University Liberal Arts Courses in Big Trouble

[I'm With Stupid]

Maybe they changed the definition so they could hard sell it, posters know what's meant by "liberal arts" fuck off with the geology and science angle :)

Your ignorance isn't evidence of everyone else's ignorance mate.

 

[mexico1970]

I mean I literally just showed you the stats, but go ahead, just assert the opposite without any evidence.

There's been a massive increase in international students, and it was one of the main factors in the record immigration levels that arguably cost the Tories the election.

I don't know why you're arguing that international students aren't dropping when they obviously are, you could posit the reasons but can't deny the reality.

Foreign student visa applications plummet for UK universities

The downturn could have severe financial implications for UK higher education institutions

www.standard.co.uk

 

[mexico1970]

Your ignorance isn't evidence of everyone else's ignorance mate.

So Durham University are ignorant of it? Liberal arts isn't science and anyone suggesting otherwise is daft to say the least.

 

[Mazzarelli's Swiss Cheese]

From Wikipedia:



It doesn't mean what you think it means. Good luck running that mining company without someone trained in geology, or manufacturing those plane parts without someone who's studied physics.

I suppose it's easier just to say things you'd study at UMIST are generally useful, but a lot of the arsing about at the met uni, Salford and the royal northern college of prancing about is probably dubious.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

I don't know why you're arguing that international students aren't dropping when they obviously are, you could posit the reasons but can't deny the reality.

Foreign student visa applications plummet for UK universities

The downturn could have severe financial implications for UK higher education institutions

www.standard.co.uk

A single year downturn caused by new stricter visa rules. That is not the 'continuing to decline year-on-year' that you claimed. Nor is it, as you seem to claim, because they're seeing through the con that it university education.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

So Durham University are ignorant of it? Liberal arts isn't science and anyone suggesting otherwise is daft to say the least.

'Liberal arts' is a distinctly American term, referring to a particular type of college that focuses on academic study rather than vocational or technical skills. The term is used in American politics (and surprise, surprise, the OP is American) to wind people up into thinking they're all studying ethnic basket weaving and gender-based hemp tasting. It doesn't, it just means they teach physics instead of aeronautical engineering. Maths instead of finance. English language instead of journalism. And yes, art instead of graphic design. An academic dissertation rather than a technical project. Of course, in practice, 'liberal arts colleges' are just colleges and will teach whatever will bring in the students these days.

In the UK, including Durham and Manchester 'liberal arts' is the name of a specific course that allows students to combine various arts and humanities into a single degree. Nothing about the OP's post suggests that this was the meaning he was going for.

The OP put liberal arts in his post, but the (UK-based) article he links to says absolutely nothing about liberal arts courses. The only evidence we have of this drop in liberal arts (and I'm not denying it's happening) is 'my mate said.' But if true, this is a classic result of debt-based education. When people have to take a financial risk, they often choose a subject with a clear career path attached. And it doesn't just affect the arts and humanities. So you do get people who are good at maths studying finance instead of maths, not because they're more likely to get a job, but because they can more clearly visualize what that path will be.

This is particularly the case with international students, which is why it's funny you conflating the two issues. International students are leaving because most degrees are a con (paraphrasing). But they are precisely the students studying the kind of subjects that you think are worth studying. How many international students do you think are studying media studies?

 

[Grassland Blue]

I think the answer is fewer people going and make it what it used to be with much tougher entrance criteria. Both my sons went to Uni, the experience of the big wide world was good for them but the only other thing they came out with was debt. They should be wholly funded by the government and aimed at fostering the best (as they were when a lot of our current politicians went).

Judging by the state of British politics, that is somewhat ironic...