This six-chapter monograph discusses the need for and the components of a holistic approach to education; that is, an education which teaches the student to function on the aesthetic and affective levels, as well as to master the behavioral objectives of traditional content area instruction. Chapter I presents a rationale for this holistic approach, based on the failure of traditional higher education to provide students with the coping skills necessary in postindustrial society. Chapter II notes the inadequacy of traditional curricula to provide these skills and calls for a curriculum restructuring which stresses utility for the learner, relevance to his/her life, and the adoption of multi-sensory and interdisciplinary approaches. Chapter III discusses the correlation between attitudinal factors and student achievement, and then examines methods of incorporating affective objectives in basic skills instruction. Chapter IV details a holistic model for developmental education which allows the college to diagnose and remediate the differing skill deficiencies of individual students. Chapter V discusses the vital role of the visual arts in healthy personal development and urges the integration of sensory education into college curricula. Finally, Chapter VI discusses the responsibility of administrators and faculty in creating a positive learning environment and in effecting the curricular and administrative changes required in the adoption of the holistic philosophy. (JP)