New Issue Brief: How to Correct the Core Curriculum in Higher Education

NEW YORK, NY – At some colleges, both “Introduction to Literature” and “The Rise of Modern Fantasy: Dragons, Elves, and the Building of Imaginary Worlds” could satisfy a student’s general education requirement. Allowing niche courses to count toward general education dilutes the core curriculum by shifting it away from academic rigor and toward ideological aims. In a new issue brief, Manhattan Institute Paulson Policy Analyst Neetu Arnold explains how this drift has eroded public trust in public universities.

General education was designed to give students a broad, foundational understanding of key disciplines. Today, requirements increasingly include diversity-focused courses that frame social issues through a progressive lens, emphasizing concepts such as privilege, oppression, and systemic discrimination. Although many states have enacted bans on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, Arnold finds that ideological coursework often persists through general education and graduation requirements. At least 12 states with DEI bans still allow public universities to mandate diversity-focused courses for graduation, underscoring the limits of existing reforms.

Arnold argues that state lawmakers should take a more active role in overseeing general education at taxpayer-funded institutions. Drawing on Florida’s 2023 reforms, she shows that increased state review can streamline bloated course offerings while preserving exposure to a wide range of academic subjects and perspectives. The result, she finds, is a renewed emphasis on foundational, discipline-based coursework rather than ideological advocacy.

Arnold proposes several recommendations for states to restore integrity and trust in higher education:  

• End diversity graduation mandates; 

• Prohibit compelled ideological instruction in general education courses; 

• Require regular reviews of approved courses; 

• Place reasonable limits on the number of general education courses proposed by academic departments. 

Click here to read the full issue brief.