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“The New Liberal Arts” is an article written by Sanford J. Ungar
Sanford Ungar’s “the new liberal arts”
Sanford Ungar’s “the new liberal arts”
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In ancient civilization, a liberal arts education was considered essential for free people to take place in civic life; without them people would not be willing to disregard one's traditional values, and analyze a broad variety of arts, humanities, and sciences to create new opinions and ideas. In the 21st century many Americans are doubtful that liberal arts degrees are actually worth the cost of college. In his essay “The New Liberal Arts”, Sanford J. Ungar discusses seven “misconceptions” of liberal arts degrees in modern-day America. A common misunderstanding about the liberal arts is that they are leisure studies, and in the time of recession students should be looking for STEM degrees. Ungar states that the liberal arts will be a better
price because the imminent demands of citizenship that will need an understanding of the influences that drive civilization. He also discusses how it would be wise for students to prepare for the ever-changing future, rather than the technical presents. He also argues that the “career-ready” programs are attempting to sell the idea that they are a shortcut and will give you a higher salary sooner than the liberal arts. The reality is that everything will be difficult, and no one can just cut off the “frills”. He also argues that liberal arts are a better form of career education than “workforce development”. The author states that Americans are wrong to think that liberal arts degrees will not get you a career. He believes that every graduate is having a difficult time becoming employed and it is wrong to assume that only this selected group is. He states that employers are looking for someone who is a critical thinker and people who can communicate effectively; these are skills one masters being a liberal arts major. The things one learns through liberal arts are broad and will be used in almost any field. Not only are liberal arts skills relevant, Ungar says that they a commonplace. According to Ungar, Americans think that the liberal arts are a luxury, and are not for low-income college students. They believe that the latter should study more practical careers because they will pay more than liberal arts. The author states that it is offensive and prejudiced to think this way, because regardless of one's income they are equal in thought. He also says that Americans may think that because of the lack of study of these subjects in public schools, lower-income students should leave this type of thought to the higher class student who is more likely to have studied these things in private school. Ungar believes that some of the most original ideas come from a fresh perspective not a prior student and that newer people will catch up quickly. He states that having people from different backgrounds is also important in every subject, and it would be wrong to assign areas of study by socioeconomic status because of the imbalance of society it would cause. Ungar does not believe that one should not put all effort into the arts because they are not where the action is. According to him the liberal arts encompass an extremely broad selection of disciplines and values. The author also states that other countries are confused about the liberal arts, but that does not make them less important. China and many European countries are focused on technological and mechanical jobs right now, but they are open and interested in liberal arts because they give us an advantage over them. In recent years, Chinese delegates have expressed interest in these studies because their technical studies are not preparing them for leadership roles and are not broadening their minds properly. He also states that it would be foolish to destroy a field of education that has served the state's well and taken them to places of great success.
All though “The New Liberal Arts”, Sanford J. Ungar uses seven misconceptions about liberal arts on why learning the liberal arts. And explain why is still relevant and will be for coming years. The first misperception that he advocates is that a liberal arts degree is no longer affordable. Vocational training is better alternative to liberal arts in today. In this recession it is a financially wise decision to obtain a career oriented education instead. Students may not able to find jobs in the field that they are training after graduate. Ungar argues that especially collage students find it harder to get good jobs with liberal arts degrees, which is not the case. Which is the second misperception is that graduates with liberal arts degrees
David Bartholomae’s “Inventing the University” represents the process of writing a student must undergo every time they composite a new piece of work. In order to properly fulfill expectations, students must interpret, pretend and assemble the language of the desired community they wish to hold as their audience. Bartholomae blames the confusion that most students undergo has to deal with the authority; the teacher assigning the writing is asking the student to take on an authority in denying the classroom setting of which they are in, while the teacher is still a higher authority present. He blames the teachers and the curriculum of which they teach for making students see writing as a tool in referral to the mode of learning in their view
“Majoring In Fear” by Mark Shiffman analyzes a shift in the attitudes of today’s youth. He claims that students are choosing more practical pathways out of fear, sacrificing their genuine passions and interests in order to attain a safer career. Shiffman believes this sacrifice is detrimental to students because a liberal arts education catalyzes introspection and spiritual growth. By leaving behind opportunities for such growth, the youth of today lack the capacity and resources for reflection on their lives. Shiffman further illustrates this idea with the claim that students who initially show an interest in the humanities later choose to further their education in Economics or Spanish (Shiffman 5).
