Value of a Liberal Arts Education

A Vital, Transportable Foundation of Skills

What do John Stewart, Barack Obama, former Disney CEO Michael Eisner, and Martha Stewart have in common? They all have liberal arts degrees (psychology, political science, English and history, respectively).

A liberal arts education teaches students to deal with complexity and diversity. It teaches critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and the ability to apply knowledge to the larger world in a flexible way.

These are all skills that make graduates agile, able to learn on the job, and adapt to new career demands—all skills that employers say they are looking for in new employees.

Stewart Butterfield, Slack Technologies’ cofounder and CEO, holds an undergraduate degree in philosophy, and he insists that the skills he learned helped him to build his $300 million company.

“Studying philosophy taught me two things,” said Butterfield. “I learned how to write really clearly. I learned how to follow an argument all the way down, which is invaluable in running meetings.”

Employers Want YOUR Skills

And Butterfield is not the only boss who recognizes the value of a liberal arts education. In a 2013 study, Hart Research Associates found that most company heads surveyed thought like him, too.

• 93% of employers say that an employee’s ability to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve problems is more important than their undergraduate major.
• 80% of employers say that every college student should acquire broad knowledge in the liberal arts and sciences.
• Nine in ten employers want new hires to have sound ethical judgment, integrity, and intercultural skills
• 3 out of 4 employers recommend a liberal arts and sciences education as the best way for success in today’s global economy.