Liberal arts travelled from 18th century England to the United States, where its principles of general academic education became strongly connected to the education of free citizens in a new democracy. Liberal arts colleges are still the institutions where most American leaders (left and right) are educated.
Modern liberal arts education is a system of higher education designed to foster in students the desire and capacity to learn, think critically, and communicate proficiently, and to prepare them to function as engaged citizens. It is distinguished by a flexible curriculum that allows for student choice and demands breadth, as well as depth, of study, and by a student-centered pedagogy that is interactive and requires students to engage directly with critical texts within and outside of the classroom. Jonathan Becker,
Dean of international studies at Bard College
The central tenet of liberal arts education is that it is more concerned with the development of the individual than the preparation of the student for a specific vocation. Harking back to its Greek origins, it is concerned with shaping citizens who are capable of being active participants in democratic society. In modern times, it goes beyond this to prepare students to function in a dynamic social environment. The liberal arts wager is that love of learning, capacity for critical thinking, and ability to communicate effectively are, in the course of their lives, more valuable to students than depth of knowledge in one subject. These qualities are particularly important in allowing graduates to adapt to changing social and economic conditions and to help them to continue to grow, learn, and adapt to changing conditions long after they have left the halls of academe.
