Whether history classes should be compulsory in universities has been raging for some time. Some claim that it is essential for all students to learn about the culture of their countries. Theoretically, there is no better way to achieve this goal than take history lessons. However, I am afraid I cannot share this point of view.

Admittedly, learning history is of great importance to students’ well-rounded development. But we have to admit that most undergraduates received history- related education when they studied in junior and high school. The prerequisite of being undergraduates is that they have grasped versatile knowledge, and it is time for them to opt for a field appealing to them. Under such circumstances, dedicating so much time is undoubtedly not meaningful and helpful. Instead, they can continue learning history by participating in optional courses or searching on the Internet if interested. So taking history lessons is not indispensable for undergraduates whose majors are not history.

Typically, students are busy with their compulsory assignments, and because of this, history classes seem to be a waste of time. My own life can be a convincing example to illustrate it. I am a junior undergraduate, major in Mechanical Engineering. Since my classes are extremely hard, I have to spend much time reading textbooks and performing calculation carefully. I cannot imagine how I could allocate my time if there are lots of history lessons to take. Not surprisingly, such a policy would make students suffer from much more stress.

Having considered all these arguments, the statement that all college students should take history courses is totally untenable. And an alternative is regarding these classes as elective courses so that people interested in history can take these lessons.