Being a student of Business Administration, I have to take Math, English, Human Resource Management, Economics and Database Management as my core subjects. But almost every single day I get this inevitable feeling, a wish, a desire that I really want to drop Economics and English. I want to take Mass Communication and Psychology instead. So perhaps if we had liberal arts education in our country, the set of subjects I would have chosen would be completely different. Instead of what I study now, I would have studied Psychology, Human Resource Management, Math, Business Communication and Literature. These would be the subjects I would have actually wanted to study, and I am confident I would excel at all of these. If only I had the option of taking up the aforementioned subjects, I am pretty much sure that I would have learned every single thing with more energy, enthusiasm and passion.If only Nepali universities facilitated liberal arts education, there would be few Nepalis who are "Jack of most, and Master of none" and more of them "Master of some and Jack of some more."
In the context of a country like ours, however, it's almost inevitable, when you tell someone that you're planning to major in a subject like History or English, you get asked the dreaded question: "What are you going to do with that?"
David Kogler, Associate Director of admission at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota, US, gives the following example of this: "Instead of learning only about business at a business school, a liberal arts degree will teach you about business as well as history, politics, and other areas that influence and shape the world of business."
And moreover from what I have read, liberal arts education develops both the left and right side of the brain. Isn't that awesome?
In order for a career to be successful, it requires critical thinking, teamwork, sensitivity towards cultural, demographic, economic and societal difference, and at least a bit of political perspectives. A liberal arts education provides this grounding. And if we were to choose a particular course of study like Medicine, Management, or Engineering, we might at least need a few years of time to learn these skills by facing the so called "real world scenarios" that liberal arts teaches us in the first place.
A good job and top salary for fresh graduates would be wonderful, we all agree. But more important than that is what college graduates do beyond the starting line to build a rewarding life, create a fulfilling career and serve their communities.
It is of course a reality that if liberal arts education was valued in our country then the overall education system would bloom on its own. After all, students would be studying the subjects they are deeply interested in, and no doubt they would be good at it because it would be something they loved. Even Steve Jobs stated in his commencement address at Stanford University, "The only way to do great work is to love what you do."
So if someday when we'll be called a country with a constitution, that day, perhaps, would be time to think what wonderful things a liberal arts education could do. And if liberal art education is doing wonders in so many countries in the world, why not in ours?
Shraddha is an undergraduate student of Business Administration at Prime College in Khusibun,Kathmandu.
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