Free Essay on
Liberal Arts Education
First 3 Pages
According to
definition, the liberal arts education is the study of language, literature,
history, natural science and philosophy. It not only prepares the students for
the present marketplace but also for the marketplace of ideas, which makes the
modern world a global village. The Plato and his contemporaries who laid
the foundation of an educated society had first started the liberal arts
education. According to Plato, education is much more than just the textbook
regulation, it actually helps to build the ability to analyze situations and to
think critically. So, Plato said that, good education, which we call liberal art
education, is the combination of emotional, social, physical and spiritual
development.
Trusted by over 145,000 highly satisfied students for custom essay
writing
Purpose of liberal art
education:
The liberal art education teaches us how to think because:
• Mind is also like any other muscle of our body; the exercise makes a muscle
healthy, and it is true for mind also. The habits of attention and concentration
helps the mind to grasp ideas and do the intellectual work. Many subjects helps
the students to develop an ordered mind. Once a good thinking habit is developed
in student, he or she will be able to perform better in any job and live a
happier life.
• With the help of liberal arts the student will be able to think by his own. It
helps to develop the ability to see the relationship between the ideas and
philosophies and subject areas to put all the pieces in the appropriate
position. The ability of good judgement depends upon the ability to think
independently in the face of pressure, the liberal art education helps the
students to think, which means it also helps to develop the ability of good
judgement.
• The study of liberal arts gives a thorough knowledge of different
philosophies, events, procedures and possibilities, which makes the life more
understandable.
Skills from Liberal arts education:
The following are some of the important and valuable skills, which can be gained
by liberal arts education:
• It helps to build the aptitude for communication
• It helps to develop the ability of using modes of thought characteristics of
the major areas of knowledge
• Help to develop the competency to discover, integrate and apply information
• Develop comprehensive knowledge of at least one subject area
• It helps to develop means to live and work effectively in a changing physical
environment and a changing physical order
• The liberal arts education gives the knowledge of basic cultural heritage
• Liberal arts education builds both, the sense of autonomy and the ability to
work in a team environment
• It helps to develop the ability to obtain professional preparation for
leadership positions and for scholarly-creative work
Why study liberal arts?
Studying liberal arts is not only important for developing the abilities to
think and to understand the world but it is also helps the students to get
increased salaries for their initial jobs. According to the data, collected by
the National Association of Colleges and Employees (NACE), the liberal arts
graduate has got a 5.2 percent increase in overall starting salaries. The
average initial salary of a liberal arts graduate was $ 27, 664 in April 1999,
which has been increased to $ 29,105 in April 2000. The percentage of increase
is higher than the computer science graduates. It has been found out that the
consulting firms hire a liberal arts graduate with average initial pay of $
38,748. The major factors determining the salary of a liberal arts graduate are
geographic location, type of employer and the type of the job.
According to a survey funded by AT&T Foundation in 1996, the employers believed
that the broad-based education produces students with strong character,
intellect and a capacity of lifelong learning. Many business leaders have
pointed out that the liberal arts graduates are better able to communicate and
have better equipped with the ability to work with different kind of individuals
even in worst conditions.
|