When students say that their majoring in “English” or “History” I can’t help but think that they might be misguided and be making a big mistake. In his article “The Evils of a Liberal Arts Education” Steve Tobak , thinks that we need to do a better job of showing to young Americans what the job market will look like for them before they go and get these degrees. Tobak says “we at least owe it to them to provide some counseling in the realities of supply and demand and the basics of personal finance. At least then they’d know what it takes to pay off their debt, have a fulfilling
It should not be a surprise that many people believe that a college degree is a necessity in today’s world. We are taught to believe this at a young age. The average citizen will not question this statement due to how competitive the job market has become, yet does graduating college guarantee more success down the road? Peter Brooks is a scholar at Princeton University and publisher of an essay that questions the value of college. He obviously agrees that college can help securing a job for the future, but questions the humanities about the education. He uses other published works, the pursuit of freedom, and draws on universal arguments that pull in the reader to assume the rest of his essay has valid reasons.
Instead, Sanford J. Ungar presents the arguments that all higher education is expensive and needs to be reevaluated for Americans. He attempts to divert the argument of a liberal arts education tuition by stating “ The cost of American higher education is spiraling out id control, and liberal-arts colleges are becoming irrelevant because they are unable to register gains i productivity or to find innovative ways of doing things” (Ungar 661). The author completely ignores the aspects of paying for a liberal arts degree or even the cost comparison to a public university. Rather, Ungar leads the reader down a “slippery slope” of how public universities attain more funding and grants from the government, while liberal arts colleges are seemingly left behind. The author increasingly becomes tangent to the initial arguments he presented by explaining that students have a more interactive and personal relationship with their professors and other students. Sanford J. Ungar did not address one aspect of the cost to attend a liberal arts college or how it could be affordable for students who are not in the upper class.
In the past several years, there has been a growing trend in the number of college-bound individuals getting two-year degrees from community colleges or earning certification for their desired career field at vocational schools. Such schools certainly seem to have some valuable qualities: all boast of having lower costs than other colleges, of their absence of student loans, of allowing people to make more money quicker, of being narrowly focused so students don’t have to take classes they don’t need. They attempt to point out apparent weaknesses in liberal arts colleges as well, claiming that such an education is unnecessary in today’s world. However, for every reason to go to a community or two-year college, a vocational track, or an apprenticeship, there is another, stronger reason for going to a traditional, four-year college, and the liberal arts degree gained at four year colleges far outstrips the degree gained at a two year school or through a vocational track.
In recent years, many have debated whether or not a college education is a necessary requirement to succeed in the field of a persons’ choice and become an outstanding person in society. On one hand, some say college is very important because one must contribute to society. The essay Three Reasons College Still Matters by Andrew Delbanco shows three main reasons that students should receive their bachelor’s degree. On the other hand, many question the point of wasting millions of dollars on four years or maybe more to fight for highly competitive jobs that one might not get. Louis Menand wrote an article based on education titled Re-Imagining Liberal Education. This article challenges the main thought many americans have after receiving a secondary education. Louis Menand better illustrates the reasons why a student should rethink receiving a post secondary education better than Andrew Delbanco’s three reasons to continue a person’s education.
