Liberal Arts & Sciences
Introduction to Liberal Arts & Sciences
The concept of Liberal Arts & Sciences is old, it goes back to the fifth Century and the very first universities in medieval Europe. This included Leiden University, the oldest university in the Netherlands, founded in 1575, where the Bachelor students studied the Artes Liberales before continuing with a Masters degree in Law, Medicine or Theology. The medieval Artes Liberales form the basis for the modern Liberal Arts & Sciences philosophy, as developed in the United States of America. LUC the Hague offers a yet more modern interpretation of this concept.
Liberal Arts & Sciences is defined by the Association of American Colleges & Universities as: “Liberal Education is an approach to learning that empowers individuals and prepares them todeal with complexity, diversity, and change. It provides students with broad knowledge of the wider world (e.g. science, culture, and society) as well as in-depth study in a specific area of interest. A liberal education helps students develop a sense of social responsibility, as well as strong and transferable intellectual and practical skills such as communication, analytical and problem-solving skills, and a demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills in real-world settings.”
At LUC the Hague we offer you a programme that will not only train you to be a well trained, highly qualified all-round academic, but also an open-minded world citizen who accepts and acts upon his social and civic responsibilities.
Why choose a Liberal Arts & Sciences education?
The world today faces a number of increasingly complicated challenges that require leaders on local, national and global levels who can address these complex problems in a critical, creative and open-minded manner. Intercultural sensitivity is essential to be able to communicate with others from all over the world. A Liberal Arts education is an excellent way to lay the foundations on which these leaders can build their further careers.
Not only will Liberal Arts graduates have gained substantial knowledge in a range of fields, they will also have developed an inquisitive mind, being able to analyse problems thoroughly and critically, think creatively and report on their findings and ideas efficiently and effectively in a variety of circumstances and for various audiences. Interdisciplinarity is a key characteristic of Liberal Arts programs, allowing students to form connections between various fields of study. This ability to build bridges between the disciplines will help graduates to approach problems from different angles.
The programme at LUC the Hague has been designed with the above as guiding principles: students learn to analyze critically the various elements that contribute to the biggest challenges in this world, from the Arts and from Science. They study both natural and human systems, learning to understand the connections between the disciplines, building up their knowledge as well as their academic skills. The foundations for life-long learning are laid as students learn to find and evaluate information, explore new, creative solutions grounded in theory. As students progress through the programme, living and studying with peers from all over the world, the awareness of their own background and culture increases. This will prepare them not only for specialisation in a Master programme but also for an international career.