When thinking about the essence of a liberal arts education, especially in comparison to a STEM education, the dichotomy of hard skills training in STEM fields and general and soft cognitive training of the liberal arts. In general, this is expressed in STEM classes having focus on learning how to do tasks, compute and test specific areas, and in general prepare students for a job or career of their choice. It will teach you exactly what you need to know to get a good job and succeed in the field of your choice.
The contrast of this, then, in the liberal arts education is a broad and general education of the cognitive ability of a person as a whole. There is little (though not always none) direct application to an exact field or an exact job.
Understanding both this difference and in considering cultural context “particularly in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis and rising tuition fees, many students have also opted in favor of applied fields that appear to have more direct connections to future employment possibilities.” (Cameron). Though I will admit that this definitely seems like the more secure option between direct application and a seemingly general and unapplicable alternative I would argue that there is great value, especially for further education within such a broad foundation for education especially for the development and further education of students.
However, for those seeking higher education beyond just a bachelor’s degree, a liberal arts degree or at least training in the liberal arts field has two distinct advantages: its teaching of how to learn and think and its universality of application.
As the goal of a liberal arts education is both to have ““prepared the mind for the more advanced stages of education and culture,” and to “educate people who would contribute to the most urgent needs of society at that time,” this education focuses not on the development of knowledge for specific use, but in general such skills as critical thinking, intuitive questioning, adept communication, and adaptability (Detweiler).
All of these skills are conducive to learning how to learn and as such a liberal arts education often has the result of creating “continuing learners” or people who not only will continue on into graduate school (which at least 2 out of 5 liberal arts majors do according to Strada Education), but also people who will, in their careers and vocations, continue to learn about their trade and work in a broader context (Detweiler).
According to a study, “Those who became continuing learners were 29– 37% more likely to have also experienced the full liberal arts content of education: a nonvocational major, broader span of study, and intellectual skills development. In addition, continuing learners were 29– 42% more likely to report having experienced the full liberal arts context of education: experiencing engaging pedagogy, developing broader perspectives, and education in an authentic learning community,” (Detweiler).
This means that not only is a liberal arts build the skills conducive to a formal education, it also builds the skills for learning in all aspects of life and continued work to create a more informed society. And such foundational learning, thinking, and questioning skills are universally applicable as a foundation which leads into the second benefit of a liberal education: universality.
Unlike with specialize fields, the liberal arts is widely applicable because it does not focus on the aforementioned skills training that is particular to a field. This, in itself, has two positive effects. Not only does this mean that education in the liberal arts gives people a groundwork to go into many different specialized fields, it also allows them to spend more time to choose what they want to do.
Thus, instead of finding out too late that the application of certain technical skills is not an interesting job, the values of the liberal arts education allow people to freely navigate between educational and career options. This allows for exploration and personal investment in the subject matter rather than just passionless work for a career.
Though I will admit that there are some cases where teenagers come into college knowing exactly what they want to do and study, I think learning the general ability of how to study and think provides students with more time to decide what they want to apply those skills to rather than having to think about a career directly out of high school.
Overall, it is my opinion that the skill set gained by earning a liberal arts degree or at least completing liberal arts requirements enables students to choose from a wide variety of further educational options and acts as a groundwork from which expertise can be added.
Though it may not be for everyone, the value of this foundation of knowledge would be beneficial to many college students who feel lost, unprepared, and overwhelmed as a means to give them both time and the tools to work such problems out.
Works Cited
Cameron, John, et al. “The value of liberal arts education for finding professional employment: Insights from international development studies graduates in Canada.” Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. 11, no. 3, 2019, pp. 574-589. ProQuest, https://ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/value-liberal-arts-education-finding-professional/docview/2242069882/se-2, doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-07-2018-0141.
Detweiler, Richard A. “The Evidence Liberal Arts Needs: Lives of Consequence, Inquiry, and Accomplishment.” MIT Press, The MIT Press, 23 Nov. 2021, direct.mit.edu/books/monograph/5242/The-Evidence-Liberal-Arts-NeedsLives-of.
“The Real, Long-Term Outcomes of Liberal Arts Graduates.” Strada Education Foundation, stradaeducation.org/report/the-real-long-term-outcomes-of-liberal-arts-graduates/#:~:text=However%2C%20two%20out%20of%20five%20liberal%20arts%20graduates,boosts%20their%20earnings%20to%20%2476%2C000%20annually%2C%20on%20average. Accessed 25 Jan. 2024.