- A liberal arts education prepares students for a life of learning. It is a tool in which students can draw across a lifespan to fixate human problems and bring out the human potential in every person. Also, liberal arts education will always need to be there and will never get outdated. Scheuer points out three different citizenships that are in all communities (traditional civic dimension, economic citizenship, and cultural citizenship). He says, “All are important forms of community” (4). All three of the citizenships create habits of mind that manage a life of learning and growth, professional and personal. A liberal arts education is important for everyone that plans to have a successful future. Ungar agrees that it’s crucial that students have a liberal arts education to get a job as well. He says “the “career education” bandwagon seems to suggest that shortcuts are available to students that lead directly to high-paying jobs-leaving out “frills” like learning how to write and speak well, how to understand the nuances of literary texts and scientific concepts, how to collaborate with others on research” (1). Therefore, it is an education that builds on itself throughout life, not just the four years students spend in college. Indeed, the skills a liberal arts degree develops help students confront their own and others’ humanity, not just earn a paycheck.
2. At the University of New England, “you will benefit from an innovative common learning experience known as the Core Curriculum. The courses and events comprising the Core help you explore four different themes one during each undergraduate year from the perspectives of multiple disciplines.” Through this work, you gain a foundation in the liberal arts that prepares you for the complex challenges of our modern world. You also gain essential skills of critical thinking and communications that will help you achieve your educational goals no matter your field of study. According to Jeffrey Scheuer, a liberal arts education is a “wellspring of ideas and questions, and a way of promoting flexibility and openness to diverse perspectives” (3). Therefore if you were an undergraduate student at UNE who has a variety of ideas, questions, and flexibility employers will want what students have to offer when applying for jobs.
3. The objectives of the core curriculum at UNE states how diverse the world really is. Students should not only be able to understand different point of views and communicate correctly, but they “must also be prepared to enter the world engaged as local, national and global citizens and professionals” (4). To fully understand and grasp onto the skills mentioned above, students must be critical thinkers. Jeffrey Scheuer believes the critical thinking help students in the long run. He says, “critical-thinking skills enable students to become lifelong learners and engaged citizens” (5). Employers are looking for students who have a liberal arts education and who are strong critical thinkers. Scheuer states that, “An outstanding 89 percent said they [employers] were looking for more emphasis on the “ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing,” and almost as many urged the development of better, “critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills”” (2). Employers want their employees to have critical thinking skills because they will be open to different ideas, techniques, and approaches because they have what it takes to fully understand and know how to deal with situations that will come there way.
