Harvard University on Tuesday approved its biggest curriculum overhaul in three decades, putting new emphasis on sensitive religious and cultural issues, the sciences and overcoming U.S. "parochialism."The curriculum change, proposed on Feb. 8 after three years of faculty debate, is intended to counter criticism the oldest U.S. institute of higher learning was focused too narrowly on academic topics instead of real-life issues.
One of the eight new required subject areas -- "societies of the world" -- aims to help students overcome U.S. "parochialism" by "acquainting them with the values, customs and institutions that differ from their own," Harvard said.
"This new program is the result of hundreds of hours of lively engagement by the faculty," David Pilbeam, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, said in a statement.
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