In the latest recommendation from the Commission on Liberal Arts (CoLA), Emory’s General Education Requirements will expand to include one Goizueta Business School prerequisite course, chosen from either Financial Accounting and Data and Decision Analytics, effective with the incoming class of 2018.
This addition comes as part of the University’s continued plan to “enhance areas of distinction, transform areas of excellence into areas of eminence and allocate resources to invest in important new and emerging growth areas,” according to a March 31 University press release.
CoLA chair and James W. Wagner Endowed Chair in Journalism Joe King wrote in an email to the Wheel that the expansion of the requirements represents the rapidly changing nature of society.
“In order to compete in today’s workforce, students have to become global, responsible citizens,” King wrote. “These courses reflect the business aspect that all majors have to face.”
King said that CoLA has been working with the deans of Emory College of Arts and Sciences (ECAS), the B-school and the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing (SON) to find a new requirement that accurately reflected an area lacking in the residential liberal arts experience Emory offers.
“While it’s not about the rankings, it is important to point out that we are incorporating students into one of the top-ranked business schools, adding another layer to an already rich canvas that an Emory student graduates with,” King said.
SON professor Bertha Kidd said that that the increasing interconnectivity of medicine and business made this GER change necessary and proactive.
“Many members of the healthcare community often switch over to the business side after establishing their practices,” Kidd said. “To stay on the cutting-edge of medicine, you need to innovate starting in the classrooms.”
Incoming College freshman Jasey Elmwood plans to study Biology but says that having some business-based knowledge would be beneficial in the long run.
“Emory is known for its superior academics and strong support, so I’m not too worried about taking Financial Accounting,” Elmwood said. “Also, when I apply to medical school it will show a diverse background and hopefully give me a leg up.”
In a statement to the Wheel, Vice President and Deputy to the President Gary Hauk said that students should “not be concerned” by the new changes and that “this entire story is an April Fool’s prank.”
– By Wheel Pranks
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