12A Importance of a Liberal Arts Education

Before coming to Southern I had no idea what a Liberal Art education was or that it even existed. The readings that were assigned for this week though, helped me discover how important and beneficial a liberal arts education is to students. Liberal Arts is defined as a “humanistic discipline: studies intended to provide general knowledge and intellectual skills (rather than occupational or professional skills)”. A University which requires all students to be enrolled into an Liberal Arts program are preparing students to be created into well rounded individuals who will know a vast amount of information. This type of education allows students to take classes they wouldn’t normally take. This can be very beneficial because these classes can open up new opportunities that students wouldn’t normally be opened too. Liberal art education also teaches a student how to think critically. Students develop the strength to expand their intellect which allows them to begin to think for themselves, not what their teacher wants them to think. Liberal arts education programs allow students to form their own opinions, values and beliefs that are not forced from parents and teachers. College is all about learning independence, and a liberal arts education teaches students how to think independently in their studies which they can then apply to their everyday life.

”Liberal education isn't about studying things that have no immediate use. It is about creating habits of action that grow out of a spirit of broad inquiry.” This statement from the article Why Liberal Education Matters says directly why a liberal arts education is important. Many students look at this type of education and think that its just busy work. Students also think that classes they have to take that they don’t want to take have no immediate or everlasting effects on their future. But they are very wrong. These classes that are part of a liberal arts education are very beneficial because they help students create habits of thinking critically of their classes and opens them up to new opportunities. A liberal arts education allows students not only to study what their major requires them to study, but allows them to learn about other majors, which makes a well rounded student. I didn’t realize till this week how important a liberal arts education is to a student and their future. I am glad I attend a University which provides students with a program such as what is in place.