The Classical conception of liberal education and teaching methods were born when Aristotle divided knowledge into disciplines in ancient Greece. He believed, rhetoric, grammar, and logic were the practical and crucial segments of a liberal education. Since Plato’s day, the liberal curriculum has evolved significantly in terms of content. It includes a study to create an understanding of the principle of happy versatility among students. So that everyone contributes their intellectual capability towards the society, that was very much required for the development of a civic society. On this, Donald J. Cowling, a president of Carleton College once stated that “. . .to develop the student with respect to all his capacities into a mature, symmetrical, well-balanced person in full possession of all his powers, physical, mental, and spiritual, with an intelligent understanding of the past and a sympathetic insight into the needs and problems of the present.” However, the concept of power within the states affected the significance of liberal education and it gradually disappeared in academics. The concept of liberal education was limited to the books through theory, thought and philosophy.

In the Middle Ages, there were many changes incorporated in the curriculum of liberal education, to revive the ancient learning during the renaissance. Finally, the new curriculum mainly focused on the study of new science which was widely accepted in the nineteenth century. Fareed Zakaria asserted that “we cannot simply focus on science and technology” but have to focus on another aspect that can build intellectual excellence among students. The importance of liberal education soon emerges after the second world war, which encouraged philosophers to discuss all rounds of development to make a complete man who can focus on the development of world society. However, it was not widely validated in liberal arts education. It was used to describe partisan politics, which includes the study of a variety of subjects. Liberal education is described by the Association of American Colleges and Universities as “a philosophy of education that empowers individuals with broad knowledge and transferable skills, and a stronger sense of values, ethics, and civic engagement … characterized by challenging encounters with important issues, and more a way of studying than a specific course or field of study”.

Liberal education in the present era is in great demand, the justification to start the liberal arts education is certainly “to train the mind” because it cultivates a person towards ‘active citizenship’ through empirical research, internship etc. It can enhance the students for open-minded approaches which are free from insularity, orthodoxy, prejudice, and ideology. Thus, the students are capable and aware of their opinions and judgement before they could be used in action. Socrates encouraged individualism, he emphasized to his students that it is the duty of a man to form his ideas through reason rather than indoctrination. Liberal education is more pedagogical and powerful compared to the traditional education system. Liberal education empowers students to make decisions for themselves rather than conforming to the controlling authorities. James Engel authored ‘The Value of a Liberal Arts Education’ described that, “A liberal education provides the framework for an educated and thoughtful citizen.” Obviously, the thought of having liberal education among students in contemporary times instructs and enhance the individual to improve society, which is validated all over the world. It focuses on research and interdisciplinary learning approaches and offers our best hope of preserving moral and ethical human values, trust, virtue, intellectual, spiritual-and political-which we cherish.

Dr. Sumant Kumar
Faculty of Political Science
Alliance School of Liberal Arts