![Oh, the humanities! The death of liberal arts in higher education](https://twt-thumbs.washtimes.com/media/specials/WebLogoHumanitiesHeader_k877x138.jpg?5a2fc9bea70cc43cadc5df85cf77b56c9dccc1ff)
Oh, the humanities! The death of liberal arts in higher education
The value of “knowledge for its own sake,” as ancient Greeks understood a classical education, lies in having surgeons who know ethics, defense attorneys who have mastered public speaking and politicians well-versed in history and political science.
A liberal arts education not only nourishes the soul, but also develops the habits of thinking deeply, writing coherently, speaking clearly, listening carefully and making sound judgments — qualities valued by employers, advocates say.
Yet college humanities programs have been struggling for years to attract students, with COVID-19 shutdowns exacerbating higher education’s problems. Colleges and universities nationwide now are slashing their humanities programs, with some liberal arts schools shutting down entirely.
This three-part series examines the role that the push for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education has played in the decline in interest in the humanities; the growing challenges that liberal arts programs face, from sky-high tuition to dropping enrollment; and the effort by conservatives and Christians to save traditional humanities education.
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Christians, conservatives work to save traditional liberal arts
Christians and conservatives are campaigning to preserve the traditional liberal arts for future generations of college students, as much of higher education abandons the humanities.