Art majors in biology courses. Business students reading muddled philosophy. Nursing students cramming for a theology midterm. Where the heck is this? – This is the land of Trinity Western University. This is the realm of liberal arts education.

TWU undergraduates are commonly told of the undervalued significance of a degree from a “liberal arts” school, but to the average student struggling with classes far beyond their interests, it can easily ring false. This begs the obvious question: what exactly is the spectacular, undeniable benefit of a liberal arts education? I’m glad you asked.

The concept of a liberal arts degree is all but dead in our modern culture – especially in North America and Canada. We are told college is preparation for our careers. Why should future lawyers be forced to study geography, or future linguists be placed in history lectures? The answer is supposed to be apparent: they shouldn’t.

Others argue that liberal arts education reduces our ability to concentrate on mastering one area and spreads our time too thin. There is only so much time for learning in four years, and half of our time is spent outside our chosen majors.

I concede. There are drawbacks to a liberal arts degree. We can’t spend as much time plunging deep into our narrow field as other university counterparts. However, in my humble opinion, there are still several reasons for choosing a liberal arts education over a career-focused one.

First, liberal arts education better prepares us for a greater variety of possibilities in the future. So what if you happen to graduate in psychology and you want to enter the ministry? You are a cut above the rest by having a diversified academic background, having taken a handful of religious studies classes amidst Theories of Personality and Human Sexuality.

An even more potent reason for liberal arts is the crossover that increasingly exists in almost every career field. Business operates in an international environment. Counselors are beginning to recognize the centrality of religious motivation. Political scientists need to be well-versed in history and ethics.

Liberal arts graduates are integrated and comprehensive learners that can read, write, and speak effectively, no matter what their choice of study. The research skills developed in the humanities are helpful in an array of careers. Religious Studies classes assist in incorporating our faith into a larger worldview. The infamous “Culture and Society” requirement creates more informed global citizens.

Liberal arts education ensures that its students are restricted by nothing. We can march confidently into the world beyond university with the knowledge that we are well-rounded learners with a broader knowledge base than many others. Where do you want to go? The sky is the limit. Just go.