Educational Goals
The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences defines liberal education to include four major components:
1. central elements of knowledge, including:
a. knowledge of the diversity and significant dimensions of human culture and a specific understanding of American culture, including its political and ethnic diversity
b. aesthetic awareness and appreciation of the cultural contributions made to the human experience by the social sciences and humanities
c. an understanding of the methods of inquiry and development of theory that are the bases of knowledge in the natural and physical sciences
2. essential skills for analysis, writing, computation, communication, and decision-making
3. the development of a constructive orientation toward society through the enhancement of the individual's capacity to make informed and responsible choices based on reflective consideration of the democratic principles of due process, civil liberties, and the balance between individualism and the common good
4. the ability to apply knowledge of the arts and sciences to society's specific needs
The college works to instill in students and understanding of these components through required skills and core courses and through the knowledge and skills required by each major program in the college.