In liberal arts universities and colleges across the country and the world, one very common denominator is the large number of departments and majors. Take for example our own Penn State University with 17 departments and a total of 31 programs and schools offering 49 distinct majors as a part of 150 degree and certificate programs (Penn State College of Liberal Arts). This includes everything from Bachelor of Science degrees in Economics to Bachelor of Arts degrees in the study of Anthropology.
For this reason, a concise way of putting this is that liberal arts degrees and programs “[imply] breadth and depth: basic knowledge in a range of disciplines, focused by more concentrated work in one,” (“Liberal Learning at Brown”). This is because, “The first Western universities conceived of the liberal arts as seven distinct modes of thought, three based on language (grammar, rhetoric, and logic), and four on number (arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy). While this structure has changed over the centuries, the basic concept has endured. A modern liberal arts education is still defined in terms of a core curriculum comprised of several areas of knowledge,” (Liberal Learning at Brown).
I think that one of the ideas expressed through that quote seems very odd to most modern audiences: liberal arts majors doing math. Though the classical and modern forms of the liberal education have diverged, the principles that brought about this connection of the arts and sciences still remains in principle and in many cases in practice as well. Though there are definitely some cases in which a liberal arts major can slide by with almost no study of science or mathematics (perhaps the hardline English major) many majors such as economics, psychology, sociology, or even archaeology require an understanding of calculus, statistics, biology, chemistry, and physics. Thus, by necessity, many liberal arts majors learn “hard science principles,” which are inherently mixed in with the core studies themselves.
Personally, I think that I am somewhat of an ostensive example of this. Though I study Philsophy, Ancient History, Religious Studies, and Philosophy in the field of liberal arts (which in and of themselves are relatively diverse in scope), I also study and tutor in mathematics and some natural sciences.
Not only do I find these studies to compliment the work I do, they also broaden my scope and perspective on issues and approaches to problems by studying from different points of view.
But why is this important or beneficial for a college education?
One of the pitfalls of education, specifically higher education, is that in an attempt to prepare people for specific jobs with technical training, college students have been trained in a narrow point of view creating a sort of tunnel vision. Though it is definitely important to have specific training, when this is emphasized to an extreme, there is a lack of breadth in view point.
This has two notable negative effects. Firstly, it limits people to a specific job or career path. Though it may make it easier to get a job in a very specific market, a broader education allows for slightly lower chances in a much broader market which, in the end, opens up more opportunities.
The second notable problem is that it means that most people approach problems only through one way. Both in careers and in civic issues, diversity of thought is necessary to come up with unique answers to complicated problems. Because liberal arts is focused on ensuring that citizens are equipped for civic engagement, a diverse understanding of different points of view is vital to fulfilling this position in society.
For this reason, the diversity offered by a liberal arts education is beneficial to both the individual and the community. Though the depth of technical training also should not be overlooked, given that this is overly emphasized in today’s society, the positives of a liberal arts education would balance this out.
Works Cited
“Penn State College of Liberal Arts.” College of the Liberal Arts, 14 Dec. 2023, la.psu.edu/.
“Liberal Learning at Brown.” Brown University, Brown University, brown.edu/Administration/Dean_of_the_College/curriculum/downloads/Lib_Learning_Goals.pdf. Accessed 22 Feb. 2024.