BA (Hons.) Liberal Arts – Liberal Arts : A multidisciplinary Approach

What is Liberal Arts education?

A Liberal Arts education has a multidisciplinary approach integrating subjects from different disciplines such as humanities, social science and technology. It is opposed to the traditional approach that focused on specialization in a particular area.

A Liberal Arts education cultivates critical thinking skills, teaches ways of effective and clear communication, enables the understanding of self and society, knowledge of other cultures, awareness of ethical and moral issues, independent action and team work. The Liberal Arts degree allows a student to integrate their curiosity, interest and skill by selecting and combining various interrelated disciplines such as political science, sociology, literature and psychology.

Advantages of a multidisciplinary approach in Liberal Arts

A multidisciplinary approach suits best to achieve the educational goals specific to Liberal Arts which is teaching students how to conduct their lives rather than prepare them for a specific profession. This does not mean that Liberal Arts education is in principal opposition to the professional training, instead it is supposed to enhance and enrich the professional life. Raising cultivated and mature, ethical voices is such an example.

A multidisciplinary approach to Liberal Arts education is also intended to enhance the depth and quality of the intellectual enquiry. Additionally, this approach is meant to solve the problem of fragmentation and compartmentalization in the existing structure of university education, which trains the senses and develops the mind for singular outlook on matters of the world. It is therefore necessary, in order to create a learning environment that is also holistic, that Liberal Arts education enables its students to see patterns and connections by linking different disciplines altogether. For instance, policy and gender, or economics and literature. This is also helpful in inculcating a multi-perspective worldview freeing oneself from the narrow confinement and limitation of a just one way to look at and understand the world.

Another practical relevance of a multidisciplinary approach to Liberal Arts is in expanding the meaning of education and its overall purpose in the minds of all the stakeholders. It helps to rescue education from the existing rote memorization and exam centric model. Rather than committing facts to memory, a multidisciplinary approach enables students to gain multiple perspectives to understand a situation or social cause.

Relevance of Liberal Arts education in today’s world

Today’s world is complex. Uncertainty and accelerated social changes loom large. In such a scenario, Liberal Arts education inculcates characteristics of adaptability, enables decision making acumen and enhances imagination for better and creative solutions.

Liberal Arts education also helps in cultivating a sense of responsibility while performing in a globally interconnected world. Stronger civic engagements and commitment to serve the community are some of the core features of such a course.

Liberal Arts education at CU, Uttar Pradesh

With an option of multiple exit, a student has the opportunity to earn a Hons. Degree in Liberal Arts in a duration of four years.

BA (Hons.) Liberal Arts Degree (4 year)

The four-year BA (Hons.) degree in Liberal Arts is designed in such a way that students can curate their own learning path by having the option to choose from a varied disciplines such as English, Political Science, Sociology and Psychology. This multidisciplinary approach meets the contemporary needs of the students situated in a globalized world, enabling them to understand the world from multiple perspectives and leave a mark of empathy in a fragmented world.

BA (Hons.) Liberal Arts Degree with Research (4 year)

The four-year BA (Hons.) degree with research is an advanced and specialized course in the chosen area of discipline. The students with a percentage of and higher to 75% are eligible for the research option where in they are to indulge in a capstone project/topic of their choice or as suggested by the respective faculty and learn to conduct research and write and submit their findings.

Major courses offered in Liberal Arts degree at CU, Uttar Pradesh

• Political Science
• Sociology
• English Literature
• Psychology
• Economics

Key features of the program

• Multiple entry exit options
• Research opportunities
• Contemporary curriculum
• Experienced inhouse and international faculty

Curriculum and Pedagogy

Designing your own learning path: There are two ways in which the program meets this promise. Firstly, the choice to opt from a varied disciplines gives an ample amount of scope to the students to fulfill their interest and meet their curiosity. Secondly, there is a multiple exit option as per NEP 2020 in which a student can chose the extent and duration of the course as per his career needs, given that s/he meets the minimum credit criteria.

Capstone project: In the fourth year of the program, the student who achieves above 75% marks is eligible to opt for BA (Hons.) Liberal Arts degree with research. In this, the student will be guided, under the supervision of the faculty, to design, plan and conduct a research in real world scenario by collecting and analyzing related data and learning to write and present the findings.

Assessment beyond examinations: The assessment criteria as applied in the program is designed in such a way that it takes into consideration, the holistic development of a student, by broadening the focus from examination-marks centric evaluation to class participation and student presentations on selected topics.