Colleges and universities were originally set up for wealthy families and the true brainiacs out there. The curricula reflected that, as well as teh religious aspect that created the idea of higher learning in the first place.
What purpose do they serve now?
I asked Grok to look through Rutgers New Brunswick offerings and classify them by discipline (I doubt it is complete).. my purpose would be to eliminate the "soft sciences" and nebulous humanities which create degreed individuals that need careers created for them rather than finding work that needs the skills they learned.
Feel free to take this list and note which you would eliminate
Mathematics and Statistics (5 majors)
- Mathematics
- Actuarial Mathematics
- Biomathematics
- Statistics
- Statistics/Mathematics
Physical Sciences (10 majors)
- Astrophysics
- Chemistry (Business/Law, Chemical Biology, Chemical Physics, Core, Environmental, Forensic, General ACS)
- Earth and Planetary Sciences (Environmental Geology, General, Geological Sciences, Planetary Science)
- Physics (Applied, General, Planetary, Professional)
Life Sciences (8 majors)
- Biochemistry
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
- Exercise Science
- Biology/Biological Sciences
- Evolutionary Anthropology
- Biomathematics
Computer Science and Data Science (7 majors)
- Computer Science
- Data Science (Chemical, Computer Science, Economics, Societal Impact, Statistics)
- Information Science/Studies
Engineering (9 majors)
- Aerospace Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Bioenvironmental Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
Humanities (30 majors)
- Chinese
- English
- History (Ancient, French, Political Science, General)
- Linguistics
- Spanish (Intensive, General)
- Speech and Hearing Sciences in Linguistics
Social Sciences (15 majors)
- American Studies
- Anthropology (Cultural, General)
- Criminal Justice
- Economics
- Geography
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Environmental Studies
- Sport Management
Arts (7 majors)
Business (6 majors)
- Finance
- Marketing
- Supply Chain Management
- Management Science
- Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management
- Business Analytics and Information Technology
Communication (4 majors)
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric
- Journalism and Media Studies
- Information Technology and Informatics
- Communication
Health Professions (5 majors)
- Registered Nursing
- Public Health
- Health Administration
- Exercise Science
- Sport Management
Public Policy and Planning (5 majors)
- Public Policy
- Urban Planning & Design
- City and Regional Planning
- Public Health
- Health Administration
Environmental and Agricultural Sciences (6 majors)
- Environmental Studies
- Environmental Science
- Animal Science
- Food Science
- Biotechnology
- Plant Biology