NationStates Jolt Archive

While spending the entire day studying General Psychology 100 for my university during summer courses, I pondered the meaning of a liberal arts education...

I understand that a liberal arts education is suppose to make all students well-rounded individuals, but I do believe - when it comes to me, personally - that a liberal arts education is the downfall of my college education.

Stastically, I failed three of my five classes my first semester of college; I failed my General Education credits: General Psychology, General Biology, and French 101. I passed my other two classes: Introduction to Language Study and English Composition 110.

I think it's important to point out at this juncture that I am an English major, with an emphasis on Journalism and an International Studies minor.

Why do I say that's important knowledge to have during this post?

Well, for starters, I excel in my English classes. I have since my elementary school days, and I've tended to slack off in my other classes not centered on English. I always did horribly in mathematics and science classes, and had to be tutored in high school in both in order to graduate.

Currently, because of my poor performance in my liberal arts classes, I am on Academic Probation and if I don't pass both summer courses (General Psychology and Early American Literature), I will be dismissed from my university.

I know some of my friends are the same way. They are either the English-y types or the Mathematic-y types, and they perform poorly in those subjects not related to their specialties.

What d'you lot think of liberal arts education? Are you for it or against it? What are your experiences with it?

i bet there is a conservative sitting somewhere reading this thinknig liberal arts art pieces of artwork that are anti-bush

I think you need to study harder.

That's sorta harsh, but context is everything, something that should be relevant to you as a english and journalism major. If you don't have a general understanding of the world you live in you'll never really excel at the two things you are trying to do. You'll only be a grammar editor. If that's the life you want to live, sure. Yikes. But arguing that it shouldn't exists cause 'You don't wanna...," none of that. You know it's important, and I suspect you know why. Study, sucka. Otherwise they'd just give you the diploma when the check clears.

I think at least a limited liberal arts education is important, especially for a journalist. I wouldn't extend that to psychology, but I doubt you had to take that.

It's a good idea for those that don't know what they'll do in life. But Tuesday Heights, it sounded like you knew what to do, so maybe that's why you flunked the other courses.

I think you need to study harder.

I study, that's part of the problem; I think I am unmotivated, because I don't understand why I need to take that type of class.

I understand why a liberal arts education is important to society, and to do things within society, but I think I am already a pretty well-rounded person without having to take General Education credits to prove it to my university. Does that make sense?

I think at least a limited liberal arts education is important, especially for a journalist. I wouldn't extend that to psychology, but I doubt you had to take that.

Ah, unfortunately, I had to take General Psychology my first semester. My college, Millersville University, doesn't allow incoming freshmen to pick their own courses for the first semester. So, the General Education classes I had weren't chosen by me.

I would've opted not to take Psychology, because I hated it in high school, for starters if I had the choice.

It's a good idea for those that don't know what they'll do in life.

I agree with you there; I know many students who have taken liberal arts courses that have led them to what they want to do for the rest of their lives; me, however, knew since I was a junior in high school that I wanted to be a journalist.

Given that i have one i guess i had better vote for, even if only for the sake of my self esteem.

Lol! :d

I agree with you there; I know many students who have taken liberal arts courses that have led them to what they want to do for the rest of their lives; me, however, knew since I was a junior in high school that I wanted to be a journalist.
Then you should've gone to a good journalism school. But, what can I say? We can't alter the past, now can we?

Then you should've gone to a good journalism school. But, what can I say? We can't alter the past, now can we?

Well, if my parents were rich, then, maybe I could've afforded to go Ivy League...

The liberal arts are not just about being a "well-rounded person". It's about learning to think. It's what's left of classical education after it was retooled to spit out automatons.

The liberal arts are not just about being a "well-rounded person". It's about learning to think. It's what's left of classical education after it was retooled to spit out automatons.

But, not all students - especially in college - are merely "automatons." I'm definitely not one, as you can see from the way I express myself and such on NS.

Well, if my parents were rich, then, maybe I could've afforded to go Ivy League...
Did you know, actually, that about $100 million earmarked for college financial aid is never spent? It's real easy these days to find a scholarship. The trouble is that no one does.

