Do you think that what this college is offering sounds strange?

Question

The liberal arts and sciences major is not just another term for “undecided.” On the contrary, declaring this major takes a lot of initiative and determination. If you are truly passionate about learning and want to spend your college years exploring new ideas rather than preparing for a specific career, you might consider majoring in liberal arts and sciences.

Most liberal arts courses include a great deal of reading, writing, and discussion, and classes tend to be small. You’ll gain the ability to reason critically, communicate effectively, and understand relationships across broad fields of knowledge.

Students of liberal arts and sciences often design their own program of study. They take courses in the arts, the biological and physical sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities.

Typical Major Courses

* Biological concepts

* Cultural anthropology

* English literature

* Environmental science

* Fundamentals of economics

* Music history

* Probability and statistics

* Psychology

* World religions

this is the maximum amount of information i could get on the major most closely relating to the career i want to pursue. it sounds very strange. do you think that if i decided to major in whatever this is, since it includes biology, that it will be enough? i want to go into zoology. i'm thinking though that if whatever graduate school i go to sees that i'm a major in "Liberal Arts and Sciences" that they'll send me away. This is all from Shimer College in Illinois.

Answer 1

Honestly, I wouldn't major in that. It sounds like a major for someone who really doesn't know what they want to do and are just going to college to go (I could be wrong though). If you want to go into zoology and plan on going to graduate school, try a major like pre-vet, biology, or marine biology. Some schools even offer zoology as a major.

Answer 2

What this says to me is that this is a tiny little college without sufficient faculty in any one area, so they want people to take a variety of courses to keep them from having to hire a lot of faculty.  Such a major would be fine if you wanted to go on to law school or divinity school, but not useful for the sciences.

Answer 3

NO NO NO DO NOT major in liberal arts! That's the major for people who cant figure out what they want to do but just go to college "to go to college" Employers will laugh at this degree once you get out. Just be undecided for two years then figure out what you want to do. I hate to say it but most people dont really know what they want to do after they've graduated with whatever degree they thought they wanted in the first place. So do what you hate the least basically haaha

Answer 4

You are mis-interpreting the info here.  They are not saying that all of those courses equal a "liberal arts major".  They are telling you that those are majors WITHIN a Liberal Arts or Liberal Science education.  You are looking at a "Liberal Arts" college, which simply means that they teach a multitude of courses, and do NOT focus on JUST Biology, or JUST Psychology.  Pretty much any college or university you look at will be a "liberal arts" institution.  They are saying that when you attend this school, you can choose from one of the majors listed above OR create your own major- this is done by obtaining a certain amount of credits within one discipline.  

If you want to be involved with Zoology, you need to get involved with the Bio dept.  It sounds to me like you are not in college yet, so once you get there, ask your adviser what path you should take to get to where you need to be.  You cannot be a "liberal arts major".  Someone with your interests needs to start with a bio major, possibly a chem minor and then move forward with your post grad courses after college.  Things get more specific after you get your undergraduate degree, and graduate courses will be offered in SPECIFIC things you need in the zoological field.  

Read what you have copied from your literature again.  You need to pick from those majors or create your own with the guidance of an adviser.  

Answer 5

This sounds like a major at my college called interdisciplinary studies. You might be able to create your own major with in that major by picking your own type of classes that you want to take. If you do take a lot of zoology classes you could say your a "Liberal Arts and Sciences major with a concentration in Zoology"

If you're still worried about getting into graduate school, I would talk to one of the advisors in that department. And most of the time depending on where you go and what program you are trying to go into for grad school, they just look at the classes you took, the grades, application/essays/recommendations,

Answer 6

I do not see how any of these classes will help you in zoology

Answer 7

If you want to become a zoologist, liberal arts and sciences is not the right choice.  This major will lead you to a very small road towards getting a job.  In other words, students must choose a specific career, which in turn will open up more roads.  Ask the school to see which major will lead to work in zoology.  Liberal arts and science is included in every major.  Do not waste your time and money in this program.  

Answer 8

i like the way it was worded, but it is a little... lacking

Answer 9

That is pretty standard language for a "general Liberal Arts degree program".

Just to make sure that you understand, Biology is considered a liberal arts major.... So is Geology, Chemistry, Geography, Sociology. Psychology, math, English, Spanish, Drama, and SOME art classes.

What that college has described is a general degree, and from what you have provided, I would surmise that you create your own program with the help and approval of the advisor, but that the credential is a bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts.

Grad schools will look at the classes you took, not so much at the title of the degree, especially when you explain it in your cover letter.

One more thing, get in touch with the placement office at the college and ask them what grad schools its grads go to and what companies hire their grads..... That info will tell you far more than anyone here on Yahoo can.....

Answer 10

There's nothing strange at all about a Liberal Arts education. Just about every university offers some version of this. In fact, the first two years ("core") of just about every major is based in the Liberal Arts.

There was a time when what you describe here was considered an excellent, well-rounded education. It seems we're all specialists of some kind these days. Few of us today can afford the luxury of learning just for the sake of learning today, and so college majors are designed for specific fields of work.

In short, if you're planning on zoology, major in Biology!  

Answer 11

OHHH, Shimer College, a"Great Books" colleges!!!!!!!!!

Good Lord that's a small college!!!!!!!! About 100 Undergraduates attend it.

Answer 12

It's not strange for a liberal arts degree. However, it's so weak in the sciences that you'd be in deep trouble getting into a Master's program or working in the field with it. A Biology major may be a better move.