The Controversy about the 18 Optional Literary Credits

    The English department of our school, Soochow University, rules that students in this department must study at least eighteen literary elective credits of fifty three elective credits except the two required literary courses that are Introduction of Western Literature and Introduction to English Literature before graduating. In my opinion, the eighteen elective literary credits are too many to most students. The first reason is that when students are freshmen, there are already two required literary courses that are Introduction of Western Literature and Introduction to English Literature. When students study the two courses, they may know that their interest of the courses. For instance, after taking credits of the two courses, students will have the basic knowledge and study skills of the western literature. After studying the two courses, I believe that I have the basic knowledge such as the tradition of old Greek and Rome, Bible literature and so on, also, study skills such as simile, irony and so on. With this basic knowledge, it will be enough to understand western world and whether study further or not, it can decide to everyone. The rule of the eighteen literary elective credits are too much that credits should be decided by every student.

    The second reason that the eighteen optional literary credits are too many is based on one of our department’s educational goals - the curriculum is designed to improve students’ listening, speaking, reading, writing and translating abilities so that they are equipped with language aptitude and specialties in related fields for future careers. Besides the solid and basic language training, students can follow their interests and career plans to choose three academic groups - English and American Literature, linguistics, practical English application. Therefore, in order to achieve the education that is based on each student's potential, interest and life planning, the school should not limit students to elect eighteen optional literary credits in the fifty-three optional credits before graduation. Take myself as an illustration; I am a double-major student, for the sake of avoiding education retardation I need to select the literary credits. In order to reaching the standard of "eighteen" optional literary credits before graduation, I have no choice but to give up the chance to study translation courses which I am interested in. However, when I was a freshman, I was completely indifferent toward literature matters. Finally, when I take the literary class, my attitude is a little reckless and careless;in the meanwhile I feel quite depressed and impotent. Although I clearly know that that it is not a right attitude toward my study, I can not just raise my passion for literature and poetry which I am definitely disinterested in. It violates the educational goals that say "follow students' interests and career plans". To sum up, there is a huge room for the discussion and the reduction of the eighteen credits.