What is a Liberal Arts education?

Traditionally, liberal arts included in their scope all knowledge which enabled a person to live a free and worthy life. In ancient times, this meant awareness of public systems, critical reasoning abilities, and an ethical attitude towards society.

In modern times, many subjects are included within the broad scope of liberal education. Typically, a liberal arts degree is interdisciplinary, and cuts through many subjects ranging from literature to social science to natural science.  Liberal arts graduates are expected to be well-rounded individuals, capable of thinking rationally, approaching problems logically, learning from history and keeping their minds open.

Liberal Arts education in the US

In the US, National Liberal Arts Colleges usually have smaller classes with fewer undergraduates than other institutions. The teaching relies heavily on student participation. As a whole, the education system tries to encourage close ties between the teacher and the taught. It also aims to encourage students to think and speak for themselves. In the class, students constantly compare notes and solve real-time problems. This helps students to learn and innovate.

Needless to say, the liberal arts education model is a successful one. Students develop a kind of practical knowledge difficult to achieve in a system overtly dependent on just good grades!

Leading Liberal Arts Colleges in the US

If you are interested and want to know where you can avail the best in Liberal arts education, check out the colleges below:

1. Williams College: Ranked #1 among Liberal Arts Colleges in the US, Williams College in Massachusetts offers 36 majors for undergraduates. The disciplines range from humanities, to social sciences and natural sciences. The college encourages students to blur the lines between disciplines as they pursue their majors under expert guidance.
    
2. Bowdoin College: Located in Maine, Bowdoin inspires students to embrace liberal arts education in the twenty first century by mandating that graduates complete 32 courses for their degree. This allows them to widely explore the curriculum.  Bowdoin also has an Offer of the College for students which encapsulates its educational philosophy. Check it out here.
    
3. Amherst College: Amherst College in Massachusetts is another leading Liberal Arts College in the US. It offers an open curriculum. Students pick their own majors, more than one if they want, and create their own course of study. Initiative is rewarded and students work closely with the teachers. They have a choice of 38 degrees in arts, social sciences, sciences and humanities.
    
4. Pomona College: A sprawling brown and white façade in Claremont, California, Pomona College is a part of the renowned Claremont Colleges Consortium along with Amherst, Swarthmore and Wesleyan. Students can choose from more than 2200 classes offered at these four institutions! The student-faculty ratio is 8:1. The college also has cool campus traditions like Ski-Beach day, and secret societies like Mufti.
    
5. Middlebury College: With more than 45 departments and programs, the curriculum at Middlebury boasts of a variety of majors and minors. Teaching includes lectures, training, fieldwork and events. Situated in Vermont, the college campus sprawls across 350 acres. The degree requirements are spread across academic fields as well as cultures and civilizations. The courses also emphasise writing skills as a means to develop critical thinking and analysis.