Tuesday, March 30, 2010

The Value of a Liberal Arts Education

Do humans have free will?
What does the body do when heart rate increases?
What are the positions on abortion?
How do athletes set goals?
What happens in the brain when you are stressed?
How can an old pair of slippers be a metaphor in art?
How did it feel to be in a concentration camp?

Don't think these questions are related? Well I'd say you're wrong. In fact, the answers and story behind each of these questions could be found in just one semester at Saint Michael's College. You see, a Liberal Arts education allows for a broad range of topics and subject matter, and thus a huge pool of information, questions, and answers.

Do humans have free will? Well, you'll just have to enroll in Philosophy of the Human Being with Prof. L'Hote to find out. It's a 200 level philosophy course and fulfills a graduation requirement as an LSR in philosophy.

What does the body do when heart rate increases? Biology of Exercise, a great choice for those of you whom, like me, aren't too science-y, will help you find your answer this time. The course covers general biology topics in a way that is easy and fun for those of us that aren't going to be biology majors any time soon. As an added bonus, once complete you can check Lab Science of your list of LSR requirements.

What are the positions on abortion? Find out the answer to this and many other related questions while taking Christian Health Care Ethics with Dr. Mahoney. The class examines topics from abortion to euthanasia to stem cell research while also lending a hand as a 200 level religious studies LSR.

How do athletes set goals? You're more than welcome to do research on this topic in a number of psychology courses. Research Methods and Sports Psychology both make it possible for you to discover the answer to this question on your own, and both fulfill a Social Science requirement as an LSR (or a major requirements if you're a Psychology major like me!)

What happens in the brain when you are stressed? I'm sure there's a biology class that will help you answer this, but if you're not too into hard science there's also Physiological Psychology, which triples as a lab science LSR , social science LSR, and requirement for the Psychology major.

How can an old pair of slippers be a metaphor in art? The First Year Seminar "Looking at Art" will teach you all about this and about many other unique and crazy art forms. Every SMC first year is required to take a seminar, and this one tops my list of favorites, along with Fly Fishing, The Examined Life (where students write a memoir), and Off the Grid (about nonconformity).

How does it feel to be in a concentration camp? I know many history classes probably cover this point, but so does Modern Civilization, a class that looks at a huge array of material and discusses it over the semester. The book "Night" by Elie Wiesel is the one that will answer this question, but many other class materials will help students become more rounded. Additionally, after completing this class, students can check off their Culture and Civilization LSR requirement.

Not only are all of these question answerable with a Liberal Arts Education, but they will overlap more often than not. I am frequently applying concepts I have learned in science and psychology to my philosophy and sociology classes. I am applying my study abroad experience in a journalism class, and am using my knowledge of social media gained through an on-campus club to do presentations in my "Conversation Italian" class. A Liberal Arts Education is truly invaluable, and I will surely debate with anyone who says otherwise.

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