Discover the Liberal Arts

A liberal arts education will prepare you to meet the world as you find it, and adapt as it changes.

Today's workplace is demanding. Employers are assigning a higher level of responsibility to employees and asking them to use more extensive skills than in the past. 

With a liberal arts education from UND, you graduate with the technological literacy required and the communication and critical thinking skills to thrive. You'll be prepared to change jobs or even careers if needed.

A Future That Works

The UND College of Arts & Sciences educates the whole person. While the push to encourage STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields is important, it is insufficient. Narrow specialization is more than limiting to graduates, it can ultimately delay or derail their careers in an economy that demands strategic thinkers, and innovative decision makers.

Building on this foundation through Essential Studies, students in the College of Arts & Sciences undertake rigorous coursework in one of 18 departments, or 11 special programs. Each department or program is different, creating a unique blend of liberal and applied learning in each respective field. Through the context of each department or program, liberal arts students develop knowledge and skills that cut across disciplines.

 

Why study liberal arts?

A liberal arts background will equip you to learn and apply knowledge in your personal, professional and civic lives.

What is liberal arts?

Think - liberty. The "liberal" in liberal arts has less to do with our current political debates and much more to do with the historical use of the term. Educating citizens so that they may participate in and contribute to society has always been the goal of a liberal education.

"Liberal Education: An approach to college learning that empowers individuals and prepares them to deal with complexity, diversity, and change. This approach emphasizes broad knowledge of the wider world (e.g., science, culture, and society) as well as in-depth achievement in a specific field of interest. It helps students develop a sense of social responsibility; strong intellectual and practical skills that span all major fields of study, such as communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills; and the demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills in real-world settings.

Association of American Colleges and Universities

What can you do with a liberal arts degree?

Liberal arts doesn't train you for a narrow specialty. Rather, the purpose of a liberal arts education is lifelong-learning, exploration, and discovery. Classes in liberal arts disciplines often involve writing, crafting an argument, supporting a point of view with research, and defending or discussing your idea with others. These skills don't apply to one field--they apply to many. Evidence suggests this is what employers are looking for. In a survey of more than 300 employers , the areas in which they felt colleges needed to increase their focus most include:

1. Written and oral communication - 89%
2. Critical thinking and analytical reasoning - 81%
3. Application of knowledge and skills in real-world settings - 79%
4. Complex problem-solving and analysis - 75%
5. Ethical decision-making - 75%
6. Teamwork skills - 71%
7. Innovation and creativity - 70%
8. Concepts and developments in science and technology - 70%

Employers’ Views On College in The Wake of The Economic Downturn

The scholarly study of documents and artifacts produced by human beings in the past enables us to see the world from different points of view so that we may better understand ourselves.Geoffrey HarphamThe Humanities and the Dream of America (2011)