"What can I do with a Liberal Arts Major?" Skills and the Liberal Arts

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1 Septem Artes Liberales Herrad von Landsberg Hortus Deliciarum 1180 "What can I do with a Liberal Arts Major?" Skills and the Liberal Arts

2 Liberal Arts A Definition The term 'liberal arts' is described in the Encyclopædia Britannica as a "college or university curriculum aimed at imparting general knowledge and developing intellectual capacities, in contrast to a professional, vocational, or technical curriculum." In classical antiquity, the term designated the education proper to a freeman (Latin: libera, "free") as opposed to a slave. Martianus Capella (5th century AD) defines the seven Liberal Arts as grammar, dialectic, rhetoric and geometry, arithmetic, astronomy, music. In the medieval Western university, the seven liberal arts were: the Trivium: grammar, rhetoric, logic the Quadrivium: geometry, arithmetic, music, astronomy In modern colleges and universities, the liberal arts include the study of art, literature, languages, philosophy, history, mathematics, and science. Liberal arts colleges Liberal arts colleges are institutions which place a particular emphasis upon undergraduate study in the liberal arts. Generally, a full-time, fouryear course of study at a liberal arts college leads students to a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. Liberal arts colleges have traditionally emphasized interactive instruction (although research is still a component of these institutions) and are usually residential. They typically have a smaller enrollment, class size, and higher teacher-to-student ratios than universities. These colleges also encourage a high level of teacherstudent interaction at the center of which are classes taught by full-time faculty rather than graduate student teaching assistants (who teach some classes at Research I and other universities). Although the genesis for what is known today as the liberal arts college began in Europe, the term is commonly associated with liberal arts colleges in the United States. Liberal arts colleges are found in countries all over the world as well. Following completion of their undergraduate studies at liberal arts colleges, students may continue on to graduate study in other institutions, such as professional schools (for instance, in business, law, medicine, or theology) or graduate schools.

3 Skills and the Liberal Arts "In my opinion, a liberally educated person is still the type of individual needed at the highest levels of corporate life. We need people with a broad base to their educational pyramid." - President, Major New York Bank "A liberal arts education is not a dead end! In this time of specialization, many companies find themselves in short supply of personnel who have the ability and talent to be communicators." - Vice President, Large National Insurance Company The above quotations attest to the value that senior business executives place on a liberal arts education in the world of work today. In recent years, the number of students receiving degrees in the liberal arts has risen, partially due to the fact that businesses and other organizations have a growing appreciation for a liberal arts background as preparation for the work environment. Surveys indicate that today organizations are hiring and promoting more liberal arts graduates than ever before. Organizations realize that in today's fast changing world the most valuable employees are those who can learn quickly and communicate effectively liberal arts graduates. Many employers know that a liberal arts education prepares students for successful careers. In 2000, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) surveyed employers across the country to determine what they look for when they hire new employees. The survey showed that employers tend to focus on finding graduates with the right skills rather than the right major. The majority of employers surveyed indicated that a new employee with the right skills could easily learn the specifics of an industry. The survey also showed that employers desire transferable skills, skills employees take with them to any job, such as written and verbal communication skills, the ability to solve complex problems, to work well with others, and to adapt in a changing workplace. These transferable skills are characteristic of a liberal arts education. An AT&T survey also found that liberal arts majors advance more quickly to middle and senior management positions than their colleagues who pursued other fields of study. This survey reflects what many employers already know: A liberal arts education equips graduates with many of the skills they need to be successful. These graduates become employees that are ready to learn.

4 "What can I do with a Liberal Arts Major?" Many students ask the question, "What can I do with a Liberal Arts Major?" This is not an easy question to answer since there are so many career fields a liberal arts graduate can enter. You can do anything and everything! The very act of asking such a question demonstrates one of the most exciting aspects of a liberal arts education that you have choices. In fact, choices for liberal arts graduates continue to increase as employers shift away from hiring specialists and move to hiring generalists. A liberal arts education is not designed as training for a specific occupation. For example, majors such as English, history, political science, or psychology do not directly indicate the job skills you have to offer an employer. What it does do better than any other type of college or university preparation is sharpen analytical and communication skills, teach students how to learn, and provide students with a body of knowledge that can be applied to larger contexts. Thus, it is no surprise that the leaders in most career fields are liberal arts graduates whose specialized training occurred in graduate or professional school. As a liberal arts major you need to clearly communicate the connections between your skills and those required by the job. Be prepared to identify the career field you want to enter and your ability to perform specific job functions. On the following page you will find a table outlining the General Liberal Arts Experiences and the Liberal Arts Skills you will gain by studying at a Liberal Arts College. Adapt the chart on the following page to your own experiences and add other skills and activities to the list. By doing this exercise you will realize the wealth of transferable skills you have already acquired and the chart can serve as a starting point for writing your CV or job applications.

5 General Liberal Arts Experiences LIBERAL ARTS SKILLS Researching Making Internships/ Leading Independent Laboratory Group Student & Oral Volunteer Teaching Study Work Projects Writing Publications Presentations Work Tutoring Papers Fill In Your Experiences Comprehending written materials Written effectively Making effective speeches and presentations Problem solving skills Analyzing and evaluating ideas Using library and research facilities Supervising and leading Cooperating with a work team Persuading others to accept your ideas Helping people with their problems Dealing with the public Organizing time effectively Planning and organizing Working independently

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