being bilingual is an asset in today's society, but it is not imperative, and many students have no practical use for learning another language.

If the University wants students to learn foreign languages, it should work on expanding its study abroad programs. Most language teachers would agree that immersion in the language and culture is the best way for students to learn, and more majors should be incorporated in the overseas curricula.

The bottom line is the language requirement is important, but only to those who plan on using it. Students who do not wish to study languages are free to pursue a bachelor of science. However, those students that are required to fulfill the language prerequisite should be given the option of doing so in accordance with their major.

This editorial is from the Oregon Daily Emerald at the University of Oregon. This column was distributed by U-Wire.

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