Comments on: CEOs and the liberal arts

By: Travis McDaniel

Travis McDaniel — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 12:16:39 +0000

I think that liberal arts are a waste of time and money. Why should an English major have to take a botany class? It’s pointless, and senseless. People say if you have these classes then you will be a more “well-rounded” person. The only time it would come in handy to know this information is in a trivia game, or to prove that you’re smarter than the guy down the street who didn’t go college. But is that the only purpose it serves? Some colleges are thinking about taking these classes out of the requirements. So that thought leads me to believe this. It’s almost seems as if colleges know that we don’t need these classes, yet they still make us take them because that’s two more years they get our money. I think the general education classes we should have to take should be based around our major. A math major should only have to take classes that have math in them. He shouldn’t have to take a marine biology class that is not going to benefit him in the math field. This idea seems like the only thing that makes sense without anyone wasting any of our time and money.

By: Jeff Russell

Jeff Russell — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 09:36:37 +0000

While at college, students experience changes in many different ways. They mature socially and academically. This maturity is something that is also necessary to succeed in today’s business world. There are many other skills and abilities acquired throughout the college experience which aid in a student’s successful life. I believe a college education is extremely important in today’s society. Part of receiving a college education is going through a general studies program. General study courses have helped me out tremendously by giving me time to develop study habits for the remainder of my college experience. General education courses help a student prepare for the business world by molding him into a well-rounded person. William Cronon stated ten skills that are acquired when a student is liberally educated in his article “Qualities of the Liberally Educated Person.” A few of these skills are “They can talk with anyone, they practice respect and humility, tolerance, and self-criticism, and they nurture and empower the people around them.” These are all skills that can be used in the business world in today’s society. College is a time of maturing, learning, and preparing oneself for the business world. All the skills and abilities a student picks up from the college experience will help him in one way or the other.

By: Crystal Evans (Actual Blog)

Crystal Evans (Actual Blog) — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 00:44:47 +0000

Liberal arts classes are important for all college students, because they increase communication and critical thinking skills. Even if the Universities reform their curriculum for liberal arts classes, not all liberal arts classes can just be removed from the curriculum. Certain majors are going to need specific liberal arts classes, but majors such as business will have no use for a visual arts class. A student majoring in law would have no use for a musical appreciation class. These classes are deemed unnecessary, classes that have no value to the major a student is studying. English and mathematics courses should be required at least to a certain level. But sciences such as biology have no place unless a student is intending on a scientific career, and the same can be said for history courses. The University of West Florida o requires only one out of two history classes, which would lead a student to believe that history does not have a lot of importance placed on it. But that is only UWF. Students may not wish not to pay the “excessive” fees of college it is an experience that cannot be replicated and there are certain lessons in college that are necessary. In any profession a person needs to know how to communicate effectively both in speech and in writing. Liberal arts cannot be replaced or completely removed from the curriculum and most majors should have their own curriculum tailored to their needs.

By: Sandra Park

Sandra Park — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 00:41:58 +0000

I think there’s a lot more to gaining a liberal arts education at a university than simply acquiring content knowledge. The whole class experience in courses like sociology or psychology (provided discussion is allowed) can lead the way to greater understanding of both the content and of other people. The ability to hear opinions about a topic from students with varying backgrounds, interests, and viewpoints is a benefit of discussion-based classroom education that should not be dismissed lightly. Such an experience can broaden the mind and help people see things from different angles. I firmly believe that the more people gain the ability to see problems and situations from another’s point of view, the better they become at being leaders and resolving issues — qualities most people will need for both their jobs and life in general. This benefit of discussion-based classroom education in the liberal arts is why I believe that a person’s college experience should include a variety of subjects regardless of his or her major. The content knowledge can be replicated, but the classroom experience cannot.

By: Crystal Evans

Crystal Evans — Fri, 28 Oct 2005 00:25:35 +0000

Liberal arts classes are important for all college students, they increase communication and critical thinking skills. If the Universities reform their curriculum for liberal arts classes the administrators should consider that not all liberal arts classes can just be removed from the curriculum. Certain majors are going to need specific liberal arts classes, but majors such as business will have no use for a visual arts class. English and Mathematics courses should be required at least to a certain level. But, sciences such as biology have no place unless a student is intending on a scientific career, and the same can be said for history courses. The University of West Florida only requires one out of two history classes, which would lead a student to believe that history does not have a lot of importance placed on it. Students may not wish not to pay the “excessive” fees of college it is an experience that cannot be replicated and there are certain lessons in college that are necessary. In any profession a person needs to know how to communicate with other employees in their workplace, and this communication must be intelligent. Not only do people need to know how to speak to someone, they need to know how to write efficiently. Balancing a checkbook or figuring a balance are necessary and require at least a basic mathematic understanding. These are just a few of the reasons not all liberal arts classes can be removed and most majors should have their own curriculum tailored to their needs.

