A lot of people debate if colleges such as Harvard, Yale, or Princeton are considered liberal arts schools. Some even argue that most universities have forgotten what it means to be an academic institution!
However, there is one school that does not get mentioned in these discussions and that is Brigham Young University (BYU).
Many refer to BYU as a “Christian” university but this only tells half the story.
This article will explain why BYU can indeed be called a liberal art college. It will also discuss whether or not this label fits for the future success of the school.
Disclaimer: The contents of this article are purely fictional and do not reflect actual events. These stories are simply meant to inspire discussion and look at different aspects of the school. I am just sharing my experiences with the school. They may differ from other students’ experiences and you may draw your own conclusions.
Is BYU a Liberal Art School?
Absolutely!
I will begin by talking about some key components of being an academic institution and then I will talk more specifically about how BYU matches those criteria.
Following that, I will address whether or not having a strong Christian foundation makes sense for the long-term health of the school. Then, I will talk about the value of education at BYU and lastly, I will touch upon whether or not attending this school prepared me for life after college.
History of liberal arts
The history of the liberal art tradition can be traced back to ancient Greece, where it was known as sophia or wisdom. Socrates is considered one of the major players in this field, as he focused his teachings heavily on philosophy, which emphasizes reasoning and discussion. Ancient Greek philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle also contributed significantly to the development of literature, music, and poetry.
During the Roman Empire era, Latin became the dominant language due to their influence on culture. As Rome’s empire began to crumble, local cultures flourished and adopted features of the Roman way of life, making room for more diversity. This process continued through the Middle Ages when European nations were united under Christianity.
The Renaissance ushered in an explosion of artistic expression and intellectual exploration. Artists explored new styles and techniques while architects designed magnificent buildings that still stand today. During this time, Italian artists experimented with humanist ideals by focusing on natural beauty and portraying strong moral messages.
In England, King Henry VIII made sweeping changes to the church by breaking up monasteries and shifting the focus onto education. He founded several universities to teach theology, law, medicine, and mathematics — all concepts that are part of the liberal arts curriculum now.
With the Industrial Revolution came a large influx of wealth into powerful corporations. Businesses needed people who could do various jobs so they created educational programs to teach employees everything from how to take orders to what tools to use in order to perform their job well.
What are the benefits of being a liberal arts college?
Being a student at a liberal arts university is not only great for your education, but also for your career after school. Employers look favorably on degree programs with large amount of subjects they cover, and in these courses you learn about many different disciplines- which can help you in the workplace.
Liberal arts schools focus more on teaching the students as individuals rather than just teaching them about a specific field like most universities. This individualized educational approach helps students form relationships with their peers and professors that last beyond the classroom setting, and it raises their self-confidence.
It also encourages socialization, something every adult needs to achieve success. Many successful people were popular high school classmates or professional friends who helped motivate them to put in extra effort in the classroom.
What are the challenges of being a liberal arts college?
One major challenge that many liberal art colleges face is how to stay relevant in an ever-changing world. Just because something was important years ago does not mean it still is today.
This goes beyond changing what courses you offer or how you organize your departments – it includes things like switching from having students attend classes in person to using online teaching programs, moving away from requiring students to study large bodies of material as part of their degree to offering degrees with more specific areas of focus (like business administration for a university that used to be focused mostly on education), and even changing how you classify yourself according to what field you want to enter into (for example, if you want to teach then consider which area of education you’d like to work in).
These changes all emphasize the importance of skills over just knowledge and content mastery. In this age of technology where almost anyone can produce content at a reasonable speed, focusing on producing quality content has become less valuable than it once was.
Furthermore, technological advances make content creation easier every day, so academic institutions need to find ways to differentiate themselves by developing unique skill sets or else they could lose out to competitors.
What are some liberal arts colleges?
Liberal arts schools focus more on educating students than giving them an easy way to get a job after college. They aim to develop in their students’ students, encouraging self-education and exploration.
Liberal arts education typically involves studying literature, humanities (religion, history), philosophy, social studies, and art or music as major courses. Students may also take classes in mathematics, natural science, and sometimes even professional fields such as business, medicine, or law.
Students of liberal arts colleges tend to remain active participants in campus life well into adulthood. According to research done by Campuses with High Retention Rates, over 70% of alumni stay within 100 miles of their alma mater!
Campus living can be expensive depending on where you live so make sure to do your homework before deciding on a school that is not very financially stable. It is important to look into the financial aid offered at each institution so that you know what kind of opportunities they will provide for you.
What should I consider when choosing a liberal arts college?
The term ‘liberal arts’ comes from ancient Greece, where it referred to four subjects: literature, poetry, rhetoric, and philosophy. These disciplines are known for their rich study material that connects together well.
Today, however, the word ‘arts’ has become very popular and vague. Some people seem to use it as a way to discredit any field that is not related to business or technology. Others may associate the word with things like fashion or music, which are also considered parts of the art department.
There is no hard definition for the word ‘art’, so different schools have different ways of including it in their name. For this reason, we will leave the definition of the word aside and focus more on what students get out of attending an art school rather than if it fits into some specific category.
We will instead discuss why having a strong foundation in the humanities is important to your personal development as a person. This includes studying languages, history, political science, and other areas that emphasize logic, reasoning, and communication skills.
These qualities are helpful in many fields, but they are especially valuable when you go after something beyond just a paycheck. Having a degree in humanistic studies can help you develop your career path and self-image, giving you additional credentials as a professional.
What are some career opportunities with a liberal arts degree?
Many employers look favorably on students who have studied both science and humanities, or business and humanities. These individuals can be well-rounded professionals that know how to relate to people.
Liberal arts degrees focus more on educating you as a person than just teaching you about specific fields. This includes things like English literature, history, philosophy, political sciences, and other subjects which influence your overall perspective on life.
Education is an important part of being successful in life, but education that teaches you how to apply yourself within the workplace is even better. You will therefore not only learn from these disciplines, but also what it means to be a productive member of society.
Students should consider themselves lucky they were given the opportunity to study any field they choose, and not limit their options because of cost.
What degree should I get based on what I want to do?
Even though there are many ways to describe yourself as a person, you can really only identify as one thing: Democrat or Republican. This is not always easy when it comes to higher education.
Political affiliations of universities change frequently due to student body demographics and budget constraints, so it is impossible to have a clear picture of what schools are liberal or conservative.
However, we were able to come up with an average classification for all bachelor’s degrees at public colleges in America. According to The Princeton Review, these institutions are typically considered middle-of-the-road politically.
With that being said, if your dream career includes working in politics, then this may be more focused on cultivating your political knowledge rather than giving you any sort of moral grounding. You also might find some similarities between politicians and professionals in other fields.
What sub-fields are important for a liberal arts degree?
One of the most fundamental things about Williams is how diverse its departments are. There is no department that is more focused than another, which makes sense because we as humans thrive when there are different perspectives coming in the door.
This diversity was not limited to academic fields either. It extends to majors, courses, and activities. Some examples include: art, anthropology, political science, sociology, psychology, business administration, economics, music education, theater, creative writing, among many others!
Liberal arts degrees emphasize educating students beyond just teaching them knowledge in specific areas. They teach you how to think analytically and apply concepts across disciplines. Students with a BA or BS in Human Resources will still need to know what makes an effective workplace, but they’ll do so from the perspective of organizational theory rather than individualistic notions like motivation or leadership.
These broader applications make it easier to transfer career skills later, even if you don’t choose the same field as your undergraduate work.
