Wading through the long list of options for undergraduate college majors can be daunting. There are countless degrees, majors, and concentrations. But one of the most common options for an undergraduate major is liberal arts. Before embarking on this pathway, though, it’s important to know what liberal arts is.
What is Liberal Arts?
The liberal arts encompasses a wide swath of concentrations within the humanities, arts, and sciences. This includes anything from the fine arts like creative writing and theater, to English and history, to natural sciences like biology or physics. Arguably, the liberal arts are one of the oldest fields of study in Western civilization, originating with the most important concepts deemed necessary for young men to learn to participate in the democratic society of Ancient Greece.
Specifically, this encompassed seven key skills broken down into two categories. In Ancient Greece, grammar, logic, and rhetoric were referred to as the arts of words, while arithmetic, astronomy, music, and geometry were the arts of numbers. These areas of study were seen as the necessary knowledge base for Athenian men in the city-state.
The liberal arts today don’t differ too greatly, in theory, from their original Greek counterparts. Though the list of skills and concentrations has expanded a bit over the centuries. So, what does liberal arts mean to a student today?
What is a Liberal Arts Degree?
Today a liberal arts degree would fit into one of four main categories, not all that different from their ancient equivalents: the humanities, the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. Upon completing an undergraduate degree, depending on your field of study, you will have earned either your Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Sciences (BS), or Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA). These concentrations can also be pursued at the graduate level as a Master of Arts (MA), Master of Sciences (MS), or Master of Fine Arts (MFA).
The fields of study for a degree in humanities are arguably those more classically associated with a liberal arts degree. You might be majoring in:
- English
- History or art history
- Classics
- Foreign language
- Religion or theology
- Philosophy
A degree in the fine arts flexes your creative muscles, whether visually or linguistically. Some options for your area of concentration might be:
- Film
- Design
- Theater
- Writing
If your concentration is the natural sciences, your degree would be in a practical science application such as:
- Physics
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Environmental sustainability
- Mathematics
The final option is a degree in the social sciences, those that are related more closely to human behavior and thought. This would more likely be a concentration in something like:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Anthropology
What is the Goal of a Liberal Arts Education?
Regardless of where your passion lies, a degree in liberal arts will set you up for success later in life. The goal of any education is to prepare you for your future, and with many liberal arts concentrations, it is less about the degree itself and more about skills practiced while earning your degree.
Liberal arts degrees are often research and writing-oriented. This means you are practicing a number of integral skills during your education including:
- Communication: Employers rank communication as one of the most important skills for possible candidates to have. Being able to communicate well verbally and have strong written communication skills is necessary for most careers.
Collaboration: It’s a rare job today that operates in a silo, meaning teamwork skills are highly important for potential candidates. You will likely need to be able to work well not only with your direct team members, but in cross-team collaboration situations to facilitate departmental cohesion at a company.
Problem-solving: It can be challenging when faced with a problem to look beyond it to the possible solutions instead of fixating on the issue at hand. This is why problem-solving is such a highly valuable skill for employers. In your liberal arts studies, you will practice this regularly.
Critical thinking: Any research-based degree, like those in the liberal arts, requires an individual to practice analyzing data and formulating actions or theories based on that information. This, too, is a highly valued skill on a resume.
Organization: A straightforward skill that will not be overlooked by employers during the interview process, organizational skills are crucial for most jobs. This involves anything from planning and documenting, to prioritization and conflict management.
What Salary Options for a Liberal Arts Degree?
For more information on expected salary outcomes from a liberal arts degree, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is a great resource.