In today’s economic environment, students are increasingly focusing on matching the degree they earn with the job market after they graduate. To be competitive in today’s job market, students need to graduate with marketable skills. They also need to become broadly educated individuals.
Many people still value a liberal arts education because it provides a broad understanding of a wide range of subject areas and it encourages the acquisition of knowledge rather than information, thereby creating a more “well-rounded” individual. In the past, employers sought these graduates with generalized skills.
In a New York Times article titled “Making College Relevant” (2009), Kate Zernike points out that a liberal arts college in Maine is offering free classes or paid student loans for a year to any student who cannot find work in their field within six months of graduation. She also points to other examples such as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, which is eliminating its philosophy major, and Michigan State University, which is doing away with its American studies and classics offerings. Zernike goes on to point out that parents and students are “increasingly focused on what comes after college. What’s the return on investment…”

November 17th, 2010
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