What Does Liberal Arts Mean?

Saint Michael’s has a liberal arts core.  What does that mean?

Liberal Arts is not a course or a specific program. It is an educational approach. Students, in addition to gaining expertise in their chosen specialty like business, engineering, biology, computer science, journalism, theatre, or any of the twenty-nine majors offered at Saint Michael’s, will also:

  • discover how to think and solve problems
  • develop skills on how to learn and study
  • build or expand an international perspective
  • gain intellectual curiosity
  • achieve a solid foundation in many other subjects
  • become skilled in how to think critically, make analytical judgments, and understand complex concepts
  • be prepared for their entire careers, not just their first job out of the university


Better Jobs?
Evidence suggests that students of liberal arts advance more quickly into middle and senior management positions than their colleagues who pursued other fields of study. Employers like to hire liberal arts graduates because they have practical skills as well as the knowledge of how to adapt and apply what they’ve learned to new situations. Post-graduate schools appreciate liberal arts graduates because they have learned how to write and express themselves orally, preparing them for the rigors of advanced degree programs.

Some say that the majority of students in university today will one day work in a job that doesn’t even exist yet.  Liberal Arts universities prepare students for this job by giving them the skills needed to function in a changing world.


Greater Knowledge Equals Greater Success
Students graduate from Saint Michael’s with an expertise in their academic major, which is the subject they study the most. Additionally, they gain knowledge in other subjects. Here are just a few examples of how this could be beneficial:

  • engineering majors who also study business are better prepared to start their own engineering company
  • theatre majors who also study marketing are better prepared to work for a major film studio or be a television producer
  • journalism majors who also study history are prepared to develop a deeper understanding on their story subjects
  • pre-medical students who take courses in philosophy or religion have more than just a medical understanding of the human condition
  • computer science majors who study art may have the creativity needed to succeed at designing or developing computer games
  • business majors who study environmental science may be better prepared to run a successful business that doesn’t harm the environment


What else is good about Liberal Arts?
The future benefits of studying at a liberal arts college or university are clear, but how about today’s benefits?  Here are some aspects about Saint Michael’s that make it an excellent place to study and learn:

  • students are taught by faculty, not teaching assistants
  • the classes are small with an average of 15 students
  • professors take a genuine interest in their students and get to know them
  • students graduate with an expertise in their major and get to take other courses
  • students make friends outside their major field of study