“The Death of Liberal Arts”, by Nancy Cook, does make a valid point that students should not only know skills that will get them a job, but the skills to analyze and dig deeper into given information. Nancy Cook talks about how Centenary College in Shreveport, La. took out liberal arts classes and added new professional programs that teach about skills that students will need to obtain a job. After understand the article, one can disagree with Centenary College’s decision in cutting the liberal arts classes and how this information relates to Fahrenheit 451. After understanding the article, “The Death of Liberal Arts” one can see that Centenary College’s decision was the wrong choice and how the text relates to Fahrenheit 451. Liberal…
In “Can a liberal arts education really make us better?” by Richard Kamber, he argues that even though a liberal arts education can make us better, it depends solely on that person’s definition of better. Now the question on everyone’s mind, “What are liberal arts?” A liberal arts education gives us a general review of humanities, arts, and sciences. Liberal arts are usually delivered in small classes, full of active participants, by “seasoned faculty.” They aim to develop our character and provide us with an immense amount of skills, which ultimately gives us more money. Though often looked down upon, liberal arts have helped shape many great people such as Socrates, Giordano Gentile, Galileo, and Martin Heidregger.…
While the term liberal education is heard from the most prestigious university to an inner city community college, the phrase itself has a hazy definition at best. While educators across America struggle with the definition of the phrase, William Cronon uses purpose, structure, and appeals in his essay "Only Connect: The Goals of Liberal education," to define a liberally educated being and the characteristics that such an education should impart. Cronon capitalizes on inductive structuring to lead the reader along, gently building each new statement upon a foundation of previous ideas. This effectively leads the reader to a strange and new concept that a liberal education should nurture the human mind and inspire students to have love for their fellow humanity.…
1. What two (2) important results are liberal arts courses attempting to produce? Liberal arts was expanded to include natural and social sciences such as biology and psychology. Second colleges allowed students to select a particular major or course study.…
According to Cronon, the liberal arts is the freedom to study your interests while on the other hand a liberal education is becoming a mindful, well-rounded person.…
"We see that just not all college degrees are equal, neither are all high school diplomas" (Owen and Sawhill 216). Meaning getting a degree in one occupation, doesn't mean will result in the same pay as getting a degree in another. I agree with Owen and Sawhill up to this point but if everyone saw this as their number one priority, then it could possibly bring up a major issue. A lot of college students currently choose their majors based off what they feel will give them the most money in the future. This not only results in them stuck with an occupation they highly dislike but a lot of the times they are not good at it. For example, it takes an intense amount of hard work in order to become a doctor however, many students that don't have an interest in the sciences nor have the academic ability to pursue this occupation are still choosing this field. The focus of an college education completely shifts as a result because what used to be an open window for new experiences and learning whatever students want, has become something students only look for because they know it will earn them money. Instead, if these students that may be not academically prepared to choose such an intense occupation chose what they truly desire, then it would make them much more successful in the future. These views of Owen and Sawhill are addressed in Sanford J. Ungar's essay as…
Liberal arts are defined as “college or university studies (as language, philosophy, literature, abstract science) intended to provide chiefly general knowledge and to develop general intellectual capacities (as reason and judgment) as opposed to professional or vocational skills.” (Merriam-Webster). Wallace however argues that a liberal arts education means being conscious about your thoughts, and having some sense of control over them and the experience you’ll gain from them. That could mean exercising control over what you think, and changing it to benefit more people than just…
Nowadays, education is more and more common, most of the people who live in developed or developing country have a chance to go to school. However, the purpose of learning knowledge is changed, a lot of people who go to university because they are told that the degree is a guarantee of making good money. Since the purpose is making more money and due to the fact that liberal art majors are not directly relate to most jobs, a lot of people argue that Liberal art is a useless major, and people should take business or science major. They believe that taking liberal art majors is not beneficial to their career. In Edward Conard’s essay “We don’t need more humanities majors”, he basically mentions that humanities major…
