Besides a concentration area of study, liberal education involves learning a variety of subjects to get a broader perspective.
According to the Association of American Colleges and Universities, the system of "liberal education" equips students with a general knowledge of a variety of subjects including culture, society, science and art, along with in-depth study of a particular concentration area chosen by the student. Besides teaching the student about his specific chosen field, the rest of the courses help him develop intellectual skills and social responsibility.
History
According to the State University website, Harvard was founded in 1636, after which a series of colleges associated with religious institutions were formed. It wasn't until 1828 that Yale finally introduced some changes in its curriculum and expanded it to include liberal education and liberal arts as well. This led to the formation of several small and large institutes of liberal education throughout the country. Many of the institutes, which started off as liberal colleges, changed their scope later to become research and technical colleges.
Characteristics
Unlike technical and vocational colleges, liberal education colleges stress the gaining knowledge rather than merely studying for future employment. Also, they are typically private institutes that are small in size and take few students compared to public colleges. Some liberal education colleges in the country are still affiliated with religious denominations and teach limited religious principles, while some have abandoned religious education altogether, according to State University website. Some liberal education colleges concentrate on a particular population only, for instance, all women's liberal colleges, all men's colleges and historically black universities such as Spelman and Morehouse colleges.
Residential Community
According to the International Student Guide to the USA, most liberal education colleges offer residential services to students and encourage them to participate in community activities to enhance the learning process outside classroom. The purpose of encouraging residence at the college is to maximize learning through socializing, which according to most of these colleges, is the true essence of knowledge and is more important than any technical or vocational course.
Liberal Colleges in the U.S.
Some of the liberal colleges in the country include Skidmore College, Lynn University, Williams College and Amherst College. According to US News college ranking, Swarthmore College in Philadelphia and Middlebury College in Vermont are also some of the best colleges that offer programs related to international studies, environment, sciences and literature.
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