LA.AA - Liberal Arts

The Liberal Arts program offers a variety of courses that prepare students to transfer into the junior year at four-year colleges and universities in such fields as English, history, humanities, journalism, world languages, pre-law, literature, psychology, sociology, political science, anthropology, philosophy, and education. Liberal Arts can be a valuable, flexible path allowing students to explore many subject areas before choosing a more specific discipline upon transfer.

The Liberal Arts program is fundamentally cross-disciplinary; this broad perspective provides students with a strong foundation in humanities, social science, natural science, and mathematics. Using a variety of cross-disciplinary approaches, students work together to explore what we share and how we differ, developing the skills needed for engaged, responsible, global citizenship.

An associate degree in Liberal Arts is most effective as a step toward transfer and further academic work. Students enrolled in the Liberal Arts program who intend to transfer to four-year colleges or universities are strongly advised to discuss their general education electives with a faculty advisor.

Almost all baccalaureate institutions prefer coursework for a student’s major field to be completed at that institution. Therefore, it is better for students to fulfill the general education requirements that make up the core of Liberal Arts at Mercer, working with faculty advisors to select courses with an eye toward full transferability. All students should determine the requirements of the transfer institutions they would like to attend and consult with Transfer Services about available articulation agreements and transfer options.

Liberal Arts majors have transferred to Rider University, The College of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Temple University, and many other institutions.

The program may be pursued part-time or full-time and may be completed by daytime or evening attendance, or fully online.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES

• Understand the vocabulary, methods, and the major concepts present in the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences;

• Articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing;

• Perform a series of thinking tasks including quantitative and abstract reasoning such as speculation, analysis, and synthesis;

• Utilize research materials and methodologies;

• Speak, write, read, and comprehend a world language commensurate with the level of study.