The worst G.E. classes at UCSB

Walking into a classroom shouldn’t give you anxiety

ENGL 22 (Literature and the Environment)

What it counts for: Area G

Why it sucks: This class is actually an easy A if you pay attention and do the readings. The trouble is that paying attention is not that easy. The lectures are Monday and Wednesday from 5-7 at night, so you’re hungry the entire two hours you’re in class. Moreover, the material is not what most would call interesting, and the professor lacks enthusiasm for the subject. To make matters worse, it’s an English class that doesn’t knock out a writing requirement.

What you should take instead: Greek Mythology if that topic interests you. Or another English class with this professor. He’s actually a good guy and a great teacher in the right setting.

GEOG 20 (Geography of Surfing)

What it counts for: Area D

Why it sucks: This class sounds like it would be awesome. To the naive student, it seems like a class that would teach you about topics like the most optimal surf spots and maybe some history behind them and whatnot, but no. Instead, you just learn a bunch of math about the dimensions of waves and stuff. Boring.

What you should take instead: There’s probably something else related in one way or another to your major that fulfills area D.

CH ST 1C (Chican@ Studies 1C: Culture)

What it counts for: Area D, ETH, WRT, and AMH

Why it sucks: The material you cover in this course has absolutely nothing to do with Chican@ culture. Instead, you have a professor who is utterly puzzled by web browsers and lacks much knowledge about racial issues. The lectures will make your IQ drop. Avoid this class at all costs.

What you should take instead: An ethnicity requirement course with a more educated, knowledgeable professor.

RG ST 12 (Religious Approaches to Death)

What it counts for: Area E

Why it sucks: It’s a whole lot of busy work, and it’s not nearly as interesting as you’d think. A good amount of your grade (at least in the summer course) is based on a group project, so you’d better hope you’re put in a group that actually does their share of the work. The tests are in 100% essay format, which is never fun. Not a GPA booster.

What you should take instead: A philosophy course.

FEMST 60 (Women of Color)

What it counts for: Area D, ETH and WRT

Why it sucks: 8 A.M. lectures with a few completely random attendance checks worth 8% of your total grade. No thanks. Also, you don’t learn a whole lot in this class.

What you should take instead: A class you can wake up in time for.

ARTHI 6H (Pre-Columbian Art)

What it counts for: Area F, NWC, and WRT

Why it sucks: Simple: it’s as boring as the title would suggest. It’s also a lot of work.

What you should take instead: Something interesting.

WRIT 107L (Legal Writing)

What it counts for: Area A2

Why it sucks:  Just as dry and dreary as the reader looks, Legal Writing is just not the type of class that should be taught in one quarter. It’s an entirely different style of writing than you’re probably used to, and it’s surprisingly content-heavy and conceptually difficult. To add to the misery, the professor is not what you’d call approachable. Students are hesitant to ask questions because the professor answers them in an incredibly condescending way. Walking into a classroom shouldn’t give you anxiety, but if you take Legal Writing, it will.

What you should take instead: Literally any other of the upper division writing classes, or Writing 50.

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