Recently liberal arts has emerged as a popular course amongst the students in India. Even the working world values the students with liberal art skills as they are better prepared for the challenges thrown by the disruptive innovation in the current century. The biggest benefit of liberal arts education is that students study subjects from the varied fields spanning from humanities, arts, social sciences to natural sciences.
The whole concept of liberal arts education is based on flexibility and adaptability. The idea is to give students the freedom to pick subjects to match their own learning needs.
The diversity offered by the course is the reason behind the plethora of career options available for liberal arts students.
Liberal Arts Courses:
Liberal arts courses have an interdisciplinary methodology. For example, history students can take classes in Environmental Sciences or Literature and Language students can take classes in Design or Business. Here are the courses offered by the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences at RV University:
Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences
Students pursuing B.Sc. in liberal arts can choose to major in Environmental Science, Physics, Psychology or Filmmaking. For the minors, students can choose subjects offered by the School of Liberal Arts under B.A. programme or from subjects offered by School of Design and School of Economics and Finance.
Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences
Students pursuing B.A. in liberal arts can choose to major in Film Studies, Performing Arts, History, Indology, Philosophy and Ethics, Political Science and International Relations or Literature and languages. For a multidisciplinary exposure, students can choose minors from the subjects offered by School of Liberal Arts under B.Sc. programme or from subjects offered by School of Design and School of Economics and Finance.
Liberal Arts Skills
Training specific skills for a job is no more viable in this rapidly changing job market. What is important is to hone skills and knowledge that will never get obsolete. So, with the fast changing world you just can’t prepare yourself narrowly, rather prepare with skills, abilities and attributes that are interdisciplinary and likely to stay relevant in the long run. We have listed the skills, abilities and attributes that are associated with liberal arts education.
Critical thinking skills
Liberal arts education teaches students to think critically while solving a problem at hand. It helps them develop an ability to observe, analyse, interpret, reflect, evaluate and make inferences from their understanding of the problem. Critical thinking skills help students understand and assess a situation in a rational manner on the basis of all the information available.
Communication skills
Students are also trained in developing attributes that contribute to effective communication skills. The core focus of the curriculum is to produce confident speakers and active listeners. There are often discussions and debates organised to help students articulate their ideas in impromptu conversations.
Teamwork
Teamwork is one of the most sought-after skills in the workplace and liberal arts education understands the importance of the skill. Group projects are given to students to help them develop their teamwork skills so as to finish the group work effectively. Often students are assigned to diverse groups to help them come out of their comfort zone and develop an understanding for different backgrounds.
Problem-solving skills
Problem solving skill is the ability to analyze a situation and determine a course of action that will lead to a solution. It can be difficult and tedious to teach students problem solving skills. Liberal arts focuses on teaching problem solving skills within a specific context while helping students understand the importance of understanding the problem without any prejudices and following structured methods to solve such problems.
Often real life case studies are discussed with context to a subject and students are asked to define the end goal.
Analytical skills
One of the most valued liberal arts skills is the ability to analyse the given data and interpret the meaning.The main motive is to teach students inductive and deductive reasoning to help them master the analysis skills. There are written assignments as well as visual pieces that are shared in class to help the students interpret it in their own way and thereafter discuss and present evidence to prove their narrative.
Creative thinking skills
The multidisciplinary model of liberal arts instills creative thinking skills in the students. It teaches curiosity, empathy and creativity which is a vital skill for lifetime pursuits. Dedicated teachers help foster creativity in students and help them become open thinkers. This is one skill that is not just in demand today but is never going to get redundant.
Research skills
Research skills are the hallmark of liberal arts education. Students are trained not only in how to find the information and where to find the information but also the ability to understand the information and draw inferences. They are taught to master the ability to draw important information from longer resources, acknowledge research sources, manage research projects, collect and organize data using statistical techniques as well as the ability to formulate, document and report the research findings.
Effective writing skills
Liberal arts students are taught to convey complex ideas in the most simplest forms. Fine tuning comprehension skills of the students forms a large part of the learning. The course focuses on producing skilled writers who can effectively articulate messages for different audiences. By the end of the course students master the skill of smoothly structured articles with precise sentence formation. The interdisciplinary approach of the course helps in broadening their perspective by exposing them to different ideas, opinions and philosophies.
Career Options after Liberal Arts Degree:
The flexible and interdisciplinary approach has increased the scope of the liberal arts in India. It prepares students for the ever changing demand of the job industry with their outstanding skills to perform in a team, higher order critical thinking skills and their communication skills. With their holistic and rounded education, students with liberal arts skills are equipped to join varied professions. Given below are the career options after a liberal arts degree:
- Entertainment & Creative Industries
- Higher Education & Research
- Psychologist
- Sociologist
- Civil Services
- Journalism & Social Media Management
- Writer / Author
- Teacher/ Professor
- Graphic Designer / Artist
- Social Work & Public Policy
- Human Resources Specialist
- Communications & Public Relations Specialist
- Theatre & Dramatic Arts
Conclusion:
Liberal arts is a degree with a holistic approach towards education offering to its students a broad intellectual foundation and skills that are relevant in the current and future job scenario. By combining an array of disciplines, students are exposed to a plethora of subjects which is the biggest benefit of Liberal arts education. It empowers students to explore any field they wish to. It teaches skills that will help students build a career in an industry which demands human skills like higher order thinking, creative thinking, critical thinking and emotional intelligence. Scope of liberal arts in India is wide as students can branch out into different careers with the world as their oyster.