Liberal education
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Liberal education refers to the study of liberal arts, a set of knowledge and skills that emphasizes high levels of thought and open-mindedness. Liberal education dates back to medieval times, but it has evolved to fit into the modern world. Even so, trends in choice of college major show students leaving the liberal arts in favor of more professionally-focused fields. That said, certain research shows that liberal education is still valuable and can even be more favorable in the professional setting in some cases.[1][2]
Background
As mentioned above, liberal education is a tradition that has been a part of university studies since medieval times. The original curriculum was made of two parts: the trivium (grammar, rhetoric and logic) and the quadivium (arithmetic, astronomy, geometry and music). Lessons in the liberal arts were believed to make the individual into a well-rounded and free (liberalis is the Latin term) human being, and many major professions of medieval times drew upon the aforementioned subjects. The importance of the liberal arts at the time inspired their continuing adaptation to today’s form.[3][4]
Today, a liberal education refers to the same goals of its predecessors: creating a well-educated, free-thinking human being that can apply his or her knowledge to virtually any situation. Of course, as the variety of career choices has increased since medieval times, so too has the variety of education paths. Places of higher education now offer literally hundreds of different majors depending on location, and many of them require that students take courses that are considered liberal education. Such programs teach students not only about their major fields of study, but also about areas within the liberal arts: critical thinking, use of logic, natural sciences and others. Supporters of liberal education believe that such an approach creates individuals who are well-balanced and can be successful in nearly any field.[5]
Trends
According to the U.S. Department of Education, college students are beginning to move away from degrees in the liberal arts towards more career-oriented fields such as business, marketing and nursing. One report showed that half of all college students will get a degree in either nursing, engineering or business. In 2014, Business majors made up about 22 percent of college students, while humanities and the liberal arts made up a combined 10 percent. As fewer students attend liberal education programs, it becomes harder for schools to justify continued funding. As a result, liberal education programs have seen and are projected to continue seeing decline throughout the country as various programs are cut or downsized.[6][7]
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ University of California Berkeley, "A liberal arts education," accessed September 30, 2014"
- ↑ Association of American Colleges & Universities, "New report documents that liberal arts disciplines prepare graduates for long-term professional success," accessed September 30, 2014
- ↑ Center for the Study of Great Ideas, "What is liberal education," accessed September 30, 2014
- ↑ Cal Poly Pomona, "Liberal arts curriculum in medieval universities," accessed September 30, 2014
- ↑ Association of American Colleges & Universities, "What is a 21st century liberal arts education," accessed October 1, 2014
- ↑ American RadioWorks, "New pressures on liberal education," accessed October 1, 2014
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Fast facts: most popular majors," accessed October 1, 2014
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