Liberal Arts Education Defense

[Babs]

Besides, there's always law school!

[Babs]

Is it just me, or is it really hard to take seriously a guy sporting a mullett?

[Surfah]

Besides, there's always law school!

I got so damn tired of people asking me about law school.

[il Padrino Ute]

If one wants to get a liberal arts degree, I say go for it. But one shouldn't bitch about the salary commensurate with a liberal arts degree, as one should know that it doesn't pay much.

[wuapinmon]

I think he was just kidding.

At least someone pays attention.

[SeattleUte]

http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/com...n-of-democracy

This should be an interesting thread. Of course, I agree with him. I'm curious as to what the professionals, college grads, and college moms and dads among us think.

To suggest it needs a defense is to give too much. All professional and B-schools are heavily biased in favor of liberal arts education. Smart employers are too. Unless you're hiring engineers, better to hire someone who has learned to think critically and express clearly. Of course engineers are in a special class with all the hard sciences. Stupidest degree is a business degree. Get a liberal arts education, strong work experience, and then get an MBA at a good school.

[mUUser]

From a practical standpoint, I'd encourage my kids to persue a LE only if it was a prelude to a professional program (MBA, law etc...).

As a stand-alone program...not so crazy about the idea. Eventually, I want them out of the house, preferrably earning lots of $$, taking care of themselves.

[Surfah]

From a practical standpoint, I'd encourage my kids to persue a LE only if it was a prelude to a professional program (MBA, law etc...).

As a stand-alone program...not so crazy about the idea. Eventually, I want them out of the house, preferrably earning lots of $$, taking care of themselves.

Dad?

[SeattleUte]

A 4 year liberal education degree and a buck will buy you a coke.

You just put on an "I'm an idiot" sign. Way to go. It will follow you your whole life.

BTW, widespread lack of appreciation for liberal arts education is exactly what learned people would expect from a bunch of BYU alumni.

[Jeff Lebowski]

To suggest it needs a defense is to give too much. All professional and B-schools are heavily biased in favor of liberal arts education. Smart employers are too. Unless you're hiring engineers, better to hire someone who has learned to think critically and express clearly. Of course engineers are in a special class with all the hard sciences. Stupidest degree is a business degree. Get a liberal arts education, strong work experience, and then get an MBA at a good school.

[wuapinmon]

To suggest it needs a defense is to give too much. All professional and B-schools are heavily biased in favor of liberal arts education. Smart employers are too. Unless you're hiring engineers, better to hire someone who has learned to think critically and express clearly. Of course engineers are in a special class with all the hard sciences. Stupidest degree is a business degree. Get a liberal arts education, strong work experience, and then get an MBA at a good school.

Sadly, the Academy is succumbing to the same pressures that have taken over the Church. Highly effective people pay lip service to the Liberal Arts while sicariiing programs in the night. "Why do we really need an Art History department when we have an Art department?"

[SeattleUte]

I think you miunderstood me.

[YOhio]

I think you miunderstood me.

What did you expect from a BYU alum?

[SeattleUte]

Sadly, the Academy is succumbing to the same pressures that have taken over the Church. Highly effective people pay lip service to the Liberal Arts while sicariiing programs in the night. "Why do we really need an Art History department when we have an Art department?"

Art history is a revered degree anyplace that matters. But you woudn't usually wear it on your sleeve. To be sure, being effective matters more than education per se. But even in the rough and tumble meritocracy of high business, it still helps to know your Rembrandt, your Picasso, your Gothic, your Georgian, etc., and their context. It also helps to keep you sane and even happy.

[wuapinmon]

Art history is a revered degree anyplace that matters. But you woudn't usually wear it on your sleeve. To be sure, being effective matters more than education per se. But even in the rough and tumble meritocracy of high business, it still helps to know your Rembrandt, your Picasso, your Gothic, your Georgian, etc., and their context. It also helps to keep you sane and even happy.

Well, we're starting a trend to "mattering" mattering only to the rich; the great American invention of the Humanities seems to be drawing to a close. (America "inventing" the Humanities is Geoffrey Harpham's idea, not mine).