By Abby Rathburn | Staff Writer
Throughout my middle and high school years, I took Spanish. I learned vocabulary, grammar, verb tenses and the proper pronunciation of the language. But after my sophomore year of high school, I decided to stop. Even though I enjoyed what I was learning, I needed to free up room in my schedule for other classes.
Now, during my sophomore year of college, I find myself right back where I started — sitting at the library studying for yet another Spanish exam.
More than ever before, I firmly believe that Baylor and universities across the country should drop their foreign language requirement.
Let me be very clear — I am not arguing that learning another language is pointless. However, requiring undergraduate students to take two to three semesters of a language when it isn’t highly relevant to their career goal does not make any sense.
For some, learning another language may be directly connected to their future careers. A student who is planning on pursuing international business, diplomacy, education or a job that requires frequent international travel would significantly benefit from learning a second language. For others, those same credit hours could be put toward developing skills connected to their chosen field.
Some may counter and argue that a foreign language requirement is necessary because it broadens students’ perspective of the world. Pointing to European countries, many individuals argue that learning a second language should be a standard part of the education system.
While I don’t disagree, the reality is that most Europeans begin “when they are 6-9 years old, according to a report published by the European Commission.” Meanwhile, many Americans do not start learning a language until middle school, high school or even college. Expecting students to develop meaningful proficiency that will stay with them at a much later stage in their life is unrealistic.
There is also the question of retention. According to the English Standard Language Stories, if a secondary language is not used in consistent practice, “after three years, you may find that you have very little recollection at all.” Imagine how much worse it is for students who only studied the language for a few years.
As a double major with a minor, a student in the Honors College and someone who is involved in many extracurricular activities, my time is limited. Every general education required credit hour represents time that could instead be spent exploring my field of interest.
I’m not alone in this. College students at Baylor choose from over 125 distinct programs and majors, each with their own career plans in mind. If Baylor’s goal is to shape those students into globally minded graduates, language study is not the only way to accomplish that.
Instead of requiring students to take multiple semesters of a foreign language, Baylor should require all students to take a course on global cultures and societies. Students can explore different cultures, religions, histories and economies that will shape their own perspectives.
College is one of the only times in a student’s life when they get to craft an education and lifestyle that is tailored around their own passions and goals. It’s time that Baylor starts trusting its students to make those decisions for themselves. Someone studying international business may see Spanish as an essential part of their curriculum, while an accounting student may decide those hours are better spent taking business school electives. Neither student is wrong.
As I sit in the library studying for yet another Spanish exam, I can’t help but think of what else I could be spending these hours doing. Perhaps I am missing out on a class that could seriously impact my career development in a more productive way.
