Why Is It a ‘Liberal’ Arts Degree?
Look at the course catalog for a college or university that offers a liberal arts degree and you’ll find a vast array of academic interests. At Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, the No. 1-ranked liberal arts college by U.S. News and World Report, a student can earn a B.A. in
American studies, economics, Japanese, sociology, or various other majors. But what specifically classifies a degree as liberal? The tradition goes back centuries and has nothing to do with modern politics. The word “liberal,” from the Latin līber, meaning “free, unrestricted, or possessing the status of a free man (as opposed...
