Languages as humanities

A college education is intended to be balanced and give students a well-rounded learning experience. Here at Stevens, students are required to take humanities courses and physical education courses (or participate in Stevens Athletics) in addition to the core courses required for their major. This is the case at many institutions of higher learning.
One could argue that college is unnecessarily drawn out. If there weren’t all of these “extra” courses that are required, students could get their degrees in half the time for half the cost. After all, why do we pay to take gym classes in college? How will reading Shakespeare really help a mechanical engineer?
Yes, I will agree that not every course I’ve taken here was of equal value to me. However, I believe that some of these courses are rightfully included in our degree requirements. As many have stated before me, humanities courses are important to improving our communication and writing skills. For almost every job, even those in technical fields, it’s necessary to have the ability to present your ideas clearly to others. The presentations and required writings in these classes help develop those skills and put them to the test. Having the opportunity to get certified in CPR and First Aid provided me with practical skills that could help save lives.
I believe there is another area of education that we are missing out on. I would like to propose that consideration be given to creating a foreign language program at Stevens. Other universities have this and I feel it would be much more beneficial to students than some of the current requirements. Every Stevens student has taken a foreign language in high school, as it’s strongly recommended for admission here. So why not give students the choice to strengthen their skills at the collegiate level? If a degree requirement seems too much, at least offer the courses as humanities credits. That way, students have the option to learn a new language, improve their creative writing, or become informed in law.
After taking four years of Spanish in high school, I feel that continuing my language education would have given me a huge advantage. Knowing a second language is a valuable skill in today’s world, no matter what your job is. It would be a rigorous course to take, but that’s nothing new for Stevens students.