The World Isnt One Big Liberal Arts College Campus

What Is a Liberal Arts College?

Written by Coursera • Updated on Apr 8, 2022

Liberal arts colleges differ from larger public universities and private institutions in a number of ways.

A liberal arts higher is a four-twelvemonth undergraduate institution that takes a broader approach to education past focusing on the arts, sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Instead of preparing students for a specific career, such equally business or estimator science, a liberal arts curriculum encourages them to develop an appreciation for many subjects and practice their critical thinking skills. As such, students can pursue many careers later graduating.

In this article, nosotros'll explore more than well-nigh liberal arts colleges, the types of subjects y'all can expect to study, and what you can practice with a liberal arts degree.

Liberal arts colleges

Liberal arts colleges base their curriculum on some of the earliest teaching principles, which are meant to produce students capable of thinking critically near the world around them. Showtime used in the fourteenth century, "liberales artes" referred to the type of pedagogy available for gratis individuals at the time. Information technology primarily involved subjects that stimulated the heed, similar arithmetic, geometry, grammar, logic, and rhetoric.

These days, liberal arts degrees are designed to prepare students to solve problems, recollect critically, communicate well, and collaborate with others. Liberal arts colleges differ from larger public universities and private institutions. Some common characteristics include:

• Pocket-size size: Most liberal arts colleges accept less than 5,000 students in omnipresence at whatsoever given fourth dimension.

• Classroom interaction: Thanks to the reduced educatee population, classes tend to be smaller in club to foster open discussion and spirited pupil-instructor interaction.

• Focus on undergraduates: Larger universities offer undergraduate and graduate degrees, but liberal arts colleges focus solely on undergraduate degrees.

• On-campus community: In that location are fewer part-time students and students who commute at liberal arts colleges. Instead, students tend to be full-time and alive on campus.

• Emphasis on didactics: Unlike other institutions, where professors are expected to focus on inquiry and may teach a express number of classes each semester, professors at liberal arts colleges focus on teaching start and inquiry 2nd.

What is a liberal arts degree?

When you attend a four-year higher or university to obtain your Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Scientific discipline (BS) degree, you volition spend at least the first two years working through general education requirements that are steeped in the liberal arts tradition. At offset, you will accept a wide multifariousness of classes unrelated to your major so that you develop your critical faculties. From there, yous will likely declare a major and begin working through that specific coursework.

When you attend a liberal arts college, at that place'southward a greater accent on the connections between the different subjects you lot written report. You will notwithstanding declare a major, but even as y'all motility into that coursework, you lot will continue focusing on your pedagogy in a style that ideally fosters your intellectual marvel. You lot will likely graduate with a Bachelor of Arts caste.

Learn more: How to Get a Bachelor's Caste

Popular liberal arts majors

Every bit with any available'due south degree programme, you lot will choose a major for your liberal arts degree, but you lot volition also be exposed to an array of other subjects—like the creative arts, history, literature, math, philosophy, psychology, science, and sociology—so that you develop a more than well-rounded education.

Several popular liberal arts degrees include a focus on:

• American studies

• Biology

• Artistic writing

• History

• Philosophy

• Psychology

• Sociology

What tin I exercise with a liberal arts degree?

With a liberal arts caste, you can develop a number of valuable workplace skills, like adaptability, advice, organization, fourth dimension management, problem-solving, and teamwork. Unlike a major which prepares you to enter a specific career runway (call back marketing or data scientific discipline), you lot tin can explore many options with your liberal arts degree, using the broader skills you've developed to perform different types of piece of work.

Here are simply a few types of piece of work you tin explore with a liberal arts degree.

Public service

A pocket-sized campus with a sense of community encourages liberal arts students to connect with others. Information technology's not surprising, then, that many liberal arts graduates opt for careers in public service. Areas of public service include social services, affairs, politics, and public policy.

Business

With excellent problem-solving skills and an power to think critically, liberal arts graduates frequently seek jobs in business organisation. Some potential career fields include account direction, customer relations, marketing, and sales.

Pedagogy

A liberal arts degree is meant to foster a love of knowledge and learning, which is why some liberal arts graduates savour sharing that passion with others.

Writing

With skills in reading, writing, research, and communication, liberal arts graduates make good copywriters, content writers, editors, and journalists.

Entry-level jobs for liberal arts majors

To get a meliorate feel for what yous tin practise with a liberal arts major, hither are a few entry-level jobs and the liberal arts majors that may help y'all state them.

