“With young men and women from different social backgrounds and academic formations, some very well prepared and others less so, the department of general curriculum seeks to give all of our first and second year students the basic skills they need to ensure a good performance during their career at Zamorano,” said Dr. Daniel Meyer, director of General Curriculum.
In the first two years at Zamorano, the general curriculum involves every student receiving classes in basic science, agribusinesses, agroindustry, environment, agriculture, and livestock. This courses show the reality of the value chain that exists in Latin America.
As future professionals, it is indispensable they have an adequate academic base. They must also learn the context they will working in and must be prepared to respond from a social and environmentally responsible stand point to the needs of developing countries and the demands of a globalized world in an increasingly competitive market.
These two years provide the student with a general vision of subjects to help them choosing between the four specialization careers Zamorano offers, Agribusiness Management, Food Agroindustry, Agricultural Science and Production and Socioeconomic Development and Environment.
Forming Professionals who communicate in the English language
The learning of foreign languages with an emphasis in English as a Second Language is also part of the General Curriculum Study Plan. “The majority of our students have Spanish as their first language but there are some who have indigenous dialects or even French. As a result of limited resources many have not had access to a bilingual education. In Zamorano we know the importance of being able to communicate in a globalized world that has English as an international business language,’” said Dr. Meyer.
Currently Zamorano has streamlined its study programs for learning the English language by changing the department’s approach and focusing more on the academic skills of the language, including writing and reading skills. Also there is a new effort to include the use of the language in other classes and disciplines so students have more opportunities to practice and apply it in different professional areas.
Among other disciplines the General Curriculum also seeks to improve the students’ oral expression and communication skills, as well as their knowledge of specific areas like math and grammar.
