...Zachary Wilson Writing 121-037 Z Hitzel Unit #1 Essay February 3, 2014 Liberal Arts: Is it Necessary? Liberal arts education has proven to be a very controversial topic to those concerned or affected by it, and it is questioned how or if it should be implemented into college curriculum. Liberal arts education is defined as “the academic course of instruction at a college intended to provide general knowledge and comprising the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences, as opposed to professional or technical subjects” (“liberal arts”). Generally, American colleges allow students to choose a major and take prerequisites, however students usually aren’t able to get into the meat of their major studies until their junior year, leaving the first two years of college to liberal arts classes. So, how should it be put into practice? In Patrick N. Allitt’s essay, “Should undergraduates specialize?” and in Mark Jackson’s “The Liberal Arts: A Practical View,” both authors explain how they think such education should be implemented. Although Allitt argues that students should be able to choose whether or not they want a liberal arts education, and Jackson argues that it should be required in order to create versatile students, I believe their ideas should be combined, and that a liberal arts education should be encouraged but not required of students, because I think it is ultimately up to the students themselves what classes they want to take as well as whether...
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...Abstract Liberal arts and business are programmes of study that are very relevant at the tertiary level as well as to industry. However in the past few decades, the two areas of knowledge have been facing varying fortunes. Interest and student enrollment for liberal arts education has declined sharply while on the other hand interest and enrollment for business education programmes has seen a tremendous increase. This literature review examines works of several scholars and academic authorities on issues relating to liberal arts and business. The paper recommends an interdisciplinary approach in promoting and enhancing the study of liberal arts and business at the tertiary level. In concluding, both liberal arts and business programs remain essential to academic and social development. Moreover an integrated liberal arts and business education certainly develops thoughtful, flexible and well informed leaders 1.0 Introduction The past few decades have witnessed a massive shift from the study of liberal arts toward more “practical” and job focused programs such as engineering, business and medicine. This significant change stems from the desire of students and industry for university programs that are more relevant to job and industry requirements. As reported by Delucchi (1997) “the curricular trend in higher education since about 1970 has been toward studies related to work… Enrollment concerns in recent years have compelled many liberal arts colleges to abandon or sharply...
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...Society today is focused more on what they know and are fearful of the unknown. In the essay, “The New Liberal Arts”, Sanford J. Ungar takes a stance for why having a liberal-arts education is beneficial for all college bound students by stating his claims against the misperceptions of the public about a liberal-arts college. Some of the misperceptions discussed were, college graduates with a liberal-arts degree are finding it much more difficult to find jobs and the liberal Democrats are the reason the country is in trouble and should not be influencing college students. The first misperception discussed was a liberal-arts education becoming a luxury that most families cannot afford as the years go on. He argues this with this type of education...
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...Shaydon Akuna Wr 121 Specialization Specialization: does it belong in higher education? Some say yes, because it creates much more intelligent individuals in their respective fields. Others say no, because without the liberal arts, individuals will lack the necessary skills to succeed in today’s work environment. Both sides have well supported arguments, and often when one begins to think they’ve made a decision on which they agree with, they are swayed by the other way. After reading, “Should Undergraduates Specialize?” by Patrick Allit, and, “Liberal Arts: A Practical View.” by Mark Jackson, I have formed my opinion and what I feel like is a suitable answer to the question above. I believe that students should have a choice. If they feel like they’re ready to dive into what they know they want to do, let them. But if the student feels like they aren’t one hundred percent sure, they should be able to take a wide variety of courses that allow them to eventually choose a major to specialize. Patrick Allitt is the author of the essay, “Should Undergraduates Specialize?” In this essay he compares and contrasts his own experiences in college with those of his college-bound daughter. By comparing the two, he provides evidence to his belief that having the option to specialize as an undergraduate will benefit students. This is shown in his conclusion, “Students with the right frame of mind thrive on studying diverse subjects until they’re ready, sometimes at age twenty or older...
