Liberal Arts in the United Kingdom

INTRODUCING LIBERAL ARTS

Liberal Arts studies belong to one of the oldest areas of study.

It includes areas of social sciences, such as economics, law and history. Furthermore, it encompasses areas of life sciences, for example, chemistry, geology and physics. Finally, humanities present a part of liberal arts as well, for instance, ethics, art and linguistics.

Liberal Arts course is considered to be interdisciplinary and innovative, flexible enough to enable its students to shape their degree from Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities at the same time. In other words, Liberal Arts degree provides its students with an opportunity to plot their path of studying which, furthermore, gives a variety of career options.

FIVE MAIN QUALITIES OF LIBERAL ARTS STUDIES

Interdisciplinarity and flexibility

The students can form their degree by choosing from a wide range of subjects. They are allowed to choose from Humanities, Social Sciences and Arts. For that reason, the students can study across various disciplines in order to develop insight into different subject matters from different points of view.

Employability

A degree in Liberal Arts prepares you for a wide set of job sectors due to the well-rounded education across a variety of subjects. The insight into a variety of issues from different points of view develops important skills which include doing an independent research along with projects and giving presentations orally. All the skills in question are important for job application.

Studying – abroad possibilities

Many universities offer an international outlook, in other words, studying with people around the globe. A part of the degree includes spending a semester abroad and working with international students in order to receive an insight into other perspectives and approaches to the same subject matter and gain new experience.

Experienced lecturers

Lectures are given by experienced and world-famous academics wh engage students in debates and discussions via seminars and tutorials. Critical thinking is encouraged and developed in Liberal Arts studies.

THE ORIGINS OF LIBERAL ARTS

Liberal Arts originated in ancient Greece and Rome. Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato and other scholars advocated education which encompassed a various range of disciplines. This meant that the true scholar had to be familiar with a range of subjects, and had to be able to look into an issue from various perspectives.

The idea promoted by the Greek and Roman Scholars continued through the Middle Ages when the universities started teaching a variety of disciplines known in the period. The scholars of the time had to possess the ability to look into a problem from different points of view in order to solve it.

It is from the 19th century onwards that there was a tendency to become an expert specialized in an individual discipline rather than being familiar with various disciplines. This, in addition, led to the introduction of subject-specific degrees, which, furthermore, disabled the development of Liberal Arts.

However, the modern times brought the type of academic research that breaks down the boundaries between disciplines and requires skills from multiple subjects in order to address a specific research question.

The modern – times studying opened the door to the Liberal Arts once again, enabling the students to develop thoroughly.