I would think that chess would be enough of a mind building exercise in a classroom environment that it would at least be worth a 1 credit general course at any college.

 

Mez

I think it would be a good idea implementing chess at university for credit.

I would think that Chess is mentally challenging enough to be a class at a University and worth 1 credit.  Perhaps the grading system suggested by this post is a bit too harsh?  You have to take into account the fact that beginners could be in the course, and it would be detrimental to punish them because they have a beginner's ignorance. 

I fail to see how you can grade a player's performance at chess, but then I also fail to see how you grade them at table tenis. Let's be serious... table tennis? To be honest I think sports should not be graded unless you are at a special school where you are playing to be a professional, e.g. a gymnastic school.

If there were such a course, I would take it just because it would be fun. If you take a class about something you like it is often a good class.  

Chess should be required academic material starting at the first-grade level.  Just like math and reading, only more useful.

Why even allow sports credits to begin with? I find that useless; university should be based on academics, in my opinion. Sports and chess should remain exclusively as a club activity, not a class, ESPECIALLY not in grade school.

If you are forced to do it, you tend to pull away from it. Chess would become a chore, not a game; why ruin it?

Why not give A's to students who improve 100+ points of rating in a year, B to students who improve 70-99, etc.

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That'd be kind of unfair if you were say, Magnus Carlsen.

Then again, Magnus Carlsen taking a university chess course would be unfair in and of itself.

While I think the idea of a course in chess would be an interesting elective to offer students, I think basing the grade on how well someone performs would not be a fair system to evaluate a student's grade. You can have someone who really tries hard and is attentive in class and participates in class discussion but will never be able to play well simply because they have difficulty in viewing the board well.

I teach chess at the University of Zagreb as an elective course. Students get 2 credit points.

Why would you want to study chess at university? It's a hobby turned professional activity, not an academic subject.

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What do you teach them? Chess rules/basics? Or more advanced?

Really nice opinion about chess.  If there will be such university then I will definitely join for chess courses.