(09-07-2010 10:41 AM)SumOfAllFears Wrote: Rice does not appear to fair too well on the general education curriculum.
Yes... We don't do "general education".
No credit given for Composition because the writing requirement consists of a university-administered composition examination, and only those students who do not receive a satisfactory score must take a writing course.
No credit given for Literature because students may choose from among many narrow courses in several broad distribution groups.
No credit given for Foreign Language because students may choose from among many narrow courses in several broad distribution groups
No credit given for U.S. Government or History because students may choose from among many narrow courses in several broad distribution
groups.
No credit given for Economics because students may choose from among many narrow courses in several broad distribution groups.
No credit given for Mathematics because students may choose from among many narrow courses in several broad distribution groups
No credit given for Natural or Physical Science because students may choose from among many narrow courses in several broad distribution groups
In other words, despite the fact that we offer many "specific" courses in several broad distribution groups... we don't offer a "general math" course. As a school where the Average SAT is well above average... we don't really see the value in re-enforcing what the students have already demonstrated they have mastered.
While I don't dispute them entirely, this particular ranking methodology is going to, by definition, reward the "general ed" schools, especially the large ones and penalize the institutions of higher learning, especially small ones.