An education in liberal arts can give a person many choices and opportunities concerning what kind of job he/she wants in the future. According to Harris’ “Once you develop good thinking habits, you will be able to perform better in any job, but more importantly, the happier life will be” (1), Harris suggests that liberal arts education helps to have a satisfying and comfortable life. When a person graduates from liberal arts education, he/she will get a gratifying job that will make him/her feel like he/she has a strong personality. Needle, Corbo, Wong, Greenfeder et al (2007) point out that liberal arts education is a good choice for the future to have more options for jobs, which they expressed in their article “Combining Arts and Science In ‘Arts and Sciences’ Education” published in the journal College Teaching on pages 114-120. The purpose of the article is to persuade us to study the liberal arts for a good life. The article has a positive tone because it is optimistic. The mode of the article is illustrative. The main idea of the article is to encourage people to study liberal arts because it can give them a better future. Needle et al states, “Today’s liberal arts education is viewed as preparing students for the real world” (114). Needle et al suggests that graduating with a degree in liberal arts will make you ready for real life. In addition, liberal arts will teach you and make you understand more about life. I found that the two articles are similar in their goal which is to talk about liberal arts and how it is important in a person’s life because a liberal arts education gives you more opportunities for a great job and a better…
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, liberal arts curriculum is divided into three main branches which are humanities, physical and biological sciences and mathematics, and the social sciences (liberal arts, 2017). Further explanations define liberal arts as a study that prepares individuals to be leaders in serving others instead of self (Guthrie & Callahan, 2016). Since beginning classes in January, I have taken many classes at Bethel University, but I have not had classes that are specifically liberal arts. Even so, the English classes that I have taken are Introduction to University Writing, Expository Writing, and English Composition 2; each of these required writing essays and research papers. While conducting research for papers…
Liberal Education’s main purpose in not only to train someone for a specific position, but also to create or develop skills that can be utilized in any profession. However, I believe that the liberal arts are under pressure and in danger in today’s society. The threat that is overwhelming Liberal Education is cuts in programs and funding in private and public schools.…
2. Going to a liberal arts college is like training for the Olympics without knowing what event you are going to participate in. You have to make sure that you are the best you can be in every way. You would have to be a great runner, swimmer and even gymnast because you would not know which event you could be called to. In a liberal arts college you learn a little bit about every subject so that you are prepared to do anything in life. College is different from preparing for the Olympics without knowing what event you will be competing in because eventually, during college you can choose a major and tailor your classes to fit what you would like to do with your life.…
The liberal arts spectrum covers broad subjects in arts and sciences which leaves many employers confused as to what their specific skills are. The subjects that they study are humanities, social sciences, and natural science. These subjects are much too broad to focus on specific skills like a degree program would. Employers also do not know if the graduate learned the specific skills in college in order to succeed at the particular job.…
According to Efficiency in liberal education; a study of comparative instructional costs for different ways of organizing teaching-learning in a liberal arts college, another key element supporting the mission of liberal arts colleges is that students who attend a liberal arts college are more likely to be hired for jobs, and accepted into graduate school (Bowen). Liberal arts schools, such as Transylvania University, strive to teach kids critical thinking and writing skills, as well as how to formally present their ideas. Teachers have fewer students, and more time to analytically grade student’s homework and essays. Liberal arts professors may have to grade 20 essays whereas at a state university, teachers may have up to 500 essays to grade (Masci). It’s doubtful that a teacher who has 500 essays to review will be able to provide the same help and provide the same critical skills than a teacher who only has…
I love learning. Whether it be about abstract ideas, well proven notions, science, religion, or anything under the sun. I am extremely open minded yet I know how to critical of the information I am presented with for not all knowledge credible or can agree with reason. At the end of my college career I know I will be more prepared for life not only career wise but holistically. And I believe that’s what college is really about, providing students with the tools to find meaning in our own lives and prepare us for our life journeys. Although my parents have not told me much about college other than that I have to go to one, my teachers have often told me that is the time to explore and find yourself. College is where you are given freedom to make your own choices and decide what you will make of your life. While some of my teachers have told me that a liberal arts education isn’t as beneficial for me and I should have an idea of what I want to do before I enter college I strongly disagree. As an eighteen year old that hasn’t had enough experiences to determine what I want to do with my future, a liberal arts education is an excellent way to find myself and my passion while still allowing me to advance in my pursuit of knowledge. Most of my peers already have a career and major in mind and see college as a place to work hard as they prepare for their…