Liberal arts offer something completely different

By Tariq Tahir

Liberal arts courses may be the next big thing as universities – and employers – seek broader skills.

With just 1,000 full-time students, St Mary’s University College Belfast might not be everybody’s idea of a higher education pioneer. But the Catholic teacher training college, tucked away off the Falls Road, has been offering a programme of study for the best part of a decade that might soon become a part of the UK higher education mainstream.

Since 2000, its students have been able to take a BA in liberal arts, a degree common in the US but rare in this country.

Liberal arts is a programme of study aimed at developing a student’s intellect and, though it takes many forms, it can include science and mathematics as well as languages and the humanities. It stands in sharp contrast to traditional degrees in which students focus on a relatively narrow field of study.

With the current review of higher education once again looking at its relationship with business and the type of students we want universities to produce, there are growing numbers who feel the liberal arts degree could provide graduates with the ability to develop their intellect and improve their employability.

If the US experience is anything to go by, employers will be beating a path to the door of these graduates.

As well as the degree at St Mary’s, Winchester University is to begin a liberal arts course next year, and in 2011, University College London, part of the elite Russell Group, added its own liberal arts degree.

Feidhlimidh Magennis, who chairs St Mary’s liberal arts programme team, says the college began thinking about a liberal arts degree after the last major review of higher education, Lord Dearing’s 1997 report. “We read Dearing and he was saying universities should be providing more broad multi-disciplinary degrees and focusing on skills development, and that’s what we wanted to do.

“We looked at liberal arts in the US and this was something that wasn’t on offer here, but it was what Dearing was asking for. We did a survey through various employers here and they were all saying ‘yes’.

“We have one of the highest percentages of widening access success rates in the UK and this is due mainly to designing a liberal arts degree that is non-traditional and provides broad experience. That has been one of our selling points.”

Students choose modules from three areas of study. “Human development studies” looks at politics, philosophy and economics to explore the human condition.

“Ireland in Europe” brings together art, music and political science. Students then choose a specialism from business studies, English, Gaelic, geography, history, physical education or religious studies. Throughout their degree, students undertake work placements.

Danielle O’Neill is a mature student who was a secretary in a school before enrolling on the BA in liberal arts at St Mary’s.

“I was unsure what path I wanted to take, so the liberal arts degree offered something different and more diverse. It intrigued me and I wasn’t restricted in where it would take me. All the subjects are dealing with issues that are current and relevant to today’s job market.

“I was offered places at other universities, but this is something completely different. It also gave me the opportunity to go out into the workplace. I had the idea of maybe going into teaching, but through this degree I have completely changed my mind and I’m in the process of applying for a master’s in European policy and legislative studies. I’ve done a U-turn. ”

Nigel Tubbs, professor of philosophical and educational thought at Winchester University, argues that a trained mind is as important as learning vocational skills.

“It’s a complete con to say to 18-year-olds that the intellect should not be trained for its own sake alongside other skills. I think that we can and should make a case for the intellect in employability. ”

Tubbs says that when the university began sounding out opinion from local schools and colleges about liberal arts the feedback was generally positive.

“When students go out into the world, it’s a fast-changing environment; jobs come and go; different skills are needed. It’s a person’s intellect that is going to make them able to respond quickly to the world around them.”

EXERCISE 20. Arrange role-plays on the following subjects; be as imaginative as you can:

a) You are talking with the famous philosopher.

b) You are talking with the psychologist.

EXERCISE 21. Talk on one of these topics:

a) Philosophy.

b) History.

c) Political science.

d) Jurisprudence.

e) Sociology.

UNIT V