With the beginning of the 21st century, society has become more aware of its rapidly expanding stockpile of information, knowledge and technology. In fact, there is so much information that no one person can hope to learn all of it. Most students entering college choose to focus on one academic area - a major - with a minor in a secondary or supporting field of interest. 

Every college student hopes to find a successful niche in the working world after graduation. Yet, no matter which field of study one has chosen, during a lifetime that field will likely change in terms of its knowledge base, marketability, and relationship to other fields. Fifteen years ago, 30 percent of jobs nationwide were different from what they are today. During any person’s working life, he or she generally has a few careers and several employers. Therefore, while a student should focus on a specific area of study in college, an education which provides a broad base of knowledge in addition to in-depth study in a major is the best preparation for an occupation and other endeavors. This is the aim of a liberal arts education. 

Through a balanced study of the liberal arts, students can take their learning in one discipline and apply it to another; they make connections between areas of thought, to "think on their feet." In this way, liberal arts students not only become knowledgeable in many areas, they also develop a more complete, complex mastery over a major field. 

Because the liberal arts develops the ability to make educated connections, it encourages students to be better learners. Intelligent written and oral communication, clarity of thought and reasoning, intellectual curiosity, scientific inquiry, careful and focused reading, technological skills, and a critical and creative approach - these are the qualities which the liberal arts motivate in the learner. And these are the qualities which many gradates take with them, enabling them to become lifelong learners, no matter what their professional endeavors. 

At Augustana, coursework required for graduation spans the five major areas of knowledge: natural sciences, social sciences, fine arts, language and literature, and philosophy and religion. Approximately one-third of each student’s required coursework is selected from these five areas, one-third is from the student’s major area and another third is in electives chosen by the student. Each student has an adviser - a member of the faculty in the student’s major department - to help plan course schedules and discuss academics issues and career objectives. 

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Source: Augustana College Rock Island, Illinois. www.augustana.edu