Changes to the Credit System
Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) announced an alteration to the credit system for those serving in the military at the start of the 2023 fall semester. This information was made public to students on August 11th, with the major changes being the increase of the credit limit and a wider range of courses. This amendment has been discussed by the student council, SKKUP, since March. It was outlined in the SKKUP policy archive that the change would occur during their time in office. This change was necessary for many students, as mandatory military service could significantly impact academic pursuits. In the previous credit system, courses such as Understanding of Music and Entrepreneurship and Leadership were available with only two other options. Regarding this, an undergraduate explained to the Sungkyun Times (SKT), “I could not find the use of registering for subjects I would not have chosen outside of the military.” Especially with the previous credit system, there were too many limitations for it to meet the demands of students serving in the military. Also, it did not consider the wide age range of students taking the same limited number of classes. Thus, after continuous meetings with the Student Affairs Office in June and surveying students, SKKU made its much- anticipated changes. Meanwhile, the minor details, including the tuition fee and registration process, remain the same.
A March in the Right Direction
Three significant changes have been made to this amendment. First, the limit for the number of credits has been increased from six to nine. Second, the number of courses available has been increased from four to seven. Third, the scope of the curriculum has been expanded with the inclusion of three general courses, including The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Career course. The response to these changes has been positive for the majority of students. When asked about these new changes, Cho Young-lin (Sophomore, Department of Political Science and Diplomacy) spoke to the SKT, “These changes gave me more security on leaving in the middle of my prime university years, and I am very glad this happened right when I needed it.” Although considered a remarkable change, there were still areas left for disappointment. One of the main concerns was the lack of compulsory classes for graduation, especially the Data Science (DS) courses that are unavailable for those in the military. This is especially challenging because DS courses are difficult to comprehend without completing the two other DS courses. The lack of mandatory courses could impact one’s graduation, which the men serving in the military must take into consideration. Despite these concerns, the development generally received a refreshingly positive response from the students.
