The Role Of Liberal Arts In A College Education

The Role of Liberal Arts in a College Education Henry Rosovsky’s article entitled The Purposes of Liberal Education is a brief, but extremely accurate and clearly-written explanation of what he feels a liberal arts education entails. The author has had extensive experience in the field of education and has been able to shape and impact many students while being the Dean at Harvard College. For this reason, consideration of his ideas on the liberal arts is merited. His standard of liberal education and view of what an educated person should know may be useful for anyone who is interested in becoming a well-educated and well-rounded person. University educated students can not only secure meaningful employment and perform well in the workplace, but navigate easily in the complicated web of the social, political, and cultural aspects of life. This paper provides an overview of Rosovky’s article with the summary of his standard of the liberal arts education and definition of some useful tips for further self-improvement. The author considers that the standard of a liberal arts education consists of five key elements. First of all, any educated person has to be able to lay out their ideas and opinions in a clear and efficient way both orally and in writing (Rosovsky 49). This component also implies critical thinking skills that are significant for development in society. Secondly, an educated individual should “have an informed acquaintance” with the major fields of study and the means by which knowledge can be gained (Rosovsky 56). The author does not mean that students of the liberal arts should be experts in various subjects. Instead, he merely offers an ideal to which every educated person should aspire. General knowledge of various disciplines is a prerequisite for liberal education. Thirdly, educated people have no right to remain “provincial” in the sense that they should adapt to the modern world and learn basics of other cultures and times (Rosovsky 57).

Cited: Rosovsky, Henry. “The Purposes of Liberal Education.” The University: An Owner’s Manual. New York: W. W. Norton, 1991. 43 – 58. Web.