What is the purpose of the General Studies program?
The General Studies program helps students acquire knowledge and abilities to understand the world, make connections across disciplines, and contribute to the solution of contemporary problems. General education should develop skills needed for later academic and professional work (such as communication and math), foster abilities that transcend disciplines (like critical thinking), and help students understand different disciplines and their unique approaches to asking and answering life’s questions.
Why do students have to take liberal arts courses rather than just focus on their major?
The broadly educated person can view things holistically. S/he is valued in society because s/he has become skillful in analyzing competing methodologies and schools of thought in finding solutions to real world problems. A liberal arts education gives learners the opportunity to view the world from multiple perspectives.