LIBERAL ARTS & PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION UNDER 25 MAGAZINE, Spring 2002 By Julia Surtshin, M.S.

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1 LIBERAL ARTS & PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION UNDER 25 MAGAZINE, Spring 2002 By Julia Surtshin, M.S. Small college or large university? Grinnell, Iowa or Boston, Massachusetts? You undoubtedly understand these basic choices. But selecting the right type of college to attend involves more than making decisions about college reputation, size, and location. One of the most important things you ll need to decide is whether to pursue a liberal arts degree or a professional degree. Each option has its own characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages. Ben Gibson, a student at Northern Virginia Community College who is working towards a career in biomedical engineering with an eye on medical school sees the importance of both the liberal arts and professional education. He says, Even if you want to do math and engineering the liberal arts are important. Take English you need to be able to communicate. Also, since they say history repeats itself, understanding history helps us understand current events. Jessica Ruehl, a high school senior from Sherwood, Oregon, who isn t sure about her educational goals says, I want a college that will help me have an enjoyable career, but also one where I can broaden my view of others and our society. I think a liberal arts college might be best for me. Just what is a liberal arts education? Typically, it s an approach to the college experience characterized by a broad-based curriculum, close faculty-student interaction, and living arrangements that encourage you to explore, challenge, and question yourself. The liberal arts experience at Lewis and Clark College is designed to expose students to the assumptions, knowledge, and approaches of the fine arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. The goal is to prepare you to pursue any personal or professional paths you might choose.

2 However, a liberal arts education involves more than just taking a broad array of subjects. According to Mary Kay Tetreault, Provost at Portland State University, the essence of a liberal arts education is developing habits of mind, including the ability to express yourself clearly, to engage in critical and imaginative thinking, and to see yourself as an active citizen in a multicultural world. Lisa Burry, now a college freshman at the University of Portland, knew as a high school senior that she wanted a career in health sciences. She said, I wanted to have a clinical career in the medical field, probably in nursing. I wanted to go to a college that would prepare me professionally and hopefully help me make some job contacts. Professional degree programs are typically much more focused than those in the liberal arts. Their primary purpose is to prepare you to enter the workforce in a specific career such as architecture, business, engineering, journalism, nursing, or the arts. Professional education programs are characterized by specialized curricula focusing on the issues and problems of their field, as well as the knowledge and skills needed for employment. These programs include significant lab work, field studies, senior projects, and internships. Usually, there are few requirements or electives outside the major. If you question the relevance of a liberal arts education in today s highly technical and rapidly changing world, you re not alone. Why study art history, English, or religion, when math, science, and information technology drive the economy and the workforce? Arnaldo Rodriguez, Vice President of Admissions at Pitzer College, replies, The real challenges of life are not going to be solved through easy, simple answers. Those who are broadly educated will make, I believe, greater contributions to finding more rational and humane answers. A liberal arts education is an

3 investment for life. It will bring, more often than not, financial rewards as well as personal satisfaction. There are two key disadvantages of liberal arts education. Graduates may have more difficulty finding entry-level employment and may earn lower initial salaries than their professionally educated peers. However, advocates of the liberal arts encourage students to think long-term. They argue that the knowledge and skills gained are applicable to all fields of work, and therefore, liberal arts graduates are better able to cope with job changes, career shifts, and unknown challenges than those who have been educated primarily for a specific field. Other drawbacks of liberal arts education are that, in the long run, it can be both expensive and time consuming. Sure, you can earn your degree in four years, but you may find that you ll need two or more additional years of graduate education in order to be marketable or promotable in your chosen career. Supporters of professional education for undergraduates point out its cost-effectiveness. Portland State s Tetreault says, The advantage of professional education is that some graduates can get out and quickly make high incomes. They often have jobs before they graduate. Another advantage of professional degree programs is that, because they are focused, they may require less than four years to earn certification or a degree. However, one disadvantage of this fast start is that you can become locked in to a particular career path. Because degree requirements are often numerous and specialized, the curriculum may not allow you to explore a range of academic interests. Most undergraduates change their majors and their career goals during college. If you begin a professional program and then change your mind, you re likely to find that many of your classes are inapplicable toward your ultimate degree.

4 Another disadvantage of some professional degree programs is that if they focus exclusively on specific information, they may not equip you with the ability to cope with a rapidly changing workplace. For example, much of the technical knowledge taught to computer science students may become obsolete within a few years. Employability and career advancement are apt to depend on your ability to learn new things to meet unexpected challenges. Liberal arts and professional programs are not always mutually exclusive. Most institutions, whether they are small liberal arts colleges or major research universities, incorporate elements of both types of education. They require students to satisfy both major requirements and general education or distribution requirements, as well as to complete some original capstone project. The key to understanding the type of education an institution offers is to carefully read its catalogue, including its mission statement, educational philosophy, and degree requirements. So, how do you decide which option is best for you? Your choice will depend on your expectations, academic abilities, career goals, and the length of time you re willing and able to attend school. Tetreault advises, Think about what you re interested in, but realize that college, if it works for you, will change your interests. If you enjoy a number of subjects or don t yet have a firm career interest, a liberal arts curriculum could be your wisest choice. You ll develop transferable communication and problem solving skills, and sample a wide range of subjects, some of which may spark your career interest. If you are sure about your career goal and specialized education is required, a professional degree may make the most sense for you.

5 Let s look at how one college freshman, Josh Lowensohn, reasoned out his choice. As a high school senior, Josh was interested in journalism. However, he chose to attend Whittier College, a liberal arts college that doesn t offer a journalism major. Why? He explains, After taking an Introduction to Journalism class this year I realized that I m not interested in news journalism, but more in entertainment columns. Choosing a liberal arts college allows me the lateral movement I am now so grateful for. Career-specific programs lock you into a list of courses. If you change your program, you might have to add a fifth year of college just to get your degree. Consider also how your education will measure up when graduation looms and you re making post-college plans. If you re like many students, you may want to put your ideals to work by joining a non-profit effort. Jim Aguirre, Public Affairs Officer with the Peace Corps reports that most volunteers are selected for personal qualities, rather than for specialized education. He believes that liberal arts graduates frequently have broader perspectives and therefore may have more options in Peace Corps placement, although he says there are, on occasion, openings for volunteers with degrees in agriculture, forestry, and environmental sciences. Or perhaps you re anxious to get a real job, an apartment, and a car. How will your choice of degree serve you when you first look for a job or apply for a promotion? Wells Fargo Bank and Fred Meyer, a Northwest retailer, provide interesting contrasts as to what kinds of college graduates they look to hire. Both organizations recruit graduates for management or professional training programs. Wells Fargo is primarily interested in graduates with degrees in accounting, finance, computer science, advertising, and related fields, but does hire some liberal arts majors too.

6 Fred Meyer has slightly different priorities. Other than for specialized positions in merchandising, accounting or information sciences, the type of degree an applicant has is not critical. Pat Maberry, Corporate Recruiting and Employment Manager says, We re looking for applicants with communication skills, organizational skills, creative thinking and problem solving skills, self discipline, and the ability to work with others. For many employers your work experience and interviewing ability are likely to play a bigger role in your landing a job than your college major. Yes, your educational choices can have significant impact, but the differences are not clear-cut. Choosing wisely means understanding the options and thinking seriously about what you want in life. Education is a lifelong investment: decide with both your heart and your head Julia Surtshin