Liberal Education and General Education University 100

What is Liberal Education Today?  A philosophy of education that empowers individuals with core knowledge and transferable skills, and a strong sense of ethics, values, and civic engagement.  Involving challenging intellectual encounters with important and relevant issues today and throughout history, a liberal education prepares graduates for socially valued work and civic leadership.  A liberal education usually includes a general education curriculum that provides broad exposure to multiple disciplines and ways of knowing, along with more in-depth study in one or more field.  A liberal education provides students with the knowledge and skills employers are calling for and the society needs.

Frequently Confused Terms  Liberal Education— a philosophy of education that provides broad general education, cultivates intellectual agility, and fosters ethical and social responsibility  Liberal Arts and Sciences— specific disciplines traditionally associated with liberal education  General Education— the part of a curriculum shared by all students; provides broad study in liberal arts and forms basis for developing intellectual and civic capacities

What is the Same and What is Different About Liberal Education Today?  Today’s liberal education helps students discover clear connections between what they are learning and the lives they will lead as workers, citizens, community and family members.  A strong foundation in arts and sciences disciplines remains absolutely essential to a quality contemporary liberal education.  Today’s liberal education focuses both on important content and on teaching the arts of analysis and argument that can be carried to any field of study or endeavor.  Liberal education has always and continues to introduce and examine diverse perspectives on any subject and to teach students how to evaluate competing claims and different perspectives while they form their own judgments.

“Today’s students and their parents have heard the message that college is essential to success in today’s world. But no one has told them what they really need to gain from college or how to prepare for it.”

What Business Leaders Say About What Really Matters in College  Executives will need a broad understanding of other cultures, other languages, history, science, and the arts, if they are to successfully navigate a rapidly changing future business environment.  Good writing skills and good public speaking skills are crucial to business success.  The real challenge of today’s economy is not in making things but in producing creative ideas.  Reading, writing and basic arithmetic are not enough. These skills must be integrated with other kinds of competency to make them fully operational.  Sources: Paul Dillon, The College Board Review, no. 164; David Kearns, quoted in Reclaiming the Legacy by Denis Doyle; SCANS Report, “What Work Requires of Schools”

What Do Private Employers Think?  The most important outcomes: problem-solving and analytic thinking; oral and written communication; critical thinking; teamwork skills; strong work habits.  Recent graduates most lack: work ethic, people skills, and communication skills.  Civic engagement is not an important outcome of college.  Limited and/or misguided understanding of liberal education; believe it is less rigorous.

The New Global Economy and Environment  Today’s graduates are likely to change jobs and careers several times.  Complex oral and written communication skills more important than ever and lacking.  Creativity and innovation are keys to success.  Scientific and quantitative literacy increasingly important and lacking.  Cross-cultural communication and knowledge increasingly important.

Importance Of College Education  The primary motivation is self development and maturation to enhance potential for success in the workforce  How college contributes to career success:  More career choices and job opportunities  Specific skills and knowledge required by field of interest  Knowledge that will be helpful throughout life (on and off the job)  Capabilities, ethics, and values essential to professional success

What Do Students Think About College Education? Most Important Outcomes Maturity and ability to succeed on one’s own Time-management skills Strong work habits Self-discipline Teamwork skills and ability to get along with different types of people

What Do Students Think About College Education? Middle Tier Outcomes Tangible business skills and specific expertise in field of focus Critical thinking skills Communication skills Problem-solving skills and analytical ability Exposure to business world Leadership skills

What Do Students Think About College Education? Least Important Outcomes Values, principles, ethics Tolerance and respect for different cultural backgrounds Competency in computer skills Expanded cultural and global awareness and sensitivity Civic responsibility and orientation toward public service

What do we know about Liberal Education’s Benefits?  Students attending a college that provides strong liberal arts experiences (rather than just calling itself a liberal arts college) graduate with better skills:  Reading comprehension  Critical thinking  Science reasoning  Writing skills  Openness to diversity/challenge  Learning for self-understanding  Sense of responsibility for one’s own success

An Urgent Agenda For Today’s World “Liberal Education is essential to an economy dependent on innovation and to the success of a deliberative and diverse democracy. We must do far more to ensure that students achieve key liberal education outcomes. When we make the aims of liberal education our compass, we build society’s ability to creatively solve problems, engage and learn from our differences, and forge a stronger community. It is for just these reasons that liberal education is our best investment in America’s promise.”

FCCU Degree Requirement  BA (Hons)  130 credit hrs  CGPA 2  GPA 2 in major  12 upper level 300 or 400\ 36 credit Hrs  General Education  Comprehensive Exam  Competency Exam

FCCU Degree Requirement  BS (Hons)  12 upper level 300 or 400\ 48 credit Hrs  BSc (Hons) Business  12 upper level 300 or 400\ 64 credit Hrs  BSc (Hons) Computing  12 upper level 300 or 400\ 64 credit Hrs

FCCU General Education  Two components of General Education  47 crdt hrs in 4 semesters  Competency exam in following areas:  Written communication in Urdu  Written communication in English  Oral communication in English  Quantitative skills  Information technology

FCCU General Education  Humanities  6 courses 18 credit hrs  Written comm. Eng 101, Eng 103, Urdu 101  Oral comm. MCOM 100: Fundamentals of Speech  Social and Behavioral Sciences  3 courses 9 credit hrs

FCCU General Education  Science and Mathematics 5 course/17 or 18 credit hrs  At least two science courses (not form same discipline)  Atleast one mathematics and one computer course  One other course in either science, math, statistics, logic or computer.