Online Liberal Arts Degree Programs

An online degree in liberal arts and humanities can provide you with a well-rounded education, building a solid foundation in communications, business, and culture. Liberal arts and humanities programs teach students to analyze information, conduct sophisticated research, support their informed opinions, and to communicate with confidence. Humanities students complete a breadth of learning that enables them to see their world anew--from various historical, social, and psychological perspectives.

The term 'liberal arts' historically comes from studies "appropriate for free men," i.e., the citizens of the republics of classical antiquity who were never expected to train directly for any given trade or pursuit. They received a generalized education thought to be most proper for the social and political elites. As such, the course of study in the liberal arts was almost entirely devoted to the classics--arts, literature, rhetoric, and philosophy.

Today, the liberal arts are sometimes promoted as "liberal" in the later Enlightenment sense, as liberating of the mind, removing prejudices, and unjustified assumptions. This formal arts education can allow you to hone your natural talents while advancing your creative work through contemporary investigative methods and modern technologies. No matter your chosen field, your knowledge base should gain depth, discipline, and technical strength. You might develop an artistic portfolio that demonstrates your artistic talents, a digital presentation of film or music, or a creative writing collection.

The Humanities

Study of the liberal arts traditionally encompasses areas such as:

• Humanities
• Liberal studies
• Language and literature: languages, classics, comparative literature
• Linguistic studies: linguistics, translation and interpretation
• Philosophy and ethics
• Religious studies: missions, pastoral ministry and counseling, religion, theology
• Writing: professional writing and creative writing

What are the Types of Liberal Arts and Humanities Degrees?

Online colleges and universities offer programs leading to an associate's degree in liberal arts, a bachelor's of arts degree in liberal studies, or a bachelor's of science degree in interdisciplinary studies. Several flexible online programs allow students to tailor their learning to their intellectual interests in humanities and their lifetime educational goals.

A degree in liberal arts and humanities is not a business degree. It's not a science degree or a technical certificate. Yet, the coursework you do and the skills you develop can be applied to virtually any profession. The focus on communication skills, the ability to learn in the abstract, solving problems through reasoning, logic and deduction, open debating, and the study of how it all fits within historical and cultural contexts can make an arts and humanities degree an eye-opening experience.

From a professional standpoint, the arts and humanities degree gives you the skills and discipline to work in any variety of careers, to transition easily into a professional track like medicine or law, or even to go on to graduate school. As a result, graduates can use their global viewpoints and diverse collection of skills to choose from an almost limitless number of career options.

• Liberal Arts & Humanities