The entrance of Seoul National University. Korea Times file

By Lee Yeon-woo

Seoul National University announced plans, Friday, to select freshmen without assigning majors in advance, reversing the current system that selects students based on preset quotas for each field of study.

In its report, "Seoul National University's medium- and long-term development plan for 2022 to 2040," the university set removing barriers between majors, departments and colleges as its first goal to achieve over the next 17 years.

According to the report, students' high school academic fields ― either math and science or the humanities and social studies ― will not be considered during the admissions process. After gaining admission, students will not be affiliated with a certain major, but with a professional program of study that each can develop on their own based on their interests and needs.

The new strategy is a result of many experts' concerns that the old system cannot cultivate students talented in multidisciplinary fields to meet the demands of a rapidly-changing society.

"There is a severe mismatch between academic majors and occupations. The proportion of students in specific majors at universities is not in balance with the demands of society, and talented people who can solve complex issues in modern society are not being nurtured," the report says.

Under the new system, not only will students be able to choose their majors freely, but will also be able to change and revise their programs of study if they want to. This was something that could not be done until now.

"Professors will give guidelines to students by offering lists of essential courses based on each program of study chosen by each student," the university explained.

A variety of liberal arts courses will be offered in the first year of university. The university expects that such diverse courses will lead students to explore their talents in multidisciplinary ways and help them better choose majors which enable them reach their potentials.