Investigative Report: The Changing Face of Academics
Are the Liberal Arts Disappearing?
Courtney Roy
Issue date: 4/5/06 Section: Features
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College curriculums have changed drastically in recent decades. Years ago, most college students came from wealthy families, and sought degrees in traditional academic fields such as philosophy, literature, history, or art. Today more students are choosing professional degrees over liberal arts degrees. Even Harvard University, known for its emphasis on the liberal arts, has recently changed its core to include more professionally minded courses.
More people are deciding to attend college, and often the children of working class families are able to have a good college education, a relatively new opportunity. While many may seek a liberal arts degree, more students are earning degrees in business, communications, engineering, and education. The number of degrees awarded for these majors has exploded in the past decade, and many colleges and universities are struggling to keep up with the trend and to adjust to changing needs.
Manhattan College, as a LaSallian school, has had a "constant focus on the education of the disadvantaged," according to the website, and reaches out to first-generation college students. As a result of this, Manhattan appears to be ahead of the trend when it comes to awarding professional degrees as opposed to more liberal arts degrees.
According to Dr. Weldon Jackson, Provost, the numbers of students at Manhattan College seeking professional degrees has always been significant, and we have not experienced the increase in numbers of students seeking degrees in professional fields that other schools have seen. "If we were to look at the numbers of students receiving degrees in those areas the numbers are probably consistent."
The reason for this stability in numbers, according to Jackson, is the fact that Manhattan College has three schools that are typically thought of as awarding professional degrees - Business, Engineering, and Education, and only two - Arts and Sciences - that award traditional liberal arts degrees.
More people are deciding to attend college, and often the children of working class families are able to have a good college education, a relatively new opportunity. While many may seek a liberal arts degree, more students are earning degrees in business, communications, engineering, and education. The number of degrees awarded for these majors has exploded in the past decade, and many colleges and universities are struggling to keep up with the trend and to adjust to changing needs.
Manhattan College, as a LaSallian school, has had a "constant focus on the education of the disadvantaged," according to the website, and reaches out to first-generation college students. As a result of this, Manhattan appears to be ahead of the trend when it comes to awarding professional degrees as opposed to more liberal arts degrees.
According to Dr. Weldon Jackson, Provost, the numbers of students at Manhattan College seeking professional degrees has always been significant, and we have not experienced the increase in numbers of students seeking degrees in professional fields that other schools have seen. "If we were to look at the numbers of students receiving degrees in those areas the numbers are probably consistent."
The reason for this stability in numbers, according to Jackson, is the fact that Manhattan College has three schools that are typically thought of as awarding professional degrees - Business, Engineering, and Education, and only two - Arts and Sciences - that award traditional liberal arts degrees.