Liberal Arts School?

[insanebikerboy]

Interesting article off of Foxnews about college rankings. Apparently USNA is considered a liberal arts school? I never would've thought that, but hey, at least we're in the top 20 and above West Point and the Zoomies.

 

[eddie]

Lack of grad school???

 

[BlackBearHockey]

I would imagine they were included because they're in the same breath as the Ivy leagues... maybe USNA put a little pressure on someone? It's obviously good PR, whether they need it or not.

 

[scoober78]

I would imagine they were included because they're in the same breath as the Ivy leagues

You mean those Ivy Leagues that aren't liberal arts schools??? What are you talking about?

 

[phrogpilot73]

From Encyclopedia Brittanica: "College or university curriculum aimed at imparting general knowledge and developing general intellectual capacities, in contrast to a professional, vocational, or technical curriculum."

While there are SOME professional/technical/vocational courses at the Naval Academy, the sheer variety of courses that you are required to take leads me to believe that the moniker "liberal arts" is very fitting.

 

[tiger84]

When I think Liberal Arts school I think Williams and Amherst, not really any of the "bigger" Ivy League schools. I have a BSE in Aerospace Engineering from Princeton and I'd hardly call my experience there typical of a Liberal Arts education. Yes, the curriculum was well diversified and included a solid foundation in the liberal arts, but I think there is a pretty big distinction between universities which offer significant options for technical degrees (obviously including USNA) and Liberal Arts schools.

 

[llnick2001]

I would have thought everyone graduating with a BS vice a BA would rule it out as a liberal arts school. But then again, what the hell do I know.

 

[insanebikerboy]

I would have thought everyone graduating with a BS vice a BA would rule it out as a liberal arts school. But then again, what the hell do I know.

Yeah, and that was my exact thought too. When I was there the administration harped on how we were all getting a technical background through calc, physics, etc. Our major was just on top of what we did as a whole, be it English, Mech E, or whatever.

 

[Mango]

professional, vocational, or technical curriculum

Then what the hell are those Naval leadersleep classes? Seems to me that our four years by the bay was nothing BUT professional and votech.

I would prefer that USNA remain proudly unranked over being #20 behind the likes of Wellesley and Vassar.

 

[Cavt]

I just like the fact that I now have something to hold above the Academy guys when it comes to their whining about how great their college education was since my alma mater was in the top 5

 

[DanMa1156]

You also have to remember that USNA is not officially split up into several "colleges" like many other universities, i.e.: Penn State's Colleges of Engineering/Business/Sciences/Liberal Arts etc. So, the Majors that are offered at the Naval Academy that are Liberal Arts (History, Economics, Poli Sci, English, etc.) could be top notch - enough to place USNA in a "Liberal Arts" school category. I'm sure it could also be classified as an Engineering College as well.

 

[scoober78]

My only argument for calling the Academy a liberal arts college is that there are (and correct me if I'm wrong here guys...) several courses that are core cirriculum consituents....ie...you may be a history major but you are still going to take EE, Calc, physics etc...

 

[insanebikerboy]

My only argument for calling the Academy a liberal arts college is that there are (and correct me if I'm wrong here guys...) several courses that are core cirriculum consituents....ie...you may be a history major but you are still going to take EE, Calc, physics etc...

Bingo.

 

[BlackBearHockey]

I would imagine they were included because they're in the same breath as the Ivy leagues... maybe USNA put a little pressure on someone? It's obviously good PR, whether they need it or not.

Liberal arts colleges are primarily colleges with an emphasis upon undergraduate study in the liberal arts. The Encyclopædia Britannica Concise offers the following definition of the liberal arts as a, "college or university curriculum aimed at imparting general knowledge and developing general intellectual capacities, in contrast to a professional, vocational, or technical curriculum."

When I think of a liberal arts school, I think of it as a school that attempts to mentally broaden an individual, something I consider Ivy league schools to do, and frankly, a lot of schools; not just those smaller ones who put the liberal in liberal arts.

 

[HH-60H]

I just like the fact that I now have something to hold above the Academy guys when it comes to their whining about how great their college education was since my alma mater was in the top 5

awwww, boohoo, have those academy guys been picking on you again?