Discusses curricular tradition in liberal higher education and proposes a schema of curricular principles emphasizing the character of the learner, the world to be known, a common heritage of humanity, and kinds of disciplines. Uses the University of Chicago's past and current curricula to illustrate the ongoing search for curricular coherence.…

Society is gaining in its ability to produce, but struggling to use the fruits of that productivity wisely. For higher education to play its best and appropriate roles, the capacity for innovation needs to be regenerated and encouraged. Technology will play a significant role in creating opportunities for fundamentally different ways of providing…

Three faculty members of Concordia University in Montreal, who played integral roles in the formation of a highly successful core curriculum as part of their institution, discuss the logistics, the politics, and the philosophy behind the founding and growth of their Liberal Arts College. For Harvey Shulman, the program, which has attracted…

This book argues that if we lose our knowledge of the Greek classics, we lose our understanding of Western culture and who we are. Familiarity with the literature, art, and philosophy of the classical world has been synonymous with "education" in the West for over two millennia. The Greek tenets of democracy, capitalism, materialism, personal…

In spring 1986, the Center for the Study of Community Colleges analyzed the class schedules of 95 randomly selected two-year colleges to determine the types of liberal arts courses offered by the colleges and to spot changes in the curriculum over the past 11 years. Study findings included the following: (1) the humanities made up 48% of the total…

Amidst the controversy surrounding the fate of the humanities in modern society, a program has evolved at Dawson College and four other English "colleges d'enseignment general et professionel" (CEGEP) that features a compulsory humanities core. The original purpose of the humanities program was to provide a broad general liberal arts…

Proceedings of the inaugural ceremonies of the University of San Diego's Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies are presented. These include the inaugural introduction by David Pierpont Gardner, opening remarks by Frank Stanton, the keynote address by California Governor George Deukmejian, further remarks by David Pierpont…

In response to William J. Bennett's "To Reclaim a Legacy: A Report on the Humanities in Higher Education," five essays provide insights into the humanities from varying perspectives. "Humanities Education and Business," by John A. Ziegler, underscores the importance of a liberal education in business and industry, considering…

Descriptions of college programs that integrate civic issues and responsibilities are provided, along with an essay entitled "Liberal Education's Civic Agenda," by Arthur Levine and David Haselkorn. The essay recommends a curriculum that emphasizes such things as basic skills and problem solving, and values and ethics. The program…

Student development philosophy, based solely on the behavioral sciences and a romantic humanistic philosophy, is not adequate for meeting human needs in contemporary society. The concepts of holism, humanism, pragmatism, and individualism are all part of this student development philosophy but have been distorted. The literature on student…

The idea of the college as a residential and instructional entity preparing students for advanced study by establishing basic knowledge in the liberal arts has a long history in Europe and the United States. The German term "Bildung" describes this function well, with its suggestions of "knowledge, culture, the power of expression,…

At the college level, the obstacles to machine-testing of critical thinking are more pedagogical and practical than theoretical and include creating an operational definition, differentiating critical thinking skills and subskills, and establishing test reliability and validity. (MSE)

Justice does not require us to provide liberal education at the college level to all who want it, or to require it in professional education, but it does constrain the ways we distribute the advanced liberal education we do provide. Political prudence argues for making such education widely available at the college level. (Author/MSE)

A discussion of programs and techniques used to deal with student difficulties in learning math and science highlights the efforts of the Claremont Colleges, the College of St. Catherine, Gustavus Adolphus College, Iona College, Mississippi State University, and Stetson University. (MSE)

For liberal education to be successfully integrated into engineering education, engineers must first be convinced that the humanities and arts are important and worthy of respect. In the brief exposure they provide, liberal arts teachers can inspire engineers through their own passion for what they teach. (MSE)