Speaking as someone who puts his life in engineers', chemists', and clinical biologists' hands on a regular basis, I think there's at least some wisdom to the idea that folks should be specifically educated for the job they're going into.
Granted, there's also a whole range of people who major in subjects that aren't closely tied to much in the way of non-academic jobs, and end up in careers that aren't closely tied to much in the way of academic subjects. For that case, I have to wonder if it wouldn't be better to reconsider the basic structure of higher education from the ground up, rather than picking at the margins.
The standard bachelor's degree program is fabulous for certain purposes, but other cases make it look very similar to the "bundled channels" thing that is popular with cable and satellite TV providers: An archaic business model which primarily serves to disserve customers by forcing many of them to choose between paying for much more service than they actually want, need, or will use, and getting no service at all. In one corner, you have lots of people who don't really need a full bachelor's degree, but end up going into serious debt pursuing one anyway because no better option is available. In the other, you have lots of people who would love to take some individual classes, but find that the university won't let them if they are not enrolled in a 4-year program. Even if they already have a bachelor's degree. Even if it's in a related field.
Granted, there's also a whole range of people who major in subjects that aren't closely tied to much in the way of non-academic jobs, and end up in careers that aren't closely tied to much in the way of academic subjects. For that case, I have to wonder if it wouldn't be better to reconsider the basic structure of higher education from the ground up, rather than picking at the margins.
The standard bachelor's degree program is fabulous for certain purposes, but other cases make it look very similar to the "bundled channels" thing that is popular with cable and satellite TV providers: An archaic business model which primarily serves to disserve customers by forcing many of them to choose between paying for much more service than they actually want, need, or will use, and getting no service at all. In one corner, you have lots of people who don't really need a full bachelor's degree, but end up going into serious debt pursuing one anyway because no better option is available. In the other, you have lots of people who would love to take some individual classes, but find that the university won't let them if they are not enrolled in a 4-year program. Even if they already have a bachelor's degree. Even if it's in a related field.