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Liberal Arts Education in the 21st Century

In an overall view, all are familiar with the importance of liberal education. Ollis, Neeley & Luegnbiehl consider liberal education to serve as a transmission of a good cultural heritage to citizens making them loyal for an ideal society (12). In another perspective as discussed by Schneider in her article “In Defence of a Liberal Education”, liberal education can be defined as incorporation of critical thinking and other analytical skills in the curriculum. Today, many students leave the university with the knowledge of solving multiple choice questions, yet while in the job market, they are unable to critically analyse situations and come up with the necessary solutions. This is a major issue that has been brought forth by many employers forcing the universities to incorporate Liberal Arts Education in the school curriculum. This paper seeks to examine the importance of Liberal Arts Education in the 21st Century by supporting the statement “Liberal Arts Education is not successfully implemented in schools and colleges”

As explored in the article “In Defence of a Liberal Education”, the curriculum in different institutions are designed in different ways. Some of them are excellently executed preparing students to make analytical and critical decisions being keen of the ethical, societal and civic implications that come with the decisions they make. Programs charged with the responsibility of providing such kind of knowledge and skills are present in all colleges both in public or private and others are also found in high schools. The question that lingers is; why are the students not benefiting from these programs?

Some of the courses are narrowly framed providing job skills and technical training, but little or no insight into the community, global issues and the society. Such program will definitely prepare the students to get employment but will not help them in the world where industries are changing to conform to the world economic changes as discussed in the article “Looking forward: liberal education in the 21st century”

As explored by Schneider, other courses are incoherent and fragmented causing confusion to the students. Most of them do not understand why they are required to take combinations of both Science and Arts classes. Therefore most science students lack liberal Arts education which according to ollis et al is necessary for one to be considered well educated (17).

Today, it is easy for an employer to differentiate between students who have gone through the liberal art programs that were well implemented as compared to those whose courses were incoherent and fragmented. It is for this reason that the government has taken keen interest in reintroducing liberal arts education in colleges to curb this escalating problem of “half-baked” professionals. In Schneider’s views in the article “In Defence of a Liberal Education”, curriculum designed to incorporate liberal education will be the best investment the United States will make for continued prosperity.

Works Cited

Fong Bobby. “Looking forward: liberal education in the 21st century”, 2004

Ollis, Neeley & Luegnbiehl. Liberal Education in the 21st Century. New York:

Lang Publishing, Inc, 2004. Print.

Schneider Carol. “In Defence of a Liberal Education”. Forbes. October 08,

2009.