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INDIA: +91 080 41234927 | WHATSAPP: +91 6366 834954

Minnu’s Minute: A Liberal Arts Education

What is a liberal arts education? I was introduced to the concept only in my 12th grade. According to the Association of American Colleges and Universities, Liberal arts education is a “philosophy of education that empowers individuals with broad knowledge and transferable skills, and a stronger sense of values, ethics, and civic engagement.” With a liberal arts education, an individual not only walks out with a broader knowledge of the world but gains a specialized understanding in a specific area of interest. Experiencing this philosophy of education, I can confidently stand behind it and say that it has prepared me to be a productive and contributing member of our society.
In a liberal arts education, I recognized the importance of the required courses in the field of humanities, sciences and social sciences. Economics was my specific area of study and the required courses made me aware of the other subjects that indirectly affect economies. For example, my sociology class gave me a better insight to my development economics research paper and about the income disparity in Sub-Saharan African counties.
I reluctantly took my required philosophy class. I thought I would sleep through the class for the rest of the semester. However, little did I know that it would change and strengthen the beliefs and moral values! The classes made me reflect upon how I developed my beliefs and ethical value system. This is just one example, however many other classes made me more conscious and critical about how I made personal or professional decisions. It became reflexive for me to think about the various impacts my decisions could make on my environment.
Liberal arts education also made me more creative in problem-solving. My professors encouraged me to think outside the box to come up with solutions, consequently fueling innovation for all case studies I did in my economic classes. As we did not have to memorize the definitions and formulae, we had more room to think about how to present data or analyze a situation with a 360 degree perspective.
As I was taking classes in various fields of sciences and humanities, I gained the ability to inform myself and to comprehend the issues that arise in my personal, professional, and social life. At the end of my college education, I was surprised how confident I was in my ability to understand any concept in any field under the sun. Through my liberal arts education and experiential learning, I was able to strengthen my communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills. The best part of a liberal arts education is that you learn how to transfer your skills and apply your knowledge to any job in the professional world!
If you want to learn about my experiences with liberal arts education, please do not hesitate to contact me at minnu@myikc.com or call The IKC!

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