Theory behind liberal arts

[Urbannaja]

I started class today and the professor handed out copies of this article on "The case for liberal arts"...I just thought it was pretty dang good and might encourage a few people who aren't so hot on the whole gen reqs =)

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/department...iberalArts

[snazzlefrag]

I started class today and the professor handed out copies of this article on "The case for liberal arts"...I just thought it was pretty dang good and might encourage a few people who aren't so hot on the whole gen reqs =)

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/department...iberalArts

Hi Urbannaja,

That was a very interesting article.

I think the whole debate boils down to whether it is preferable to have an education that provides DEPTH of knowledge, or an education that provides BREADTH of knowledge.

Personally, I have thoroughly enjoyed the breadth of my studies so far. My studies have taken me around the world, and back through time. I have encountered novels and poems, writers and musicians, sculptors and architects, philosophers and theologians, psychologists and sociologists. I have learned about things as as diverse as scientific theories, numbers, statistics, federal laws, Supreme Court decisions, congressional acts, politics, crime, drugs, law enforcement, nuclear waste, corporate finance, Hinduism, ethics, the Vietnam war, the Civil War, Stalin, Lenin, JFK, Nixon...the list goes on!

I think I have benefited immensely from the BREADTH of my studies, and I wouldn't change it for the world.

Within that breadth, there has also been quite a lot of DEPTH. I have been able to carry my studies deeper into Psychology (my major), and Business (my other major). Through upper level study I have also been able to obtain depth in areas such as Computing, History, and Law.

If I should decide to pursue a Master's degree, I will be able to focus my studies and obtain much more DEPTH in my chosen subject. But at the Baccalaureate level, the BREADTH of study has laid a solid foundation for WHATEVER I choose to do in the future.

For these reasons, I believe that a strong liberal arts education is not only preferable, but essential to having a well-rounded concept of the world we live in...as it was, as it is, and is it may one day be.

That's all I have to say about that (spoken in my best Forest Gump voice)!
hilarious

Take care,
Snazzlefrag

[lspahn]

I agree to a point...


I think student need LA classes to be well rounded, but there has been study after study that shows that LA degrees have in some cases a negative return financially, especially at the graduate levels..Ill find the link and post it here.

Also, as bad as this sound we are headed in the opposite direction with very specialized skill sets. I have to imagine that the LA degree will taper off over time due to lack of demand. The article points to one lady who got her Masters degree. Thats great, and if you are planning a 6 year education that may work, but if you plan to do 4 and get a job then you may be hurting..


Im a tech minded guys, so i could be T-totally off base. I have had several LA classes which i enjoyed, but see little if any bearing on my current work situation.


Also one last thing..the elitist suggestion at the end of the article was alittle cheap. IMHO elite is just a fancy pants word for Snob....