College is a popular topic for most, and Sanford J. Ungar and Charles Murray have a unique way of explaining both their opinions. In his essay, “The New Liberal Arts,” Sanford J. Ungar advocates that the liberal arts should be everybody’s education, regardless of the fact that most Americans are facing economic hardship. The first misconception that he begins to explain is “a liberal arts degree is a luxury that most families can no longer afford”. Career education” is what we now must focus on.”
Over the past few years, people have begun to see going to college as a way to achieve the American Dream through career-readiness. People used to go to college, hoping to get a better well-rounded education. For most the well-rounded education, it usually came with the courses required for a liberal arts education. The courses would provide a level of analytical and in-depth understanding that would prepare the students for both life and whichever career path chosen. No matter the amount of money paid, parents would be willing to gi...
the paragraph by sentence written in the first point of view of the student, shown
In the article “America’s Most Overrated Product: The Bachelor’s Degree” by Marty Nemko, the author argues several different views on why higher education may be very overestimated. For starters, the author shares his opinion of what he thinks about colleges/ universities due to him being a career counselor. In continuation, The American Dream has a lot to deal with the situation of Nemko’s passage. For example, The American Dream for most people is growing up, all high school students hear is be good, go to college, get a degree. Unfortunately it all depends on the students, but others see benefits of other choices they choose to do. It’s sad to say, that over time the idea of working hard to get a Bachelor’s degree and the hope of actually going to school is not there anymore. Furthermore, for some people, when they think of The American Dream, they think of hope for bettering themselves and also helping their families. The purpose is about a Bachelor’s degree and how overrated it can be. Colleges and most universities are actually business, and they only want
The article, Our Compassless Colleges, by Peter Berkowitz discusses the current challenges faced in liberal education in universities, how the current education is defeating the purpose of liberal education and the methods to solve the issue and the people who can solve the issue. Perter Berkowitz is former professor of Law in Hoover Institution at Stanford University. Berkowiz also taught political philosophy in the Department of Government at Harvard University and taught law at George Mason University School of Law. In his article, according to Berkowiz, university can be considered as the last chance for people to broadly and deeply read to understand the society they live in and also to study other cultures. However, he strongly believes that the universities are not providing a strong base for the students to learn comprehensive intellectual habits and to familiarize them with long-term ideas about culture, politics and social reforms.
In Charles Murray’s essay entitled “Are Too Many People Going to College?”, he discusses the influx of Americans getting a college education. He addresses the topic of Liberal Arts education, and explains that not many people are ready for the rigorous challenges a liberal-arts degree offers. In addition, Murray explains that instead of a traditional degree more people should apply to technical schools. He believes that college should not be wide spread, and that it is only for those who can handle it. These viewpoints harshly contrast with Sanford J. Ungar’s views. Ungar believes college education should be widespread, because a liberal-arts degree is, in his opinion, a necessity. He argues that a liberal-arts college is the only place that
A college education gives a person the opportunity to be successful in life, either financially or morally dependent on the goals that they set for their life. They will choose a college that offer programs for the major of their choice, where they will specialize and receive a degree. The decision to pursue a higher education will give the opportunity to earn a better income over someone who does not have a degree. College is more of life preparation course that will help make sure a successful career. If a person pursues a career in engineering, physics or mathematics their curriculum would include more liberal art preparation courses, in order for them to earn their degree, so someone pursuing a degree in these types of careers are attending college for job preparation. On December 10, 2009 at Hamilton University in Clinton, New York, college professors debated current college curriculum (Liew). They talked about how their college could make a leap from being good to being great. At the 22nd American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges conference held in Long Beach California on November 14, 1996 the topic of changing curriculum was discussed (“Mich”). The University of Louisiana, Lafayette, is eliminating its philosophy major, while Michigan State University is doing away with American studies and classics, after years of decline in enrollments in those majors (Zernike). The purpose of a college education is to meet the student's liberal art’s needs so that they can compete and understand the connection between a degree and a job that will enable them to compete with other world economies, give them a well-rounded education that will enable them to earn a higher income, and retain a lifetime full of knowledge.