Vision/Mission

The examples of history show us that a liberal arts education is the foundation of a strong and progressive society. The Liberal Arts program offers students an opportunity to explore the intellectual achievements of humankind through a disciplined and responsible study of issues that have been of enduring importance to people. Thus, courses in liberal arts help students develop a sensitivity to the questions and values that confront them in their daily lives. At the same time, skills are built which can be put to use in solving complex problems. One of the program's principal objectives is to achieve the hallmark of an educated person: a fundamental knowledge of the forces that have shaped and continue to direct our cultural identity.

The intrinsic purpose of the undergraduate program in the College of Liberal Arts is to foster independent thinking by offering students a broad education. To achieve this, the college supports the aims of the University Core Curriculum, which requires all students to engage in specific studies intended to promote an awareness of their heritage, their culture, and their environment. Students who choose to major in one of the Liberal Arts disciplines will complete a curriculum designed to promote this breadth of understanding while providing a focus through concentration in one specific area of study.

The first two years of the Liberal Arts program introduce students to the full range of arts, humanities, science, mathematics and social science areas that are established in the University Core Curriculum. During the last two years, students concentrate on their major and minor fields of study and complete their program with appropriate elective hours. Throughout the program, skills in critical analysis and in communication are developed, strengthened and polished.

Many graduates with bachelor's degrees in liberal arts continue their study at the graduate level in an academic discipline or in a profession such as medicine or law. The majority go directly into the job market. Studies have shown that liberal arts graduates are eventually very successful in a variety of activities in commerce, business or public service, because the knowledge and skills they have developed are valuable in today's world. Many businesses actively recruit liberal arts majors for entry-level positions.

Thus, whether as a foundation for further study or as a broad education preparatory to positions in business, industry, and the public domain, a liberal arts degree has intrinsic worth and enduring value.