Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Fall 2011

Disciplines

Education | Higher Education | Latin American Languages and Societies | Modern Languages

Abstract

"At colleges and universities in the United States, the liberal arts are seen as a worthy complement to focused learning in a discipline. A discipline is expected to offer specialization in preparation for further study, for careers and for professions. The liberal arts are charged with providing a broad intellectual background. The liberal arts can also serve as an entry point, a first exposure, to the range of disciplines. This is a special relationship promising balance between depth and breadth. Many of the arguments put forth in favor of a strong liberal arts education also emphasize the practical value of the liberal arts background. In recent years, the global initiatives that appear in college and university mission statements and increased interest in a select set of modern foreign languages are just two examples of where the liberal arts are promoted as practical complements to a focus in the discipline and in response to outside trends. Spanish language learning, in particular, is promoted for its instrumental value and its marketability."

Comments

Part of HIOL volume 8, Hispanic Literatures and the Question of a Liberal Education. Editors: Luis Martín Estudillo, Nicholas Spadaccini. Hispanic Issues On Line, Volume 8 (Fall 2011). 1 online resource (PDF, page 170-185).

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