China is considering adjusting its undergraduate courses, with
some majors expected to be phased out next year or in 2008.
University presidents attending a week-long forum argued on
Monday that specializations such as management and law should be
scrapped as undergraduate degrees.
The president of Beijing Normal University, Zhong Binglin, said
courses such as educational, administration and commercial
management are not practical for 18-year-old freshmen who don't
have relevant backgrounds and experiences.
His view was echoed by International Business and Economics
University President Chen Zhunmin. He said it is not easy for
students majoring in management from his university to find a
job.
He added it's a bit impractical for undergraduate students to
learn human resources management because most of them can't deal
with things properly for themselves, let alone manage staff in a
company.
Presently, the University of International Business and
Economics only enrolls students studying human resources management
every other year.
Xiamen University President Zhu Chongshi believes law should be
taught only as a basic rather than professional course at the
undergraduate level.
He said postgraduate law courses provide practical know-how for
dealing with real problems, leaving little opportunity for
undergraduates to compete with them in this field.
He advised those who are devoted to studying law to equip
themselves with relevant knowledge before pursuing postgraduate
study.
He added for higher education in the US, many specializations
are excluded at the undergraduate level.
(CRI July 18, 2006)