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Liberal Arts

  • Bachelor of Arts

The liberal arts degree program at Saint Vincent College allows students to participate in an academic community where young women and men learn and develop skills that prepare them for success in both their personal and professional lives. Liberal arts is a key part of State Vincent College’s mission statement and the institution ranks as a top liberal arts college in the northeast.

To help liberal arts students succeed, they will be paired with a committed faculty member who will design an individualized plan of studies for them.

All majors will complete a research project directed by two faculty members, which results in strengthened critical thinking and writing skills.

What Can I Do With a Major in Liberal Arts?

The Liberal Arts degree program fosters the idea that education is environmental rather than compartmental, general before it can be specific. The faculty view the program to be an excellent preparation for further study in professional and graduate schools and for careers in social services, the legal field, professional health and business.

Our belief is that a person who learns how to discover, evaluate and develop a problem, how to secure the information required by these processes and why he or she does so at all is well prepared to live in a humane and valuable way.

Liberal arts is just as concerned with the plumber, the carpenter or factory worker as the poet, mathematician or philosopher and with creating from these disciplines a more meaningful life. For the primary question is always: What is man? What does it mean to be?

Curriculum Requirements

  • Requirements for a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Liberal Arts

    Liberal Arts Major Requirements (61 credits):
    Physics* - 4 credits
    Fine Arts * - 3 credits
    AN 101   Introduction to Anthropology* or
         AN 222   Cultural Anthropology* - 3 credits
    PY 100   Introduction to Psychological Science** - 3 credits
    LA 200   Methods and Techniques of Research - 3 credits
    LA 250   Seminar:  Readings for Liberal Arts Majors - 3 credits
    LA 325   Senior Seminar for Liberal Arts Majors - 3 credits
    Concentration *** - 18 credits
    Minor*** - 18 credits
    Total - 61 credits

    *These are specific requirements for the major and do not satisfy the core.
    **A major requirement which will satisfy the core.
    ***A maximum of six credits from the concentration and/or minor may be used to fulfill core curriculum requirements.

    The Concentration
    In consultation with his or her faculty adviser, the Liberal Arts major will design a concentration. The 18-credit concentration may be achieved either vertically or horizontally.

    A vertical concentration focuses on covering an existing traditional academic discipline, such as history, modern language, sociology or biology, in depth.

    A horizontal concentration is interdisciplinary, allowing students to take courses from a variety of different traditional academic disciplines such as history, modern language, sociology and biology.

    In either concentration, the student may include only one introductory or survey level course, e.g., SO 101 Introduction to Sociology.

    The student, with the guidance of the faculty adviser, identifies the form of the concentration and the courses that will comprise it. The theme and form of the concentration is determined in the fall semester of the junior year.

    In addition to the self-designed option, the student may choose to fulfill the requirement by completing one of the following suggested concentrations: American Studies, Business Studies, Cultural Studies, Media Studies, Pre-Health studies and Quantitative Studies.

     

    American Studies
    HI 106  Topics in U.S. History to 1865 or
         HI 107  Topics in U.S. History since 1865 - 3 credits
    EL 131  American Literature:  Exploration to Civil War or
         EL 132  American Literature:  Civil War to Present - 3 credits
    TH 362  Religion in America - 3 credits
    SO 200  Race and Ethnicity - 3 credits
    PS 290  Institutions - 3 credits
    PL 216  Ethical Problems - 3 credits

    Business Studies
    BA 100  Financial Accounting I - 3 credits
    BA 101  Financial Accounting II - 3 credits
    BA 104  Introduction to Management - 3 credits
    EC 101  Principles of Microeconomics or
         EC 102  Principles of Macroeconomics - 3 credits
    BA 305  Business Ethics - 3 credits
    BA 320  Corporation Finance I - 3 credits

    Cultural Studies
    Modern Language 300 level courses - 6 credits
    History (200 level that corresponds to the language) - 3 credits
    AN 328  Linguistic Anthropology - 3 credits
    EL 138  Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States - 3 credits
    TH 380  World Religions - 3 credits

