One of the most popular forms of college education out there isn’t the study of one particular industry in order to succeed in it. A liberal studies degree, or a liberal arts degree, is one of the best degrees you can get in college—even though it isn’t quite as obviously “practical”.
In today’s climate, “practical” is often synonymous with “good,” so why is a degree in Liberal Studies one of the best types of college degree you can get?
This article will walk you through everything you need to know about the wonderful world of liberal studies and five reasons you should get a liberal studies degree.
- You’ll Increase Your Wisdom
No matter what sort of college degree you get, you’re going to learn something. However, it’s the purpose of a liberal arts degree not just to teach you something, but to teach you how to think.
Those studying in the world of liberal arts read and analyze works of art, poetry, history, philosophy, culture, communications, and documents. They gain an all-around understanding of the way the world, knowledge, and culture operate.
Harold Bloom once famously said that we read because we cannot know enough people deeply enough. In our lives, we can only encounter a certain amount of people, meet a significantly smaller number of them, get to know less, and get to truly know even less.
Liberal arts majors engage with some of the best thinkers and minds to have ever existed—as they’ve done their best work. Not everyone lays out their ideas as well as the great thinkers, philosophers, poets, artists, etc. Liberal studies majors, through their broad thought, gain a sense of this wisdom.
Liberal studies degrees are often criticized for not being practical enough. Indeed, they don’t teach one the skills one needs for a specific job; they do, however, teach skills that can be applied to any job. What could be more practical than that?
- Employers Love Liberal Studies
It’s no secret that employers prefer people who have college degrees to those who do not. College graduates aren’t necessarily better workers—but when an employer is looking for employees, a college degree shows that a person is able to deal with stress and finish out a long-term commitment.
Employers enjoy hiring people with liberal arts degrees because they often understand that the best workers know how to work smarter and not harder. People with liberal studies degrees are far more likely to come with creative, innovative solutions to a business’s problems, which can only do employers well.
- You Can Keep Seeking
One of the most stressful parts of attending college is being forced to pick a major. It can feel like you hardly understand your interest before you’re being asked to sign the next four, six, or eight years of your life away. This is compounded if you feel compelled to get a degree in something that relates to your ideal career.
When you pursue a degree in liberal studies, you keep your options open. You can encounter several different types of the life sciences, arts, and humanities, and learn what your favorite is from there. Then, you can specialize through a major, grad school, or career path.
Once again, the purpose of a liberal studies degree is to cultivate wisdom. The wisdom and knowledge you require will ultimately benefit you no matter where you go.
- Your Taste Will Become Impeccable
The above advantages of a liberal arts degree are relatively serious and professional.
However, another advantage of this sort of degree is the way that it will enhance your personal life. Not least among these is the incredible taste in art and culture you’ll develop.
Liberal arts majors read, listen to, and experience the best. They become the person in the friend group who knows all of the best books to read, plays to see, poems to quote, countries to visit, and foods to eat. If you’ve always wanted to consider yourself a wealth of knowledge, we highly recommend getting a liberal arts degree.
- Liberal Studies Are Varied
The liberal study is a term that purposefully requires an opinion to define. Different colleges have different understandings of what the term “liberal studies” means.
In some colleges, you might study critical theory, writing, history, and literature. In others, you might study art history, religion, or philosophy. At the end of the day, each degree is going to be different.
This means that if you like the idea of liberal studies as you’re picking out colleges, you don’t need to feel like you’re limited to one path. Find a school that reflects your own values. Liberal studies is about independent thinking after all.
Indeed, some liberal studies allow a significant degree of self-direction, only requiring a certain amount of classes to be taken, and leaving the rest of the classes that a student takes up to them.
On top of this, there are other colleges that value a wide variety of flexibility for those who want to engage with the liberal arts. Certain fine arts programs, such as the one at the University of the Arts, purposefully drop course requirements progressively throughout each semester, so that by the student’s “conservatory” training is complete, they can grow in their wisdom as well.
For more information on the variety that comes with liberal studies, check out this list of 10 Liberal Studies Degrees. This will act as your comprehensive guide to the best liberal studies education.
Get a Liberal Studies Degree
As you can see, there are many reasons—practically, aesthetically, and personally—why a person should get a liberal studies degree.
Liberal studies, at the end of the day, teach one to be a wise, deep-thinking, well-rounded person. This will wind up benefiting someone in their personal and professional life.
For more information like this, check out our other education articles!