Liberal arts programs aim to expose students to a wide variety of courses in the humanities and physical and social sciences, rather than one specific course of study or professional training. Although students still pursue one specific major, they also receive knowledge and skills in other areas of humanities and sciences that help them build a more well-rounded education and a wider skill set. The curriculum for liberal arts study depends upon the school of choice; however, a student's coursework at a liberal arts school will include many or all of the following subjects: history, philosophy, religion, literature, physical sciences (such as biology and chemistry) and social sciences (such as psychology and sociology). The student will also study the arts (such as theater and music), languages and mathematics.
Specific majors in the liberal arts include astronomy, biology, chemistry, economics, English, foreign language, finance, geography, mathematics, art and psychology, to name a few. Students in these majors take a wide variety of courses in the liberal arts. For instance, a psychology major will also take courses in mathematics, science, English, foreign language, sociology and other arts, such as music appreciation. Courses offered depend upon the school of choice, but a liberal arts major will end up with a very rounded knowledge set upon graduation.
Some career fields look to hire graduates with a rounded skill set of more than one concentration. Fields that often hire liberal arts majors include advertising, marketing, promotions or public relations, sociology, psychology, education and journalism, as employers in these fields often prefer applicants with a broad liberal arts background. Law enforcement also looks to hire graduates of these majors; for example, FBI special agents need a foreign language degree to qualify for the language program.
Liberal arts schools are located all over the United States. Most (though not all) liberal arts colleges tend to be private institutions. A few of these colleges include Williams College in Massachusetts, Swarthmore College in Pennyslvania, Davidson College in North Carolina, and Claremont McKenna College in California.