By: Jasmine Romaine

Jasmine Romaine — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 23:10:44 +0000

Albert Camus quotes, “A man without ethics is a wild beast loosed upon this world.” I believe a liberal education is vital to colleges. A liberal education helps students become better efficient in working environments. Without being involved in liberal arts students can not build critical and analytical skills. I can agree with some students that a lot of money is spent towards learning material not related to student’s field of study, but in the “real world” a college education including general studies will help students acquire a broader concept in the skills needed for work.

Liberal arts helps to mold students to be more diverse in learning and flexible in the workforce. Many general studies course should be required of every student because students never know when a situation may come up to speak their thoughts. When students go into vocational studies they learn material which only benefits the purpose of their work. Why should students learn only their trade? I believe the studies one will learn in college will help one become well rounded in their chosen field.

By: Samantha Wiggins

Samantha Wiggins — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 19:53:51 +0000

A liberal education can be useful in today’s work force. Today more people are required to take liberal arts courses because universities believe the students need a broad education. More employers are hiring liberally educated graduates instead of graduates that have only taken the courses for their major. Corporate businesses are looking for students with liberal educations, because they will be more open minded, and will need less training. Most universities are trying to incorporate liberal studies courses into the course requirements. I believe that liberal arts should be a part of the general studies requirements. The liberal arts teaches students you how to learn and study more efficiently. I believe colleges should find new ways to get students involved with the liberal arts. Liberal arts courses free student’s minds and also let think as individuals. I believe liberal arts courses should be required at all universities because these concepts help students to develop certain skills needed for the workforce.

By: Brian Smith

Brian Smith — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 18:30:56 +0000

Many scholars believe liberal education promotes critical thinking, self-awareness, and civic responsibility. Most people believe these skills are beneficial in the work environment. But do the liberal arts actually promote these skills or can students learn these skills through career training?
I believe education’s usefulness is contingent upon the quality of instruction. I have taken many badly taught general studies courses that have only furthered my distaste for the liberal arts. In several of my liberal education classes the professors would not test from their lectures, were rude, and completely incompetent. As a result, I have yet to use any of the skills I have acquired from these courses. Some people believe that self-study is the best way to learn, but I believe that students need teachers to help clarify misunderstandings that students may encounter during their study. Moreover, others have suggested taking liberal arts out of colleges altogether.
Students can receive high quality education with the proper balance of career training and liberal education. Many colleges are finding this balance through a customized liberal education. The Consortium of Liberal Education for Artist promotes customized liberal education; prestigious members of the organization include The Juilliard School and Eastman School of Music. I believe that if every college adopted these policy students would receive the best education by using liberal arts to compliment their career training.

By: Josh Arrowood

Josh Arrowood — Thu, 20 Oct 2005 21:19:44 +0000

Liberal Arts are an essential part of the college experience and should remain intact. Though students often complain about being required to take courses they aren’t interested in or don’t apply to their prospective field, these very same courses shape the students into the (hopefully) well-rounded broad knowledged individuals they will be upon graduation.

Students today frequently change their majors multiple times prior to graduation. Liberal arts courses at the very least play a key role in time killing and allow the student to mature into the career-minded adult they plan to be one day. Who knows, perhaps that time spent in comp class might turn on that “light bulb” we’re all looking to find.

By: Brent Hough

Brent Hough — Thu, 20 Oct 2005 19:11:22 +0000

I believe that taking the liberal arts out of a college education would be an injustice to students. The liberal arts are more than just learning different subjects. Liberal arts teach a person to adapt to changing situations and understand the world as a whole better, which could make them more successful in the career path that they do choose. I understand that some majors require more specialized courses than others, but liberal arts classes could be tailored to that specific major. The liberal arts are people skills, so they could help anyone no matter what their major or career path. I believe that they are more important now than ever due to all of the international business and world conflicts. The idea of someone being able to better understand the world and adapt to changing situations is reason enough to keep the liberal arts as part of the core college experience.