    Media Studies
    CA 100  Introduction to Mass Media - 3 credits
    CA 130  Introduction to Digital Media - 3 credits
    CA 235  Introduction to Web Design - 3 credits
    CA 285  Electronic Media - 3 credits
    CA 230  Writing for Media - 3 credits
    EL 108  Technical Writing - 3 credits     

    Pre-Health Studies
    CH 101-104  General Chemistry I and II & lab - 8 credits
    MA 109  Calculus I - 4 credits
    CH 221-224  Organic Chemistry I and II & lab - 8 credits
    PH 111-114  General Physics I and II & lab - 8 credits
    Students who select this concentration must fulfill the requirements for a biology minor.

    Quantitative Studies
    MA 109  Calculus I - 4 credits
    MA 110  Calculus II - 4 credits
    PY 203  Statistics I - 3 credits
    PY 204  Statistics II - 3 credits
    Select one of the following:
    PH 112 and PH 114 General Physics II and Lab - 4 credits
    BL 152 and BL 153 General Biology II and Lab - 4 credits
    CH 102 and CH 104 General Chemistry II and Lab - 4 credits

Program Highlights

Results

How You Will Succeed
  • Participate in an academic community where young women and men learn and develop skills that prepare them for success in both their personal and professional lives.
  • Work with a committed faculty who focus on student success.
  • Design an individualized plan of studies with the guidance of a skilled faculty advisor.
  • Complete a research project directed by two faculty members which results in strengthened critical thinking and writing skills.
  • Work in a variety of fields including education, communication, environmental science, business, hospitality, sports, social science, and government.
  • Pursue professional health studies in medicine, dentistry, chiropractic, physical therapy and nursing.
  • Pursue graduate studies in such areas as education, public health rehabilitative science, biology, history and architecture.

Student Work and Research

The Academic Project
In the final semester of study, the liberal arts student must present an academic project done in the field of his or her concentration and/or minor. Because it is the culminating activity for the Liberal Arts major, the ideal project combines the concentration and the minor.

The project may take any number of forms, including:

  • thesis
  • essay
  • intellectual journal
  • poetry
  • short story
  • ·novel
  • stage design
  • art exhibit
  • physical or social science research

The sequence for the senior liberal arts project begins in the fall semester of the junior year when the student enrolls in LA 250 Methods and Techniques of Research and concludes in the spring semester of the senior year when the student presents his/her research findings at the college’s Annual Academic Research Conference.

Internships and Careers

Liberal arts jobs are available in a variety of fields including education, communication, environmental science, business, hospitality, sports, social science and government.

Many liberal arts degree students will pursue graduate studies in such areas as education, public health rehabilitative science, biology, history and architecture.

Liberal arts majors may also pursue professional health studies in medicine, dentistry, chiropractic, physical therapy and nursing.

Listed below are some examples of liberal arts careers:

  • Business
    • Hospitality
    • Management
    • Marketing
    • Sales
  • Education
    • Educational Administration
    • Elementary Education
    • Higher Education
    • Secondary Education
  • Law
    • Law Enforcement
    • Lawyer
  • Medicine
    • Chiropractor
    • Dentist
    • Physician
    • Physical Therapist
    • Physician’s Assistant
  • Social Service
    • Children and Youth Agencies
    • State and Local Government Agencies

Saint Vincent College liberal arts majors have completed successful internships at the following institutions:

  • Adelphoi Village
  • Allegheny Energy
  • Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh
  • Donovan Veterinary Clinic
  • Excela Health
  • Hillman Cancer Institute
  • Parkhurst Dining Services
  • Pennsylvania Game Commission
  • Saint Vincent College Athletic Department
  • Walgreens

Student Learning Outcomes

Completing a liberal arts major at Saint Vincent College will enable students to:

  • Integrate the skills and knowledge acquired in the major; that is, the minor, the concentration and required liberal arts courses.
  • Develop public speaking skills.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking and analysis in written communication.
  • Demonstrate information literacy.