• Business organisation associate: economics, psychology, folklore

• Events planner: communications, psychology, sociology

• Museum technician: fine art history, classics, history, languages

• HR coordinator: psychology, sociology, communications

• Political reporter: American studies, history, political scientific discipline

• Marketing specialist: communications, creative writing, psychology

• Public relations specialist: communications, folklore

Should I attend a liberal arts higher?

Your decision to attend a liberal arts college will likely depend on what kind of education you lot're seeking and what kind of career you hope to have.

Reasons why a liberal arts higher might be best for y'all

Time to explore: A liberal arts college makes a dandy choice if you lot have a general thought of what you want to written report but haven't decided yet. Considering this type of didactics exposes you to a broad base of operations of subjects, you might gain a better understanding of potential career paths.

Foster connections: This blazon of higher also works well if you bask getting to know your beau classmates and professors. On-campus living and small class size encourage a tight-knit higher community.

Develop a wide array of skills: A liberal arts higher isn't really designed for students who want to pursue i specific result subsequently graduation. Thank you to the emphasis on an interdisciplinary focus and general knowledge, yous tin use your well-rounded options to explore a number of paths.

Reasons why some other higher ed setting might be best for you

Technical fields: A liberal arts college may not be the best option if you're set up on a technical field. You lot might not learn specific skills with this type of curriculum nor gain any hands-on experience like you might in a vocational schoolhouse or professional programme.

Large lecture classes: If you enjoy the feeling of anonymity that big classes tin can produce, yous may be better off going to a four-year public university or a private university. During your first  ii years, especially, many of your general ed classes may involve larger class settings.

Flexible scheduling or cocky-paced options: Considering of the small form size and emphasis on in-person learning, you may find less flexibility or cocky-paced options when information technology comes to taking classes than you might from an online degree programme.

Fraternities and sororities: If you're interested in joining a fraternity or sorority, you may not find them at many liberal arts colleges, though there are many other student groups available to bring together.

Examples of liberal arts colleges

If y'all're interested in a liberal arts higher, you lot can observe them spread across the Us. Hither are a few examples of some of the peak liberal arts colleges in the country:

• Amherst College (Amherst, Massachusetts)

• Carleton College (Northfield, Minnesota)

• Dartmouth Higher (Hanover, New Hampshire)

• Middlebury College (Middlebury, Vermont)

• Morehouse College (Atlanta, Georgia)

• Pomona College (Claremont, California)

• Swarthmore College (Swarthmore, Pennsylvania)

• U.s.a. Naval Academy (Annapolis, Maryland)

Want to learn more near a liberal arts didactics? You can take free classes from Morehouse Higher and Dartmouth College on Coursera. Explore topics similar Activism in Sports Culture and Free energy Justice.

How to apply to a liberal arts college

The steps involved in applying to a liberal arts college are like to those involved in applying to most four-year schools. Y'all will probable need to:

• Have a college entrance exam similar the ACT or SAT.

• Consummate your college application.

• Write your required personal statement.

• Assemble the necessary letters of recommendation.

• Request and submit your high school transcripts.

• Adhere your payment to application packages.

• Submit all of your materials earlier the deadline (plant on each college's website).

Learn more than: Step-by-Step Guide to Applying for College

What to know before applying to a liberal arts higher

Liberal arts colleges often have a second look at well-rounded applicants. To diversify your interests in high school, participate in a sport or join a club. Explore the arts past taking a class in painting, sculpture, drama, or dance, or join the yearbook or the schoolhouse paper. Lastly, performing volunteer piece of work can transport a strong signal to admissions committees. Get involved with your customs past volunteering at a local animal shelter, residuum home, or food bank.

The selection committees at liberal arts colleges likewise value academic performance, and then it's better to keep your grades high throughout high school. Before you begin studying for your college entrance examination, inquiry which test is best suited to you and give yourself enough of time to fix.

Next steps

To explore more well-nigh a liberal arts education, get a feel for what some of your classes might be similar. Cheque out various arts and humanities courses offered on Coursera by world-class colleges and universities. Many are gratuitous to enroll in, and cover a wide variety of subject matter then yous tin can learn more well-nigh your interests—or discover new ones.

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Written by Coursera • Updated on Apr 8, 2022

This content has been made bachelor for informational purposes but. Learners are brash to carry boosted research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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Source: https://www.coursera.org/articles/what-is-a-liberal-arts-college

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