Study Overseas

A liberal arts education

For many international students the idea of a liberal arts education can take some getting used to. The term “liberal arts” refers to the fact that students are required to take different classes across different subjects. In places where education is highly focused on a specific subject, taking classes in unrelated topics might seem strange or maybe even ill advised, but in the US educational variety is a highly respected quality in a student and in a school. Harvard, Princeton and Yale are not only some of America’s premier institutions, they are also great examples of liberal arts universities.

Students in the US are expected to have a wide range of knowledge upon graduation from a university and for the majority of student’s general education requirements are where they explore subjects they might not have otherwise. A general education requirement is a class or set of classes a student must take in order to receive a diploma. Subjects like math, history, political science, and the natural sciences are commonly required for students to take. In the US, it is not unusual for a business major to have taken several biology classes or vice-versa.

Common problems

Students from other countries enter the United States in a unique position depending on the type of schooling they received in their country. International students might be farther ahead than their American counterparts in some areas and behind in others. Unlike other nations, the US does not have a set of standardized practices for education. Education is compulsory from ages 5 to 18, but American students could have vastly different experiences based on where they live. So while international students might not feel prepared for their academic career in the US, many of their American peers are also facing the same problems. Universities and colleges spend a great deal of time and money educating their students about how to study for classes and how to balance their schedules with extracurricular activities. First year college students especially sometimes struggle to make the adjustment from high school to life in college.

American students typically take a variety of classes during their primary and secondary education, but they don’t have access to the range of topics available in college. Many American students struggle with choosing a major because they are constantly being exposed to topics they may have never encountered before. Popular majors like political science, linguistics, and philosophy are not traditionally available outside of colleges and universities. International students who have been given a highly focused education might feel overwhelmed by the range of classes available, but their peers are having the same struggles. Haruna Kobayashi attends university in Japan, but spent her third year in the US. “The most important thing is to make friends,” she said. “My friends gave me a lot of help with my classes, but also with adjusting to life in America.”

Some international students on the other hand have no problem at all taking classes in the US. Sevil Mahfoozi obtained her undergraduate degree in Iran before pursuing her Master’s degree in Journalism at Indiana University. “The number of courses being offered might be a bit more at IU than in Iran but there isn't that much difference,” she said. “The education system is very strict in Iran, especially in public schools. You have to work really hard for your grades.” Those skills Sevil developed in her home country helped her succeed in the US. Having good study habits goes a long way, even when you’re dealing with an unfamiliar educational system.

The benefits of general education requirements

General education requirements exist to ensure that every student is able to comprehend different subjects at an equal level. If a student cannot test out of a required subject with either a subject offered by the college or a test offered by a private company like the Advanced Placement test, SAT test, or the International Baccalaureate Test, they are obligated to take it. Since schools across the US have varying curriculum, colleges cannot expect every student to come in with similar background knowledge of various subjects.

The other aspect of the liberal arts education that surprises many international students is the practice of taking elective classes. It is not uncommon for a student to take weight lifting or scuba diving or even basket weaving. Students typically do not take a lot of elective classes in a subject unrelated to their areas of study, but taking a few totally unrelated classes is a common practice. Universities often encourage students to take classes in a subject they know nothing about to see if they enjoy the subject or not. It’s not uncommon for American students to change their major several times before they graduate and while most students wouldn’t change their major to basket weaving after taking a class on it, they might be inspired to study astronomy or folklore after filling a general education requirement in the area.

A flexible education

American students often change prospective careers during their education and many students prefer a liberal arts education to a professional degree because of the broad range of skills it provides them with. Instead focusing their education on particular trade, students are able to learn a skill set that allows them to succeed in a range of jobs. It might seem odd at fist to see students taking classes in racquetball, but it’s just a healthy exercise in the liberal arts.

A sample liberal arts degree

Something to keep in mind when planning your classes is that certain courses often count in two areas. For example your second concentration might be Mathematics, so you would fulfil your Math requirements while fulfilling your secondary area requirements.

• Minimum total credit hours for a degree: 123
• Required number of credit hours required outside of your degree: 65
• Number of hours at upper course levels: 40
• Number of required English hours: 6
• Number of Mathematics hours required: 6
• Number of Foreign Language hours: 12
• Number of Arts and Humanities hours: 9
• Number of Social and Historical hours: 9 hours
• Number of Mathematical and Natural Science hours: 9
• Number of Culture Studies Hours: 9
• Number of hours in Major: 40
• Number of hours in second concentration: 30

This is not an approximation of an average degree-it is not exact and should only be used a reference.