Outcomes

Dr. Gerald Gibson, former President of Maryville College, has written about the value of a liberal arts education in his book, "Good Start: A Guidebook for New Faculty in Liberal Arts Colleges," Anker Publishing Company (1992).

1. A liberal arts college graduate has broad knowledge.
Study of a broad, but purposefully selected core body of knowledge equips the graduate to:

  • learn from history, science, and literature
  • set personal experience in context
  • make enlightened, informed decisions
  • converse intelligently with a wide variety of people
  • understand and frame arguments of diverse topics
  • understand the functioning of political, social and economic institutions
  • escape provincialism

2. A liberal arts college graduate thinks effectively.
Practice in logical, analytical, and creative thought disciplines the graduate for:

  • identifying flawed arguments
  • solving problems
  • coming to sound conclusions
  • recognizing and proposing options

3. A liberal arts college graduate can communicate effectively.
Discipline in thinking, coupled with practice in writing and speaking, prepares the graduate to:

  • communicate information, ideas, analyses, and arguments clearly
  • persuade others
  • work collaboratively
  • provide leadership

4. A liberal arts college graduate can make discriminating judgements.
Formal attention to enduring principles, and to systems of values and their application to specific situations readies the graduate to:

  • make ethical judgments
  • better appreciate art, music, theatre, and literature
  • live a richer, fuller, more contributive life

5. A liberal arts college graduate can see connections.
Guidance in getting beyond disciplinary and political boundaries conditions the graduate to:

  • integrate experience
  • anticipate outcomes in complex situations
  • acknowledge and value interdependency
  • work productively with people from other cultures

6. A liberal arts college graduate is quantitatively conversant.
Introduction to and practice in using mathematical approaches equips the graduate to:

  • employ quantitative methods in solving practical problems
  • assess arguments that include quantitative and statistical information
  • use quantitative and statistical information appropriately in decision-making

7. A liberal arts college graduate is committed to learning.
Inculcation in the techniques and pleasure of learning, including specialized learning in the major, enables the graduate to:

  • pursue graduate and professional education
  • remain open to new experiences, insights, and points of view
  • ferret out new information
  • enjoy learning over a lifetime

Dr. Margaret Cowan, Ralph W. Beeson Chair in Religion/Associate Professor of Religion and Coordinator of General Education at Maryville College, has presented information about what employers seek during the hiring process (Fortune, January 27, 1992).

  • An ability to communicate effectively – orally and in writing.
  • A thorough grounding in literature and the social sciences, especially history and geography.
  • Mastery of one foreign language and culture.
  • An appreciation of the fine arts.
  • Genuine understanding of how the U.S. government and economy functions.
  • Concern for physical health.
  • An understanding of the principles of higher mathematics, including the ability to apply those principles to daily life.
  • The knowledge of physical sciences and how these disciplines related to the environment.
  • Enough familiarity with computers and other technology to retrieve and use information easily.
  • Above all else, the ability to identify problems and work creatively toward solutions.