• Southwestern University

    ©JonesFoto, Inc. 2018

Liberal Arts. The term itself conjures up a wide range of definitions - enquire 20 people what it means and you're likely to become 20 different responses.

For some, the term "liberal" is a roadblock they can't get past. Which is unfortunate, because although it includes the give-and-take, non all liberal arts students are liberal in their political views. Some are. Others are ultra-conservative. The rest fall somewhere in between. A liberal arts education is not rooted in politics, but rather the desire to augment the listen.

Of course, there are others who zippo in on the term "arts" and assume that a liberal arts education excludes Stalk and business fields. Which couldn't exist further from the truth. Naturally fine arts, including music and theatre, play a major role in a liberal arts education. But so do science, math and estimator sciences and many others. In fact, plenty of tech industry leaders accept been quoted touting the benefits of a liberal arts education. Turns out developers that can lawmaking AND have an eye for visual details – or engineers that can analyze data from multiple points of view – are much better positioned to truly innovate and create real change in their industry.

Benefits of a Liberal Arts Teaching

A liberal arts education prepares students to examine ideas from multiple points of view, solve problems, adjust, and collaborate. By combining multiple disciplines of study, liberal arts colleges expose students to a wide range of subjects, encouraging them to call back outside a narrow focus and contribute to original solutions – all skills that are highly valued by height employers.

To assist outline some of the pros of attending a liberal arts schoolhouse, here is a list of 12 benefits of a liberal arts education:

1). Interdisciplinary arroyo to learning – A liberal arts education intentionally integrates different areas of study, exposing students to a wide range of subjects. Business organisation majors will accept classes in the arts, while pre-med majors may get a taste of folklore. This broad instruction prepares students to succeed in whatsoever career they choose. People that tin view things from multiple perspectives, no matter their field, provide greater value to employers.

2). Relatively small size – The majority of liberal arts colleges are small, at least in in comparison to major public universities. In addition to creating a more intimate, "family" feel of camaraderie on campus, the smaller size creates multiple opportunities for personalized, individual learning experiences.

3). Get to know faculty – The professors not only get to know their students' names, but their strengths, challenges and passions. They provide mentorship in a way faculty at larger institutions tin't always offer due to the sheer book of students.

4). Interactive classes – The classes at liberal arts colleges provide a huge benefit. Rather than massive lecture halls with 200+ half-dozing students, students are more than probable to discover themselves in a small, interactive surround. A low pupil-faculty ratio and pocket-sized class size allows for deeper connections and true learning. Student engagement is expected and questions are encouraged.

5). Exposure to absurd things – Students are constantly exposed to interesting ideas, creative concepts and new experiences. Whether information technology's studying abroad, customs engaged learning or conducting peer-reviewed inquiry with a professor (an feel often reserved for graduate work at other schools), students continuously have the opportunity to explore, take risks and try new things.

vi). Teaches critical & innovative thinking skills – Through intentional experience and exposure, liberal arts colleges provide students with the all-important problem-solving and critical thinking skills. They focus on how to recollect, not what to retrieve. Instead of memorizing facts and so forgetting the information at the end of the semester, students acquire to examine, think and connect ideas. These valuable skills, expert and reiterated throughout the entire college experience, are the skills necessary to innovate and create meaningful change in the earth.

7). Strong alumni – Liberal arts colleges tend to take very active and involved alumni. While on campus students build lifelong friendships, and they continue to remain involved as mentors, donors and school supporters throughout their careers and life.

8). Financial Assistance Opportunities – Liberal arts colleges oftentimes accept generous financial assistance options available for students.

nine). Postal service-Graduation Jobs - Liberal arts colleges have some of the very best job placement rates, and for practiced reason. Graduates go out armed with the skills that employers value most – critical thinking, communication and the power to view ideas from multiple perspectives. Best of all, they actively contribute to developing existent solutions to existent bug.

10). Graduate Programme Credence - The idea that liberal arts are too, well, "arty" to be taken seriously is long gone. Today liberal arts have higher than boilerplate numbers of graduates being accepted into top graduate schools including medical school, constabulary schoolhouse, vet school and engineering programs. Why? Because the best schools know that liberal arts students are prepared to think, create, connect and come upwardly with original solutions.

eleven). Prepares for Jobs Yet to be Created - Perhaps this should have been starting time on the listing, because it's arguably the about important. Not only do liberal arts colleges prepare students for their first job out of college, only they prepare them for future jobs that aren't even jobs yet! It's middle-opening to realize that co-ordinate to the U.Due south. Department of Labor, 65% of current students will eventually exist employed in jobs that have yet to be created , and 40% of current jobs volition presently be a thing of the past. In twenty-5 years, many of today's higher students volition be in their mid-40s, working in jobs or fields that don't yet exist. What is going to help them succeed in an e'er-changing world? The ability to remember, create, collaborate and adapt. These are classic liberal arts skills.

12). Social Responsibility – With an accent on civic responsibility and opportunities for customs engagement, liberal arts students spend more volunteer hours than those at public universities. They open their eyes to the world around them, and how certain actions affect others. Whether it'south a service trip abroad during spring break or a class projection working with a local non-turn a profit, liberal arts students are engaged and committed to making the earth a ameliorate place.

If you're because attending a liberal arts higher, it pays to do your inquiry and truly recollect virtually the relevant skills for the future. Non simply your first job out of higher, simply the 1 you lot'll take twenty years from now. Ask employers what they await for in employees, or what the about valuable skills are. The listing often includes transferable skills such as the ability to collaborate, view things from multiple perspectives, adapt to irresolute demands and clarify and translate data.

Learn More About Southwestern

Related: