For the most part, students don’t take many Ways of Thinking, Ways of Doing courses outside of their primary area of study beyond the minimum required.

That was among the findings of a comprehensive report on the Ways of Thinking, Ways of Doing (Ways) undergraduate general education breadth requirement reviewed by the Faculty Senate at a recent meeting.

The report summarized course-taking patterns by major, student satisfaction with the courses, the course certification process and ability of faculty and students to navigate the system.

It was presented by Aron Rodrigue, the Daniel E. Koshland Professor of Jewish Culture and History in the School of Humanities and Sciences and chair of the Breadth Governance Board, and Bruce Clemens, the Walter B. Reinhold Professor in the School of Engineering and chair of the Committee on Undergraduate Standards and Policy.

The report concludes that, while students generally like Ways courses and have greater course-selection flexibility than under the previous system, course-taking patterns did not change much after the introduction of Ways. Rodrigue said that, beyond what is required, students don’t choose to take many Ways courses.

The report also details some common claims about Ways courses:

• It is true that it’s easier to find Ways courses in the humanities and arts than in STEM fields.
• It is true that STEM students take more courses in the humanities and arts than humanities and arts students take in STEM fields.

Following the presentation, several senate members voiced their concern that the Ways program wasn’t meeting its goal to encourage breadth of study among undergraduate students.

Rodrigue encouraged the senate to consider the Ways report in the context of the two undergraduate initiatives currently underway as part of the long-range planning vision: First Year and the Future of the Major.

Senior Vice Provost for Education Harry Elam pointed out that when Ways launched in 2013, three new capacities “essential to a Stanford education” were addressed: diversity, creative expression and ethical reasoning. He suggested that improvements to academic advising and a renewed focus among faculty on pedagogy would strengthen the Ways system.

Ways courses are meant to expose undergraduate students to disciplinary breadth and essential capacities as recommended in the SUES Report, a comprehensive review of undergraduate education completed in 2012. Undergraduate students must take 11 courses in eight Ways categories.

Read more about the May 9 Faculty Senate meeting.