The New Liberal Arts- Summary In the article, “The New Liberal Arts,” author Sanford J. Ungar addresses several misperceptions that people have about the importance of Liberal arts education in today’s world. In doing so, he highlights seven misperceptions that people have and then provides a logical correction to them. In his article, the first misperception claims that people should focus more on career education rather than liberal arts education. On contrary, Ungar argues that the society today, demand individual’s who have preparation in all fields, which liberal arts provide. The second misperception claims that “The college graduates are finding it harder to get good jobs with liberal arts degrees” (Ungar, 228). But, Ungar explains that, …show more content…
The fourth misperception that he tries to correct is that people think that study of science and math have more topic to cover than liberal arts education. Ungar proves them wrong by saying that liberal arts is a broad concept and covers almost all the field of education. In the fifth point, he suggests that there is no relationship between liberal democrats and liberal arts education. Furthermore, he explains that “liberal arts promotes the idea of listening to all point of view and not relying on a single ideology”(Ungar, 230). In other words, liberal arts education involve lots of critical thinking about a subject. The sixth misperception that Ungar mention, claims that the United States is the only country in the world that focuses on liberal arts education. To prove this wrong, he argues that several other major countries including China, Europe, and Germany have been promoting liberal arts education in their countries. In his last point, he explains that post-high school education may be expensive, but the government always try to help students with low income by providing them funds. Thus, Ungar concludes the article by reaffirming that “Through immersion in liberal arts, students learn not just to make a living, but also to live a life rich in
“The New Liberal Arts” Sanford Ungar - Collaborative Summary Sanford J. Ungar was the president of Goucher College, located in Baltimore, Maryland. He wrote this essay to debunk common misperceptions about liberal arts colleges and the education provided by them. The first misperception he confronts is the idea that a liberal arts education has become far too expensive for most families to afford; therefore, it would be better if potential students focused on education specific to their desired career. Ungar argues that this is not the case. He asserts that it is better for young people to have a well-rounded liberal arts education that will prepare them for a plethora of career paths rather than having an education based solely on one career
In his article, “The New Liberal Arts,” Sanford J Ungar argues that a Liberal Arts degree can help one become a more creative, well-rounded person. Common misconceptions based off of perceived value of liberal arts, the cost of getting an education in such, and politics of liberal Democrats contend otherwise, but each of these are refuted. In Ungar’s opinion the first argument against liberal arts, that it has no value, is disproven because liberal arts inspires creativity. This aids students in their chosen career, whether it be in the arts or the sciences, by helping them think in different ways. Furthermore, by being able to think in divergent ways they are more attractive to potential employers.
In the article "The New Liberal Arts", author Sanford J. Ungar takes a stance on the benefits and the need for students to pursue a liberal arts education. Ungar argues that despite modern day critique of liberal education, from his point of view as a liberal arts college president the criticisms and naysayers are futile. He swiftly and authoritively defends the affordable cost of a liberal education, employers desiring graduates with liberal education degrees, and the ability for those holding liberal arts degrees to compete with those pursuing science and mathematics majors. While Ungar's work has a great general idea, some of his specified points lack the evidence to truly stand on their own two feet. A liberal arts education is a useful
In William Cronon’s essay “Only Connect” he poses the question to his audience on trying to deduce the concept of liberal education. Cronon makes it clear within his essay that a liberal education goes beyond earning a degree and fulfilling credit hours; to him there's something more deeper in a liberal education that helps shape an individual’s life. He discusses some historical background information on where liberal education came from by citing how the word “liberal” developed throughout time and he even mentions how the liberal arts curriculum developed. Throughout, the majority of the essay Cronon makes a valid argument on what the purpose of a liberal education does for individuals pursuing college. In his opinion, he believes a liberal
In Charles Murray’s article, “Down With the Four-Year College Degree”, he discusses how he believes the four year degree is ruining college education. Murray exemplifies the ludicrousness of the four year degree when he says: Imagine that you have been made a member of a task force to design America’s post-secondary education system from scratch. One of your colleagues submits this proposal: First, we will set up a single goal to represent educational success, which will take four years to achieve no matter what is being taught. We will attach an economic reward to it that often has nothing to do with what has been learned.