I think your 3700+ post count might be part of the problem. ;)

I think your 3700+ post count might be part of the problem. ;)

Haha.

Did you know, actually, that about $100 million earmarked for college financial aid is never spent? It's real easy these days to find a scholarship. The trouble is that no one does.

Problem is, I don't qualify for most because I'm already getting aid or because I don't make the grades.

The liberal arts are not just about being a "well-rounded person". It's about learning to think. It's what's left of classical education after it was retooled to spit out automatons.
But, not all students - especially in college - are merely "automatons." I'm definitely not one, as you can see from the way I express myself and such on NS.

Ooohhh! Goody! Time for one of my pet extreme opinions. ;)

The downfall of modern education was when universities caved in to the teaching of subjects that really should be the domain of on-the-job experience training, apprenticeships, or technical schools.
Journalism, for example, may better be learned by going to work for a paper and learning the business of running a paper, magazine, etc. from experience.

For. I'm fine with college and want to go but I'm going on my own and think everyone else should to known of this government support crap but thats me. I'm great with english and political science/economics would serve me well and I'm very much a history guy thats my best course and always has been. Math I do not so well usually a B or around there.

I think at least a limited liberal arts education is important, especially for a journalist. I wouldn't extend that to psychology, but I doubt you had to take that.

Psychology is useful in many fields. It gives you insight on how to deal with people, and how peoples' minds work. Depending on what you're doing in journalism, you may be dealing with a number of people.

I had a liberal arts education, and while most of the classes I took were in my major and minor, I got some other very good background information, helping me to understand how many disciplines come together to form the whole. I took all classes I wanted to (at first, at least - I may have changed my mind later), and avoided those I didn't. Through clever scheduling, you can get in a lot. I know one girl planning to go into neuroscience who claims that she never had to overload on classes or any such thing out of the usual routine, yet she graduated with 4 majors.

I'm very glad I had my liberal arts education...I'd imagine college would have been a lot more bland if I would have only taken classes pertinent to my major.

While spending the entire day studying General Psychology 100 for my university during summer courses, I pondered the meaning of a liberal arts education...

I understand that a liberal arts education is suppose to make all students well-rounded individuals, but I do believe - when it comes to me, personally - that a liberal arts education is the downfall of my college education.

Stastically, I failed three of my five classes my first semester of college; I failed my General Education credits: General Psychology, General Biology, and French 101. I passed my other two classes: Introduction to Language Study and English Composition 110.

I think it's important to point out at this juncture that I am an English major, with an emphasis on Journalism and an International Studies minor.

Why do I say that's important knowledge to have during this post?

Well, for starters, I excel in my English classes. I have since my elementary school days, and I've tended to slack off in my other classes not centered on English. I always did horribly in mathematics and science classes, and had to be tutored in high school in both in order to graduate.

Currently, because of my poor performance in my liberal arts classes, I am on Academic Probation and if I don't pass both summer courses (General Psychology and Early American Literature), I will be dismissed from my university.

I know some of my friends are the same way. They are either the English-y types or the Mathematic-y types, and they perform poorly in those subjects not related to their specialties.

What d'you lot think of liberal arts education? Are you for it or against it? What are your experiences with it?

liberal arts is great, if for no other reason than it keeps people humble. a history major who thinks they are about the smartest thing ever will learn different when they try to take into bio, and a biology major who thinks she owns the world will be brought to Earth when she takes English and finds out that writing skills are just as important as lab technique.

personally i think liberal arts is great, and i majored across fields (psychology, philosophy, biology) because i was so excited about it. being well rounded is more than just nice for your resume, it makes you better at whatever single field you choose to enter. being able to write well and fluently makes me a better scientist, and being able to think analytically and deductively makes me a better English student or philosopher, or whatever.

i often heard people bitch about their libarts requirements at school, and i probably did some bitching myself when things got really annoying. but when it comes down to it, you are better when you come through it than you were before. you have seen more different parts of the world, from more different angles, and whatever you choose to do will be helped by your experience.

So, what you're saying, Bottle, is that once I'm done with my education, I might appreciate my liberal arts education more than I do now?