The Center of Inquiry believes that the overarching goal of a liberal arts education is to provide students with the necessary skills to construct lives of substance and achievement, helping them to become wise citizens. We have identified seven elements that, when considered together, are distinctive indicators of a liberal arts education. A description for each of these liberal arts outcomes follows.
Effective Reasoning and Problem Solving
Effective reasoning and problem solving involves the capacity to make reflective judgments, to think critically and independently, and to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information in order to make decisions and solve problems.
Inclination to Inquire and Lifelong Learning
The inclination to inquire suggests a strong desire to learn, to ask questions, and a willingness to consider new ideas. Such learning involves taking initiative, not being satisfied with a quick answer, and intrinsic motivation for intellectual growth. These learning traits lend themselves to a lifelong pursuit of knowledge and wisdom.
Integration of Learning
The integration of learning is the demonstrated ability to connect information from disparate contexts and perspectives. These include the ability to connect the domain of ideas and philosophies to the real world, from one field of study or discipline to another, from the past to the present, from one part to the whole, from the abstract to the concrete—and vice versa.
Intercultural Effectiveness
Intercultural effectiveness includes knowledge of cultures and cultural practices (one’s own and others’), complex cognitive skills for decision-making in intercultural contexts, social skills to function effectively in diverse groups, and personal attributes that include flexibility and openness to new ideas.
Leadership
While myriad ways to understand leadership exist, the approach most consistent with liberal arts outcomes is found in the Social Change Model (SCM) for leadership development. This understanding of leadership integrates eight core values falling into three groupings: personal or individual values (consciousness of self, congruence, commitment), group values (collaboration, common purpose, controversy with civility), and a societal and community value (citizenship).
Moral Reasoning
The domain of morality and ethics has many facets, and has been defined by educators and scholars in ways that focus on different aspects of the capacity to make and act upon ethical judgments. In discussing this capacity/domain as a liberal arts outcome, we identify several of these facets (moral sensitivity, moral reasoning, moral motivation, and moral behavior) in an attempt to capture the major elements of this broad domain.
Well-being
Well-being is a multi-dimensional construct that includes subjective well-being, psychological well-being, social well-being, and healthy well-being. Subjective well-being is associated with happiness, life satisfaction, and life quality. Psychological well-being is the pursuit of meaningful goals and a sense of purpose in life. Social well-being refers to positive social health based on one’s functioning in society. Finally, physical well-being is characterized by positive health-related attributes.