University of the People’s General Studies courses meet the educational needs of students, regardless of the major being pursued. General Studies courses are intended to add depth and breadth to each student’s overall educational experience by providing opportunities to make interdisciplinary connections between concepts and ideas, as well as an environment to contemplate their meaning and significance. As common learning experiences, General Studies courses also create a foundation for students to articulate their thoughts with one another and inspire new ideas.
General Studies courses develop general intellectual skills and understanding to support life-long learning and educated citizenship in a democratic society. The basic skills include language and communication, computer and information processing, and critical thinking. General studies courses also provide an understanding of the methods and concerns of traditional branches of knowledge, including arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and natural sciences, as well as historical perspective and appreciation of diversity across time, culture and national boundaries.
DR. RUTH YAKIR, Associate Dean of General Studies
With over fifty years of experience in the field of education, Dr. Ruth Yakir is the Associate Dean of General Studies at University of the People. She also currently serves as the Director of the Center for International Studies at Kibbutzim College of Education, Technology and the Arts, and chairs a think tank to propose changes in teacher education curricula in the era of globalization.
From 1997 to 2006, Dr. Yakir served as Academic Director of Kidum Colleges, overseeing programs for the University of Liverpool extension, including the Master of Education program and the Master of Arts in English Language Teaching and Learning program.
Prior to joining Kidum, Dr. Yakir was Assistant Head of Kibbutzim College of Education, responsible for research and development. During those years she set up and directed the Department of Educational Administration and the School Principals’ Certification Program of the College. She also initiated and directed a special program for talented teacher education students.
Dr. Yakir’s career in education has also included her roles as Principal for two high schools, teacher of the sociology of education and educational administrator at Kaye College of Education and economic manager of a kibbutz.
Dr. Yakir received her B.A. from the University of Chicago, and her M.A. and Ph. D. in Sociology of Education from the Hebrew University.
