Jake Gibbons
LIBERAL EDUCATION
ON THE ROPES
Themes

Liberal education = democracy, specialization =
elitism

Liberal Arts College versus Research University

Differences between Sciences and Humanities
What should core curriculum offer?




“common knowledge”?
“a way of learning”?
set courses, or student choice?
What do you think?
http://www.luc.edu/core/images/overview5.jpg
Liberal Education

AAC&U Definition
 "a
philosophy of education that empowers individuals,
liberates the mind from ignorance, and cultivates social
responsibility. Characterized by challenging encounters
with important issues, and more a way of studying than
specific content, liberal education can occur at all types
of colleges and universities."
Three Ideas of “General Education”
1)
2)
3)
Princeton Example: enforces diversity of
disciplines
Columbia (WWI Era) Example: synthetic courses
in history and Western civilization
Columbia and Johns Hopkins Example: cognitive
development & reflective thinking; processoriented, not content-oriented
Harvard in the 1970s

Revolutionized the idea of liberal education with
abstract concepts like “moral reasoning” and “social
analysis”
 Limited
requirements of major
 Undergraduate research opportunities
Discussion

How does FSU’s Undergraduate Liberal Studies
program align with this model, and how effective is
it?
http://our.fsu.edu/img/banner_OUR.jpg
Problems

The agenda of the Research University is at odds
with that of the Liberal Arts College.
 Divide
between sciences and humanities
 Financial stresses on administrators
 Values vs. expertise
http://blog.art21.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/artvsscience.jpg
Research University vs. Liberal Arts
College


What defines them?
Where does FSU fall?
http://www.theadmissioncentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/lacvsuni.jpg
Solutions





Refocusing on values and general education
“Rehistoricize and rehumanize”
Restructure the Research University
Suggestions?
How can we help our FIG students get a good
liberal education?