Higher education can resist the need to open the U.S. mind to greater cultural diversity by ignoring the changing ethnic composition of student bodies and larger society, or realize this opportunity to revitalize the social sciences and humanities with a new sense of purpose and more inclusive definition of knowledge. (MSE)

Higher education must arrive at some fresh convictions to restore integrity to the baccalaureate degree. Assumptions about the degree's meaning should be made explicit in both the curriculum and extracurricular activities. The objectives of the Association of American College's Project on the Meaning and Purpose of Baccalaureate Degrees are…

Arguments both pro and con about the foreign language (FL) requirement are presented. Negative arguments center on the decreasing value of FL study and the inadequacy of skills developed in a four course sequence. Positive arguments concern immediate benefits to students and the importance of FL study in a liberal arts curriculum. (AMH)

Argues against formalized liberal learning or general education core curricula. Posits that the expertise needed in most higher level occupations is broadening, owing to changes in the nature of organizations and work itself. Suggests that the student major should be reexamined, broadened, and given greater social context. (DMM)

In working to integrate liberal and professional education in the undergraduate curriculum, the various faculties must begin to have systematic conversations with each other to discover their common ground and the potential for working together. (MSE)

Foreign language teachers' catalog course descriptions are criticized for using inappropriate arguments for them and for not clearly articulating the need for language study. These arguments favoring language study are categorized as sociopolitical, instrumental, and cognitive, and are examined individually. (MSE)

An unusual degree requirement at Christ College, the honors college of Valparaiso University (Indiana), involves freshman production of an original musical theater production. The role of such a collaborative and imaginative effort in a liberal education is discussed, focusing on the arts as a context for inquiry. (MSE)

The debate over the nature and form of general education is discussed. The Project on General Education Models, which surveyed colleges and universities that had taken concrete steps to review or revise their general education programs, is described. Some new programs are outlined. (MLW)

The history of undergraduate teaching in the United States is discussed in an attempt to determine whether the curriculum is now in a period of crisis. The most crucial ingredient in the excellence of higher education may be the admissions policies and the quality of the faculty teaching available courses. (MLW)

The success of critical thinking courses poses a significant threat to the conception and status of the humanities. In an effort to remediate deficiencies in the writing and reading skills of students attempting to undertake college-level work, courses have been developed which aim to improve the cognitive skills needed for effective…

Four justifications for liberal education are examined: the content of liberal education is of intrinsic value; liberal education provides the most effective means of achieving personal goals; liberal education provides a basic understanding of the world; and the most useful preparation for any career is not narrow job-training. (MLW)

Presented are the AACP Task Force recommendations on general education requirements for pharmacy students that must be met for an institution to receive favorable accreditation. The recommendations concern science courses as liberal education content, keys for determining whether a course falls within the liberal education component, course level,…

Those seeking or those who have obtained a communications degree often ask what they can do with their degree. Their quest for universal employment categories uniquely appropriate for communication majors is shaped by four beliefs: (1) content expertise is the primary asset the communication major brings to a potential employer; (2) communication…

The quest for the powers and skills of informed judgment, for the dual capacities of appreciation and criticism should stand as the goal of every level of the college curriculum. The fundamentals of a college education are seen as decisions between interpretations and the skill of understanding interpretations. (MLW)

The Council on Learning's national conference of a representative segment of academic leadership held a discussion to elicit comments on the Council's Education and World View project. Internationalization of courses, language requirements, multicultural education, community colleges, teacher education, and undergraduate education are discussed.…