The University of South Dakota

What is a liberal arts education?

Liberal arts education provides an individual with a broad, well-rounded education that includes the humanities, mathematics, sciences, and social sciences. It is the type of education we associate with the college experience, and the very essence of what it means to be an educated person.

Where did liberal arts education originate?

The roots of liberal arts education in western civilization are usually traced to ancient Greece, where political philosophers such as Aristotle wrote of the need for citizens to be broadly educated. The actual phrase "liberal arts" arose from the Latin expression for the "best arts" (optimae artes). The term first appeared in the writings of the Roman jurist Cicero, who argued the study of mathematics, nature, and the humanities were critical to intellectual curiosity, sound reasoning, personal fulfillment, and responsible citizenship. "Liberal arts education" or "liberal learning" has nothing to do with liberal or conservative politics; rather, the phrases connote the liberation of the individual (through education) from ignorance or superstition.

Isn't liberal arts education an old-fashioned idea?

No. Liberal arts education is more vital than ever in the 21st century. On average, people now change careers six times. And problems have become more complex, with the best solutions often requiring knowledge of multiple academic disciplines. Learning a specific trade is the old-fashioned idea. It is rare that a person can practice a particular trade throughout his/her lifetime. Today's students are much better served by pursuing a general education that prepares them to meet the endless challenges of a rapidly changing world.

How does liberal arts education serve me as an individual?

• By expanding your social, cultural, and scientific horizons.
• By providing a broad foundation of knowledge that serves you well throughout your lifetime.
• By giving you a set of strong analytical and communications skills that support any career.
• By inspiring you to keep learning, based on your increased intellectual curiosity.
• By instilling in you a greater appreciation for other cultures around the world.
• By contributing to the development of your own talents and personal character.
• By preparing you for graduate and/or professional training in fields such as anthropology, biology, chemistry, communication disorders, communication studies, earth sciences, English, history, journalism, languages, mathematics, philosophy, physics, political science, and psychology. Medicine and law are also natural careers after receiving a liberal arts education. 

How does liberal arts education serve our society?

• By providing broadly educated citizens with fresh perspectives and creative solutions to problems.
• By redoubling a commitment to the things that so enrich life, such as literature, language, and the arts.
• By instilling a deep appreciation of our democratic traditions, in a world where tyranny too often exists.
• By increasing scientific literacy in an era of human history where the pace of scientific understanding is breathtaking.
• By promoting only the highest ethical standards and conduct.

Are there examples of liberal arts grads from The U who have achieved professional distinction?

Thousands of examples can be found in the long and rich history of The University of South Dakota. Here are a few:

• 10 South Dakota governors
• 20 members of Congress
• All sitting justices of the S.D. Supreme Court
• One-third of all practicing physicians in the state
• 10 Rhodes Scholars. Truman, Goldwater, and Udall Scholars    
• Some specific individuals:
• • Tom Brokaw, NBC News
  • Al Neuharth, founder of USA Today
  • Joe Foss, war hero, football commissioner, and governor
  • Dr. Ernest O. Lawrence, winner of the 1939 Nobel Prize in Physics
  • Dan Crippen, Director of the Congressional Budget Office
  • Lori Kumer, Senior Director of Research, Pfizer
  • Linda Hasselstrom, freelance writer and author of 23 books
  • Greg Franks, Executive Vice President of Battelle Corporation
  • John Dill, manages Humor Division of Hallmark Greeting Cards

How does The University of South Dakota support liberal arts education?

• The U is the designated by mission as the public liberal arts institution of the state.
• The U signed the Campaign for the Advancement of Liberal Learning (CALL) in 2002, a pledge of more than 500 college and university presidents nationwide to promote liberal arts education in the 21^st century. The University of South Dakota is currently the only public higher education institution in South Dakota signing the CALL, reflecting a deep and abiding commitment to the liberal arts.
• The U is also the home of the state's only Phi Beta Kappa Society chapter (Alpha Chapter of South Dakota, chartered in 1926) -- the oldest and most prestigious honor society for undergraduates who have demonstrated excellence in the traditional liberal arts.
• The U offers students many opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary and service learning through its IdEA (Interdisciplinary Education and Action) program.

How do others recognize the quality of the liberal arts education at The U?

• In 2002 alone, students in the College of Arts & Sciences won four highly competitive scholarships: Fulbright, Udall, Truman, and Goldwater. The U was one of only 14 higher education institutions in the nation to attain this distinction. Others included Stanford, Yale, Harvard, and Princeton.
• The U has been named a Truman Honor Institution for having had a Truman Scholar in six of seven years. Other schools named as Truman Honor Institutions include Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Duke, Princeton, and Stanford. Only about 45 out of 3800 institutions of higher education in the nation are Truman Honor Institutions.
• The U has gained national recognition for hosting three distinctive Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) sites, all directed by Arts & Sciences faculty, and sponsored by the National Science Foundation. Hosting three REU sites is a distinction matched by only one or a few institutions across the nation in any given year.
• In spring 2003, the Association of American Colleges and Universities chose The U as one of only a handful of institutions nationwide to host a "campus-community dialogue" on liberal arts education.

How do I pursue a liberal arts education at The U?

• It's easy. Most undergraduates will spend their first two years taking courses within the College of Arts & Sciences, and in the process of doing so, will receive most of their liberal arts education. They will then pursue their academic major/minor in their junior and senior years.
• All undergraduate students are exposed to fine arts, humanities, mathematics, natural sciences, and social sciences. The net result is a better understanding of the world, improved verbal and written communication skills, a greater appreciation of diverse views, more tolerance for complexity and ambiguity, more exposure to interdisciplinary problem-solving, a better understanding of public service, and improved technological literacy.
• At the very heart of The University of South Dakota is a profound commitment to liberal arts education for all undergraduate students, regardless of their career or academic specialization.

What is the role of the College of Arts & Sciences in providing a liberal arts education?

• The College of Arts & Sciences is the most comprehensive academic unit in the South Dakota System of public higher education. It is home to sixteen academic departments in the humanities, sciences and mathematics, and social sciences.
• The College of Arts & Sciences offers undergraduates the opportunity to receive a first-rate liberal arts education, culminating in a chosen major and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree.