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“Honestly, no.” said junior Mason Bulman. “I have no clue what liberal arts means.”

This isn’t a needle in the haystack either. Each student attending Grand View is studying at a liberal arts university, but some aren’t sure what that really means.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, liberal arts are college or university studies such as literature, philosophy, language and abstract sciences intended to provide chiefly general knowledge and to develop general intellectual capacities, such as reason and judgment.

Grand View’s liberal arts curriculum is based off of seven iterations that Grand View students must satisfy in order to graduate. The iterations include: Global awareness, critical thinking, written communication, information literacy, vocation, quantitative reasoning and oral communication.

These iterations are some of the life skills one will need to survive in the post-college world. However, you don’t take classes that focus directly on those iterations. Instead, you earn the iterations by showing you can apply them in a classroom setting.

For liberal arts students, a common concern is that they are taking classes that have no meaning to their area of study. For example, each student chooses ‘core classes’ which total 10 credits over a GV student’s entire undergraduate career. Instead of these, one might be more concerned with learning how to file taxes, buy a car or a house and invest money.

According to Dr. John Lyden, liberal arts core director, those things are always changing.

“I have bought several cars and done my taxes several times. Every time is different with new paperwork and everything,” said Lyden. “The messages we try to get across in those core classes should be something you can carry with you throughout your life.”

For example, the second year seminar, or LIBA 300, might focus on a subject such as homelessness and poverty. The course will usually require at least 10 hours of community service for a particular nonprofit. Throughout that service and analysis of different viewpoints, the student is expected to gain some insight.

Sam Duffy, a senior who was in that course said it changed the way he views the world. One year later, and he is still working with the Des Moines Children’s and Families Urban Movement.

Liberal Arts professor, Dr. Heather Brady, has spent most of her career working with students at liberal arts colleges. However, while working with students from other academic backgrounds, those who study at a liberal arts college often stand out.

“Having multiple sets of knowledge and multiple different perspectives is key,” said Brady. “Also the depth and seeing things on a broad level before going and getting deeply involved in a particular field.”

Brady also praises the small teacher-to-student ratio in classes as opposed to a state university setting where there can be 300 students and one instructor.

“We treat students as whole people; you’re not just a student. I know you’re an athlete, I know you’re a first generation college student, I know you’re in theater,” said Brady. “Whatever it is, we are able to connect more personally and be more reasonable with our students.”

According to Dr. Lyden, a common misconception when practicing liberal arts is that you need to ‘get your electives out of the way.’

The electives are meant to be taken as you advance through college. Trying to front load your four-year plan with electives could seem like the best idea at the time. However, the best way to truly benefit from them is to take them as they supposed to be taken. The professors who designed the core curriculum did it so that classes with more complex subject matter become available as you move on.

According to Dr. Ken Jones, professor of theology and philosophy, of the core domain areas of study, faith and meaning and society/human behavior are often a challenge for students.

“They think we’re going to shove some religion down their throat. That’s not what it is at all. We’re very intentionally not a religion department. We’re a theology and philosophy department as an academic discipline,” said Jones. “In our department, we know all kinds of people take these courses. So it should be accessible and applicable to all these students.”

The idea of studying all of these subjects may seem daunting, but Dr. Lyden used a weight room analogy that he thought would hit home with GV students.

“Think about physical training. You have to go to the weight room; it makes you stronger,” said Lyden. “That’s also what intellectual training is. You are strengthening your intellectual ability each time you challenge yourself in a new discipline.”