What Makes a Course Valuable? Avoiding Worthless Courses and Majors

Abstract

The perceived purpose of college education has shifted in the past century from teaching ethics/morality/values to acquiring a philosophy of life to acquiring the skills to do well in a career. Acquiring the right skills for professional success means taking the right courses. This paper attempts to answer the question as to what makes a course or major valuable. The author describes ten skills that students must acquire to achieve professional and personal success. In the knowledge economy, successful firms desperately need employees with such skills as creativity, critical thinking, and a passion for knowledge. Students without these skills may find employment but will ultimately find themselves stuck in dead-end jobs.