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Everything is liberal arts, but mathematics and chemistry can also be exclusively science. Literature can never be exclusively science.
What's with the earnest desire to reduce science to arts? Chemistry, as in medicine, is not liberal arts unless you are a grade school teacher pretending to be a scientist. Are you sure this isn't about STEM-bashing rather than STEMs bashing arts?
You don't understand. The liberal arts are science, mathematics, humanities, and social science. It's been that way for hundreds of years. Applied subjects, such as nursing and engineering, are not liberal arts. Being a science and a liberal art are not mutually exclusive because the natural sciences are part of the definition of liberal arts. Additionally, the U.S. government classifies some of the social sciences as STEM. You're taking the "art" in liberal arts too literally. Most of the liberal arts subjects have nothing to do with art.
You don't understand. The liberal arts are science, mathematics, humanities, and social science. It's been that way for hundreds of years. Applied subjects, such as nursing and engineering, are not liberal arts. Being a science and a liberal art are not mutually exclusive because the natural sciences are part of the definition of liberal arts. Additionally, the U.S. government classifies some of the social sciences as STEM. You're taking the "art" in liberal arts too literally. Most of the liberal arts subjects have nothing to do with art.
This debate over technicalities comes up every time some says "STEM" and "Liberal Arts." I think it's pretty obvious from the conversation that people are using the colloquial, conversational meaning where "Liberal Arts = humanities and anything not STEM) and not the strict academic definition.
I see a lot of non-STEM degree bashing but my thing is, not everyone is great at mathematics or science and not everyone has an interest in STEM subjects. So why the bashing?
How do you feel about non-STEM degrees?
Little known fact: The National Science Foundation considers psychology, sociology, anthropology and economics STEM degrees because they are "social sciences" that rely on similar quantitative and problem solving skills as say, biology.
Also, "STEM" is becoming passe. Now the focus is increasingly on STEAM -- Science, Technology, ARTS and Math. Even Tech Companies are starting to see the benefits of STEAM.
This debate over technicalities comes up every time some says "STEM" and "Liberal Arts." I think it's pretty obvious from the conversation that people are using the colloquial, conversational meaning where "Liberal Arts = humanities and anything not STEM) and not the strict academic definition.
Equating liberal arts to humanities is totally wrong. Why not just say humanities? The social sciences aren't humanities. The liberal arts are not anything not STEM. Business subjects are neither STEM nor liberal arts. If people are going to have a debate about academics, then they should at least know what they're talking about.
The natural sciences are not professional or technical subjects that prepare you for a specific job at the undergraduate level, so the distinctions are important. People have this misconception that they're going to walk out of college with a BS in biology and quickly land some high-paying job as a biologist because it's STEM. This happens because people oversimplify things.
As an undergrad, I majored in History with heavy doses of Philosophy, Literature and Political Science.
I ended up with MS and Ph.D degrees in Ecoomics, with a heavy dose of mathematics, and held non-university jobs in this field as a contract researcher and consultant for nearly 40 years.
My undergraduate education taught me how to write and think critically and creatively. The math just added a bit of rigor. Applying all this to economic issues made my job fun.
You don't understand. The liberal arts are science, mathematics, humanities, and social science. It's been that way for hundreds of years. Applied subjects, such as nursing and engineering, are not liberal arts. Being a science and a liberal art are not mutually exclusive because the natural sciences are part of the definition of liberal arts. Additionally, the U.S. government classifies some of the social sciences as STEM. You're taking the "art" in liberal arts too literally. Most of the liberal arts subjects have nothing to do with art.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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It really depends on the kind of work, there are still jobs with decent pay that don't require a STEM or STEAM degree. The people that I manage are all in the $55-100k pay range. Of those there are 4 millennials, 2 generation X and two boomers. Their degrees:
Psychology (3)
MBA
Political Science
Art
Urban Studies
Math
I've always been a "non-STEM" mind and work in IT now.
I spent several years bumbling around getting a political science degree. I dropped out for a semester due to personal issues, came back, and since my politics had changed, I was no longer welcome there.
I switched over to economics in the business school and that fit like a hand in a glove. I did finish out the political science (and sociology) minors.
I was probably taught 80% of what I gained but 20% of the faculty. It was a state school, but you could get from it what you wanted.
I see a lot of non-STEM degree bashing but my thing is, not everyone is great at mathematics or science and not everyone has an interest in STEM subjects. So why the bashing?
How do you feel about non-STEM degrees?
Anybody who thinks they are better than anybody else because they have a degree another person does not is a d@uchebag of the highest degree.
Little known fact: The National Science Foundation considers psychology, sociology, anthropology and economics STEM degrees because they are "social sciences" that rely on similar quantitative and problem solving skills as say, biology.
Also, "STEM" is becoming passe. Now the focus is increasingly on STEAM -- Science, Technology, ARTS and Math. Even Tech Companies are starting to see the benefits of STEAM.
The bottom line is: the world needs all kinds of thinkers and doers, not just mathematicians and engineers.
Yup as a Psychology PhD student I had a STEM summer grant through the NSF.
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