Roche, Mark William. Why Choose The Liberal Arts? University of Notre Dame Press. ISBN 9780268040321

Zakaria, Fareed. In Defense Of A Liberal Education. W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. ISBN 9780393352344

Other readings are provided as handouts posted myCMU

This course requires students to focus on liberal arts once again in their academic studies. Students in this course will build both on their individual broad level of knowledge about education and their mastery of their specific teaching area of expertise or work skills. This course integrates liberal education, professional studies, and specialty studies. Meets MEd Standard 1. 3 credit hours

Upon successful completion of the course, each participant should be able to:

• Explain the origin of the term liberal arts and provide examples of noted philosophers and their contributions to the liberal arts through classroom discussion and assigned reading.
• Provide examples of both support and resistance toward liberal arts emphasis from educational experts.
• Determine how society has impacted our emphasis on liberal arts in schools.
• Examination of historical and contemporary educational issues.
• Determine how society and culture influence the way we think and learn.