When choosing a potential college as a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) major, it is easy to assume a liberal arts education is the wrong choice. It involves learning requirements in addition to major requirements, which may be a distraction or seem unnecessary. However, this is precisely why a liberal arts education can benefit students pursuing a STEM major.
Taking classes that do not directly correlate with a student’s major allows them to have additional knowledge that can help them think about issues holistically, rather than just within the confines of their intended education. Liberal arts colleges focus on helping students develop a wide domain of knowledge and problem-solving skills.
Coursera defines a liberal arts curriculum as something that “encourages [students] to develop an appreciation for many subjects and practice their critical thinking skills.” Essentially, the focus of liberal arts institutions like Augustana, as opposed to a regular major-based education, is the former teaches students how to think innovatively and creatively, rather than only within the confines of their major.
According to U.S. News, Bachelor of Arts degrees, which most large universities offer in addition to Bachelor of Science degrees, utilize a liberal arts curriculum, which “emphasizes a broad education and so-called soft skills like communication and writing proficiency, analytical thinking and leadership ability.”
Augustana similarly emphasizes a broad education, as shown by its learning outcomes for students. Along with soft skills addressed through categories like communication competence, students are also expected to develop skills like ethical citizenship and intellectual curiosity.
Soft skills are individualized characteristics and traits that one uses when they interact with others and are sought after by employers. Some examples include communication, teamwork, leadership, creativity and customer service skills, which students can develop with a liberal arts education versus one more major-focused.
When attending a liberal arts college, students take courses required for their major and classes that fulfill a general liberal arts education.
At Augustana, these requirements, or learning perspectives, include Perspective on the Arts (PA), Perspective on Human Values (PH), Perspective on the Individual and Society (PS), Perspective on Literature (PL), Perspective on the Past (PP) and Perspective on the Natural World (PN).
At schools that do not utilize a liberal arts curriculum, students focus more on classes that revolve around their major. Even though this seems beneficial, as students spend more time getting acclimated to their intended field of study, it does have some faults.
If students are immediately thrown into their major without time to explore other options, they might not realize that they have made the wrong decision about what they want to do until it is too late. By taking classes that might not directly correlate with their major, students can figure out if they are pursuing the education they want.
Having an interdisciplinary education and maintaining knowledge of a variety of subjects can be helpful in the long run. Although it may be frustrating for students to craft a schedule that includes courses they need to succeed in their field alongside those needed to graduate, they are actively becoming more well-rounded individuals who can engage in a catalog of different conversations and solve a variety of problems.