Student Perspectives of the Value of General Education in Professional Studies: Investigating a Law School in Bangladesh

Abstract

Legal education in Bangladesh has undergone changes, but the integration of general education remains limited. Countries leading the global legal arena prioritize general education in their evolving education systems. However, stakeholders in Bangladeshi legal education have not advocated for significant curricular reforms, resulting in the absence of quality graduates. While some universities have implemented general education programmes, the lack of emphasis on student perspectives hinders progress. This research addresses this gap by investigating the value of undergraduate law students at BRAC University (a leading university in Bangladesh) on the general education curriculum. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining a literature review, quantitative online surveys with 138 students and extensive in-person interviews with students from 12 representative categories. The scope focuses on BRAC University but draws comparisons with other Bangladeshi and top global and Asian universities for context. Finding out how general education adds value to legal professional studies with the objective of assessing the effectiveness of general education curriculum in Bangladesh law schools, the research analyses results and interview findings to provide practical recommendations for the current educational landscape. This study focuses on and is limited to student perspectives, a crucial element often overlooked in curriculum development, and aims to influence positive change through effective, practical and visionary recommendations in Bangladeshi legal education. The research concludes that the importance of general education is immensely rising among the students and, consequently, the research meaningfully contributes to the existing literature shaped through experts’ and academicians’ perspectives by including a student-centric approach.