Courses which are generally referred to as liberal arts are opposed to natural sciences and technology. Liberal arts education can be superficial or profound depending on student’s specialization. Economists and lawyers usually are the most highly paid workers among those with the college degree in liberal arts, but sociologist, psychologist, and teacher are popular occupations as well. It would be unfair to evaluate liberal art occupations over science and engineering, nevertheless, we can assume that liberal art degrees prepare an essential segment of workers. They rule in the fields of business and education the importance of which goes without saying.
Students frequently doubt the necessity of taking liberal arts courses in addition to the compulsory subjects. History, philosophy, literature, and mathematics cannot be interesting to everybody, and students are not sure that these courses will somehow contribute to their future occupation. Nevertheless, teachers and parents like to say “you never know when any particular subject will reveal their practical importance”, and perhaps they have a point. General education enhances our problem-solving skills, ability to communicate effectively, and lifelong learning. In fact, liberal arts stimulate different types of our thinking such as critical, creative, analytical, or evaluative, and they are essential just in every occupation.
Considering liberal arts as additional courses, students shall not treat them as unimportant from the very beginning. There is a great variety of subjects included in the field so that everybody can find something interesting. Humanities, mathematics, and creative arts are totally different branches of liberal sciences, but there is no student totally indifferent to any of them.