[thelock85]

I'm not really sure what the point is here, especially when +/- 500 enrolled is the only separator (actual enrollment, professor, section and scheduling are just a few other factors that I imagine would affect final grade).

Nonetheless, it makes sense that less objective learning is graded on level of effort and exploration, instead of correctness. And that effort would be more inherent in students seeking out niche courses where they want to...wait for it... explore something fuzzy and interesting.

Of course there are students looking to mail it in, but in my experience those students are looking for the lazy professors and charitable TAs for the courses that fulfill the foundational degree requirements outside of their major (this is just as true for Eng students who need a writing credit, for example, as it is for English majors who need a quant credit).

Most interestingly, if a gender studies course was graded more objectively, I'm guessing there would be push back for excluding any opinions outside of the defined parameters of success. It's a lose-lose situation that devalues gender studies but I feel that's for the customers (students, alumni, major donors) to decide.