FAQ's About Liberal Arts Skills

What Are Liberal Arts Skills?

Liberal Arts Skills are transferable, functional skills that are required in many different problem-solving and task-oriented situations. They are built into your liberal arts education and are valued by all employers.

How Can I Assess My Liberal Arts Skills?
As you take your undergraduate courses, you may wonder how they are going to help you eventually "on the job." A good approach is to take a skills orientation or assessment. Think of your courses not only as ways of gaining knowledge, but as ways of learning and refining a variety of skills. A bit of reflection will show that your courses, as well as your work experience and extra-curricular activities, are providing you with skills that employers value. If asked in a job interview how your education has prepared you for a specific job, you can be ready with some good answers if you think about it beforehand.

What Skills Will I Gain From a Liberal Arts Education?

Information Management Skills -- will give you the ability to...

sort data and objects
compile and rank information
apply information creatively to specific problems or tasks
synthesize facts, concepts and principles
understand and use organizing principles
evaluate information against appropriate standard

Design & Planning Skills -- will give you the ability to...

identify alternative courses of action
set realistic goals
follow through with a plan or decision
manage time effectively
predict future trends and patterns
accommodate multiple demands for commitment of time, energy and resources
set priorities

Research & Investigation Skills -- will give you the ability to...

use a variety of sources to access information including computer technology
apply a variety of methods to test the validity of data
identify problems and needs
design an experiment, plan or model that systematically defines a problem
identify information sources appropriate to special needs or problems
formulate questions relevant to clarifying a particular problem topic or issue

Communication Skills -- will give you the ability to...

listen with objectivity and paraphrase the content of a message
communicate with words
speak to individuals and groups
use media formats to present ideas imaginatively
express one's needs, opinions, wants and preferences without violating the rights of others
identify and communicate value judgments effectively
describe objects or events with a minimum of factual errors
convey a positive self-image to others
Use a variety of computer programs to facilitate communication

Human Relations & Interpersonal Skills -- will give you the ability to...

keep a group moving toward the achievement of a common goal
maintain group cooperation and support
delegate tasks and responsibilities
interact effectively with peers, superiors, and subordinates
express one's feelings appropriately
understand the feelings of others
use argumentation techniques
be willing to take risks
make commitments to persons
teach a skill, concept or principle to others
analyze behavior of self and others in group situations

Management & Administration Skills -- will give you the ability to...

analyze tasks
identify people who can contribute to the solution of a problem or task
identify resource materials useful in the solution of a problem or task
delegate responsibility for completion of a task
motivate and lead people
organize people and tasks to achieve a specific goal

Valuing Skills -- will give you the ability to...

assess a course of action in terms of its long-range effects on the general human welfare
make decisions that will maximize individual and collaborative good
appreciate the contributions of art, literature, science and technology
assess self values in relation to important life decisions
identify one's own values

Personal / Career Development Skills -- will give you the ability to...

analyze and learn from life experiences- both one's own and others
relate the skills developed in one environment (e.g., school) to the requirements of another environment (e.g., work)
match knowledge about one's own characteristics and abilities to information about job or career opportunities
identify, describe and assess the relative importance of one's needs, values, interest, strengths, and weaknesses

Critical Thinking Skills -- will give you the ability to...

identify quickly and accurately the critical issue when making a decision or solving a problem
identify a general principle that explains related experiences or factual data
define the parameters of a problem
adapt one's concepts and behavior to changing conventions and norms
apply appropriate criteria to strategies and action plans
take given premises and reason to their conclusion
analyze ideas and events