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...The Bright Side of a Liberal Arts Education Now that I am in college, I have pondered upon whether a liberal arts education is better than a vocational education; a topic that did not cross my mind in high school. A liberal arts curriculum includes the studies intended to primarily provide general knowledge such as language, philosophy, literature, and abstract science and to develop general intellectual capacities, such as reason and judgment, as opposed to professional or vocational skills (merriam-webster.com). As students wanting to achieve a higher education, we have to think about what we want for ourselves. Either you want to grow as an individual and obtain a major in whichever field you chose, or just learn what best interests you. People have many misconceptions toward what the liberal arts are and how they can benefit you. We often hear things like, “A liberal arts degree will not get you a real job.” or “A liberal arts degree is a luxury not a necessity.” Although this is what the majority of the people who are not aware about the actual facts say, this is not true. An examination of, The New Liberal Arts by author Sanford J. Ungar, and Are Too Many People Going to College? by author Charles Murray, will reveal to us why one gains more knowledge at a liberal arts school. Murray argues that a liberal arts education is only for the elite, but I believe that they shouldn't be the only ones to attend because my vision of a liberal arts college is one where all students...
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...entered the digital age. Individuals may be motivated to pursue a STEM education because there is a lot of profit available in careers branching off of these majors. Logically, many people argue that these STEM majors are the most beneficial (whether profitable or otherwise valuable) form of higher education, while others may still say that a traditional liberal arts education prepares one best for life. While some may believe that one field of study is superior; the innovation, comfortability with uncomfortable ideas, and critical thinking gained by studying liberal arts and the ability to make...
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...March 8, 2013 Abstract The purpose of this paper is to review literature discussing the issue of liberal arts and business. In this literature review, the distinguishing factors between liberal arts and business are discussed. The paper discuses the importance of each discipline and reviews the importance of aligning these disciplines into a university curricula to widen the perspective of college graduates, and improve their overall well being as human beings and as professionals. This review has shown that greater importance should be given to the qualities that liberal arts education brings to the work place and the society in general. By blending liberal arts and business education, graduates are equipped with multiple tools to tackle adversities in their work place, think analytically, and solve problems they might encounter which are not thought in traditional classroom environment. Introduction What is liberal art? According to Bogart, 2011, it's an education that provides an overview of the arts, humanities (the study of the human condition), social sciences, mathematics and natural sciences. Traditionally, liberal art majors find it more difficult obtaining employment because it is assumed that their area of study is not specific enough or perhaps lacks the concentration needed to contribute quickly in a business organization. The advantages a liberal art education provides for a student is the ability to develop his/her critical thinking ability, analytical skills...
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...that only certain people should go to college, while others believe that everybody should go to college. Two prime examples of these opinions are the opinions of Sanford Ungar and Charles Murray. Ungar believes that everyone should go to college and receive some form of liberal arts degree, while Charles Murray believes that only students in to 90 percentile should go to college. Both men agree that a liberal arts degree is a great thing, but their opinions on when it should be taught and who it should be taught too are very different. While Murray’s points are somewhat accurate I believe that Ungar’s ideas are more persuasive because he recommends that everybody gets a liberal arts degree helping increase the amount of people with the critical thinking and communication skills businesses are looking for. Sanford Ungar wrote the essay 7 Major Misperceptions About the Liberal Arts. In this essay Ungar describes the benefits of getting a liberal arts degree. In misperception 2, Ungar states how even though people believe the notion of “who wants to hire someone with an irrelevant degree?” most businesses actually prefer students to have liberal arts degrees. The businesses want this because they know liberal arts schools mainly focuses on the key factors that they look for. For example, 89% of businesses included in a 2009 survey said that they were looking for more people to communicate orally and in writing more effectively. (Ungar) Ungar also...
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...Higher education has undoubtedly been plagued by many problems in recent years, and one of the most pressing problems is the drastic termination of liberal arts programs across the country. The problem does not arise solely from the closure of liberal arts colleges, but more commonly from many liberal arts colleges changing their curricula in order to be viewed as less traditionally liberal arts and more vocational. Although liberal arts schools only comprise of a small fraction of higher education institutions, (they only educate at most 2 percent of college students, according to the Huffington Post) they make up an important fraction (in terms of accomplished graduates). This essay will include background information on the liberal arts,...
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...When first attending UW Oshkosh as a freshman the values, and core principles of a liberal arts education were highly discussed on my first day, and as time progressed the meaning of a liberal arts education became more than just a simple definition displayed on a piece of paper. It became apparent that a liberal arts education prepares you, and even shapes you for whatever journey you end up embarking on in life. Whether you are going to school for Chemistry or business a liberal education gives an advantage. Being liberally educated helps you see different viewpoints and, gives you the capacity to relate to those views. Ultimately a liberal education is about “being able to see connections that allow one to make sense of the world” (Cronon...