The value of the STEM system (science, technology, engineering, and math) is steering the education world in a new and positive direction, although some may believe otherwise. In Lloyd Bentsen’s article, “the United States educational system will continue to fail our children,” he talks about how he disagrees with Zakaria, another writer stating his views on the STEM system. Bentsen believes the STEM system will benefit America. In Scott Gerber’s article, “How Liberal Arts Colleges Are Failing America,” he talks about how people can correlate their majors into entrepreneurship. Lastly, in Fareed Zakaria’s article, “Why America’s obsession with STEM education is dangerous,” he shares his belief that our obsession with STEM is just a way to overlook
In the article “Why We Undervalue a Liberal Arts Education” by Adam Chapnick, the author points to reasons why the liberal arts degree is undervalued. While his article lacks direction, it is effective because he talks about the topics he promised and he backs up his claims efficiently through the use of ethos,pathos and logos. Overall his argument is legitimate and the article is well written. To my understanding, the article is analyzing the way the world looks at liberal arts degrees and how they should be teaching the students to appreciate them. Chapnick clearly thinks that the liberal arts degree is unappreciated by today’s society as you can see in this quote, “The message coming from the policy world is clear: if you want
Finding value in the word liberal education might be difficult to comprehend. We often don’t hear enough about the topic. William Cornon’s, the author of the essay “Only connect...” The Goals of Liberal Education elaborates two important values liberal education could partake in freedom and growth. The core values he preaches are essential to practice in everyday life.
People go to college to get a good paying job, have job security, and get a degree. Well at least that’s what it should be about. That’s what Charles Murray believes in his essay “Are Too Many People Going to College.” Murray counters the argument of Sanford Ungar who believes colleges should have a more liberal approach towards its classes and have students actually learn a broad range of real life skills instead of just going into a career just because it pays well. In Ungar’s essay he explains the misperception that Americans have on obtaining a liberal-arts degree and how they believe it doesn’t translate well to the real world.
Today, in the era of big data, machinery, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), it is common to hear that liberal arts degrees and humanities majors are, well, comparatively worthless. Edward Conard, the author of the essay "We don't need more humanities majors", stands by this idea and argues that individuals with degrees in the STEM fields contribute far more to the economy and society than those who major and get degrees in the humanities/liberal arts field. This is actually not the case. Humanities help us understand people through their histories, cultures, and language with majors having an emphasis on languages, literature, music, art, and philosophy. Without humanities, we would not have been able to progress
In Charles Murray’s essay “Are Too Many People Going to College,” he believes that the concept of college has changed over the years. According to him, a four-year college is no longer as necessary as it was when it was first created because most jobs requires more on job training. He also adds to his reasoning by mentioning that because of the advancement of internet, physical libraries and the physical proximity of student and teachers is less important. Because of the changes he noticed he believes that people should go to college but not for liberal education. He makes the claim that the basic core knowledge of liberal education should be learned in elementary and middle school and that only people with high academic abilities should be encouraged to go to college.
Liberal Arts Self-Assessment There are many benefits to achieving a Liberal Arts education. A Liberal Arts education provides the learner with a broad range of information to help guide them in a direction that create intellectual growth. Liberal Arts cover a wide range of subjects and creates a solid foundation for many other areas of study. A Liberal Arts education teaches you how to think, learn, see things as a whole, makes you a better communicator, and problem solver. A Liberal Arts education is the most important factor in creating critically thinking, well rounded interesting individuals.
Going to college for many students is just a normal part of life. It is what will enable them to get an education that eventually will lead to get a well-paid job and the resources and the status to live a comfortable life. But for college professor, Andrew Delbanco, the American college has a higher purpose. In the article “College at Risk”, Delbanco states that colleges should be promoting critical thinking among students, through knowledge of the past and the interaction with each other; as well as, help them discover their talents and passions and figure out what they want to do in life. This type of education is called liberal arts and for Delbanco, it represents the ideal education.
In “Are Too Many People Going to College?” Charles Murray offers his opinion on the number of students that pursue a B.A. He believes that two year or four year colleges are not needed for a majority of students who could instead pursue other life paths. He discusses the ability for the general knowledge needed to be learned in primary and secondary school, and for a lessened need for a “brick-and-mortar” institution the problems with the current secondary and higher educational issues including the lessened need to acquire a B.A. All members of society need certain skills in order to be productive members of society. They need to know general facts about the country they live in, general history, and general geography.
n the essay entitled "Will the Humanities Save Us?", the author, Stanley Fish, exposes respective arguments advanced by those who support and do not support Arts and Humanities as parts of the college curricula. In other words, Fish cites several justifications (as he calls them) offered by several observers why Arts and Humanities receive less or minimal funding or assistance. On the other hand, Fish balances his criticism by quoting some authors that shed positive lights relative to what Arts and Humanities can provide not just in the academic culture but as well how it enhances life in general. However, at the end, Fish gives his own personal critical opinion of what and how Arts and Humanities can or cannot impact education in partucular