The debate over the content of the curriculum—in particular the balance between required and elective courses—has been going on for nearly two centuries. At the heart, these debates are about the academic benefits of a common curricular experience versus encouraging student motivation through choice of courses. There is also increasing evidence that many students benefit from fewer choices, which is the premise of the “structured pathways” movement (Dadgar, Venezia, Nodine, & Bracco, 2013).

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