Monday, March 5, 2007
Do Liberal Arts Majors Have an Edge in the Workplace?
What happens when a panel of higher education and business leaders look at what a college education should consist of?
They come to the conclusion that college graduates must be able to do more than simply prepare themselves for their first job.
USA Today published an article urging colleges to focus on liberal arts. The conclusion was that “in an economy fueled by innovation, the capabilities developed through a liberal education have become America’s most valuable economic asset.”
The report identified four “essential learning outcomes:”
1. A broad base of knowledge across multiple disciplines
2. Intellectual and practical skills, such as teamwork and problem-solving
3. A sense of personal and social responsibility, including ethical reasoning
4. Experience in applying what is learned to real-world problems
Specific recommendations include having all students complete:
- Writing-intensive courses
- Undergraduate research
- Service learning and internships
Employers appear to be supportive of the report’s findings:
- 69% of employers surveyed said that combining broad knowledge with more in-depth focus is “very important”
- 63% said that too many recent graduates do not have the skills to be successful in today’s global economy
Obviously, some of you have had liberal arts experience while others have not. If you participated (or are participating or plan to do so) in a liberal arts curriculum, do you feel that your experience has been a help or a hindrance in the workplace? For those of you who chose another course of study, do you feel that you were adequately prepared for meeting the demands and expectations of the workforce? Do you agree or disagree with the article?
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13 comments:
The panel’s conclusions make all the sense in the world to me. While the article didn’t specify reasons for the dip in competitive edge of graduates, a few ideas come to mind: 1) growth economies and tech industries in China and India, and with it, growth of higher ed, 2) outsourcing of low and mid-level US jobs to India and others, which 3) creates a flat, global job market.
I’m not sure what the panel meant though by “an economy fueled by innovation.” That buzz word is tossed around far too much -- everyone seems to claim their innovative today.
The key to all levels of learning is learning HOW to think. In elementary school you memorize all the state capitals not because it is important, but it teaches you how to learn 50 pieces of information.
With all the changes going on in society, learning how to do something one way could result in your being obsolete in five years. But, if you master the skill of learning how to do things, you will never become obsolete.
I don't know that it is a liberal arts education that will make the American worker more innovative and by extension, the American company more competitive. What we need is good leadership modeling good behavior, including sacrifice, delayed gratification, and dedication. Huge CEO salaries and bonuses provide the American worker with a poor example of what the company needs to be successful. If the Chinese wanted more than the American worker, they will find a way to take it, the lead that is. Without the "right" values, a liberal arts education won't be enough for the "right" stuff. Perhaps mom and dad need to be consulted about not instilling the entitlement mentality regardless of where they send their children to school.
Technology is equally to blame. Students feel the need to do too many activities simultaneously (IM 5 conversations, surf the web,talk on the cell phone, watch TV and do homework). They do not know how to focus their attention fully in one area. Frequently, the result is a work product that lacks creativity and precision. Perhaps if we can teach students how to turn off the techno distractions, we will see better outcomes.
As someone who received a liberal arts education, I have been repeatedly reminded that this would prepare me for the real world and give me an advantage those who focus on one discipline do not have. Now that I am out of school, I tend to agree. If you focus only on one area of study, then you have no appreciation of how that affects the rest of the world. Coming at a situation from a broader perspective gives you several different ways to approach problem, and thus, several possible solutions.
I agree with Anonymous that learning How to think is more important than some of the specific things you will learn. A liberal arts education reinforces this.
I feel that often, a liberal arts degree might not get you the job right out of college, but when you finally do get a job, it will help you in many aspects, no matter what field you go into.
As a graduate of a liberal arts curriculum at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, I identified with the panel's findings regarding the skill set that is typically promoted in that type of educational approach. During my education, I had numerous opportunities to complete service-projects and internships. I found that some organizations supported these types of liberal arts skills whereas others placed them at a much lower priority when compared with technical expertise. In relation to the article, it seems to me that creating workplace cultures that support and promote the liberal arts skills identified should be equally as important as preparing students to fully participate in such a culture.
I think there is more to it than a liberal arts education. There is value in a person's work experience and work history maybe even moreso than what is learned in the college classroom alone. Also of value is life experience. All these things contribute to being a well-rounded individual and thus a well-rounded employee.
To address a few previous comments…
The key to all levels of learning is learning HOW to think. In elementary school you memorize all the state capitals not because it is important, but it teaches you how to learn 50 pieces of information.
This is a problem I’ve heard lots of high school teachers/college professors complain about…that it seems that all their students know how to do is spit back the information they were taught. They don’t know how to analyze it to solve a problem. Personally, I think it’s a reason so many students hate essay tests. You can’t look at a list of possible answers and just guess. You have to demonstrate that you’ve learned the facts and can apply them.
Perhaps mom and dad need to be consulted about not instilling the entitlement mentality regardless of where they send their children to school.
I very much agree. However, I also think that parents need to understand that college today is different than it was 20 years ago. Getting a degree no longer guarantees you a lucrative job with a huge paycheck. I feel a lot of people who really aren’t “college material” are “forced” into it by well-meaning parents who think that a degree, regardless of what it’s in, will guarantee success. More people should look into learning a trade. They’ll always be in demand, and someone in India can’t fix your broken water heater in New York.
I think there is more to it than a liberal arts education. There is value in a person's work experience and work history maybe even moreso than what is learned in the college classroom alone. Also of value is life experience. All these things contribute to being a well-rounded individual and thus a well-rounded employee.
Agreed. Book smarts only go so far. A rocket scientist with no “people skills” will probably have more problems in the job market than a high-school dropout with some charisma and networking leads.
No one seemed to touch on the idea that one benefit of a liberal arts education is that it allows an individual a broad spectrum of areas to study. Many college students have a very limited idea of what they want to do career-wise prior to entering college. A liberal arts education can help a person to perhaps narrow the field of interest and lead them towards the proper vocational path.
When I was in law school 90% of my class went to big public institutions. When I became a member of the LAW REVIEW, I discovered that 90% of my colleagues were liberal arts majors.
In my experience, having the benefit of being a liberal arts major, particularly in fields where oral and written communication are important, is a real advantage.
I believe that liberal arts majors do have an edge in the work place, however, I have a bias because I am a liberal arts major. I have found that being able to do extensive research in my undergraduate as well as shaping who I am through internships and service learning I am prepared to take the next step into the workplace; and quite possibly have an edge over someone who has not gotten all of the opportunities that I have recieved.
I will be graduating in May and I am excited to see what the future workplace has in store. Through my undergraduate course work and the multiple opportunities that I was given, I feel that I am well prepared to go into the working world. I agree with this article
Interesting to know.
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