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...Liberal Arts Education With the economy the way it is today, there is much more pressure for students to get a good education and be able to have a successful career. Students across the country have a few different types of high schools that they can choose to attend, including vocational and liberal arts. A vocational school focuses on training for a specific job, while liberal arts schools teach general information about many different subjects. Both liberal arts schools and vocational schools are a better fit for different types of people, but a high school that emphasizes liberal arts would better prepare students for a global economy because it teaches skills that are valuable in any career; it makes graduates more desirable to some employers and helps students to find a career that would suit them best. A liberal arts high school teaches skills that are valuable in any career, instead of just one. Newsweek magazine found that the average American changes careers eleven times before they reach age forty. People have to change careers more than ever because the job market is becoming increasingly competitive. A liberal arts education would allow students to change careers more easily because they wouldn’t have been trained in only one profession. Liberal arts not only teach students general information, but they also teach them how to think and learn. In A Talk to Teachers, James Baldwin says, “The purpose of education, finally is to create in a person the ability...
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...Millar-Idriss, C. 2011. Transnational higher education: Offshore campuses in the Middle East. Comparative Education, 47(2), 181-207. doi:10.1080/03050068.2011.553935 Miller-Idriss examines the extreme increase in the number of cross-border higher education institutions, specifically in the Middle East. She states that of the 100 such institutions at the time of her research, over one-third are located in this region. Her paper presents the reasons behind the expansion, including a look at cultural, political, and economical components that impact education, definitions of the types of institutions, statistical information about the locations of institutions and the cooperating foreign affiliate institutions, and suggestions for further...
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...What exactly is a liberal arts education? It is most commonly believed to be an education that encompasses a wide range of topics, providing it’s students with broad general knowledge. According to Burk, it entails much more than that. He highlights three ways in which the liberal arts program at Creighton University extends beyond simply taking the courses in The Magis Core curricula. It broadens your horizons through the opportunity to take different elective courses. You are also encouraged to engage in extracurricular activities that will supplement your development in a non-academic setting. Lastly, and most importantly, he shines light on the certain ways of teaching and distinct relationships between the people who make up this university. You will have passionate teachers who consider teaching to be more than just a job. Larry Sanger, the founder of Wikipedia,...
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...question everyone seems to be floating around, is getting a college education worth all your time and money? Since many college graduates had faced record levels of unemployment, it’s very ironic how they have a high degree yet cannot have a career like those without one. However, having a college education does offer us more than just a job, it gives us great experience, a broader mind set and a stronger capability. Because of the college graduates that do get a career much of them find a very high paying job or a successful career in the liberal art as well. For a successful college education, the general outcome for that would be to live happily ever after making a living easily in the career you studied and loved. The perks and benefits of having a college education and degree make you a first runner-up and puts you on a higher pedestal than someone who has no college education. Although many families in the U.S do not have the money to provide these students with the funding needed to have a college education. On the contrary, there are many opportunities for them to still go to college and receive a fundamental education....
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...Devani Rae Santos English 110 17 February 2015 The Value of Education In her essay “College is a Waste of Time and Money,” author Caroline Bird postulates monetary and social reasoning for why obtaining a college degree is a waste for many students. According to Bird, college has a miniscule value and effect on people and society, and is indeed a waste of time and money. She suggests many students are only in pursuit of a higher education because they lack societal value and purpose after graduating high school, resulting in them feeling obligated to go to college in hopes of obtaining structure and a high paying job. Unlike Bird, I believe a college degree holds a lifetime of abundant benefits. It is our duty as a society to push the value and credibility of higher education, as it can open many doors one couldn’t possibly achieve without some sort of earned credibility or degree. In “College is a Waste of Time and Money,” Bird tells us while lecturing across US college campuses, she came to realize that many students aren’t in school because they want to learn, but more so because they felt obligated to attend since they are not highly valued in our society. She suggests young adults go to college for several different reasons; some may go with a genuine interest in learning, some may go in order to get away from home, yet still be supported by their parents and taxpayers, but most go because it’s the ‘normal’ thing to do. For the most part, I agree that young people...
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