The Value of a Liberal Arts Education in the Career Planning Process
Dr. Patricia Chase
I recently received an e-mail from the mother of a high school senior
who questioned the career value of a liberal arts education. This is a
question that has become more common with the onset of state programs
such as Career Pathways that have begun pointing students toward
technical fields and specific career choices as early as junior high.
My response to her was that now, more than ever, we should encourage
our students to become educated in the liberal arts. There are, and
will always be, plenty of careers waiting for people who are creative
problem-solvers able to work with a wide variety of people.
Often career success requires creativity, thought, and a knowledge base
that includes the understanding of history, society and different
cultures. One must be able to think analytically, communicate
effectively, deal with change, and develop innovative ways to find
solutions to problems. In addition, technology and improved
communication networks have brought the world closer together. In a
single day we may fly cross-country for meetings, negotiate with
people from different cultures, or communicate our understanding of
foreign languages or economic systems.
Employers in both the public and private sectors need people who can
think and adapt in accordance with the needs of a rapidly changing
world. A liberal arts education encourages students to approach
challenges creatively while preparing them to work in a variety of
fields. A few years ago The Wall Street Journal reported that more top
executives held degrees in liberal arts than in any other fields. It is
clear that a liberal arts curriculum promotes the innovation,
communication, cross-cultural understanding and analytical skills
necessary for success in most any profession.
The purpose of a liberal arts education is not to train students to do
a specific job or to do one particular thing; rather the focus of
liberal arts is to prepare students to do anything and everything. This
is what makes liberal arts graduates valuable to organizations and
successful in post-graduate programs. Throughout their studies students
will acquire a broad knowledge base that will serve them throughout
their lives and in the real world. They will graduate with an
understanding of a wide range of subjects, solid thinking, writing,
reasoning, and analytical skills and, most importantly, a degree of
self-understanding that could not have been achieved elsewhere.
