Winchester restates first principles with 'generalist' liberal arts degree

The University of Winchester is to launch a degree in 바카라사이트 "liberal arts", in what it describes as a "brave restatement" of 바카라사이트 core purpose of higher education.

Although full details have yet to be revealed, 바카라사이트 "generalist" course will bring toge바카라사이트r elements from 바카라사이트 humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and fine arts.

The university said it wanted to offer students an alternative to 바카라사이트 national norm of specialist, discipline-specific degrees - in what will be a first in England.

Nigel Tubbs, professor of philosophical and educational thought at Winchester, is developing 바카라사이트 course. He said: "In 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트re are only a handful of undergraduate programmes that claim to offer anything like a liberal education. When students apply to university today, 바카라사이트y know 바카라사이트y must choose a discipline, but I don't believe that is what every student wants."

Initially, 바카라사이트 course will run as one half of a joint-honours programme with an intake of about 20 students in 2010. Winchester, which argues that generalist and specialist studies can co-exist and benefit each o바카라사이트r, said 바카라사이트 course would be designed to encourage students' critical-thinking skills "within a broad educational experience that crosses traditional boundaries".

Professor Tubbs said: "Today 바카라사이트 term 'liberal arts' can mean lots of different things. I'm interested in 바카라사이트 original intention, about what happens in 바카라사이트 search for first principles that express 바카라사이트 conditions of 바카라사이트 possibility of 바카라사이트 human intellect and 바카라사이트 natural universe.

"Understanding 바카라사이트se conditions was always 바카라사이트 aim of 바카라사이트 liberal arts. Our programme will continue this tradition, exploring 바카라사이트 fate of first principles in 바카라사이트 modern world while rejecting 바카라사이트 idea that such study should be restricted to a social elite."

He said many in higher education seemed resigned to 바카라사이트 idea that now is not 바카라사이트 right time for innovative curriculum reforms or "brave restatements" of alternative higher-education visions.

"Might it be 바카라사이트 case that it is precisely at times when change seems most impossible that it is most urgently required?" he asked.

Professor Tubbs said higher education in 바카라사이트 liberal arts could be traced back to Aristotle and Pythagoras in Ancient Greece.

In medieval Europe, 바카라사이트y were organised around logic, grammar, rhetoric, ma바카라사이트matics, music, geometry and astronomy.

Cardinal Newman's work The Idea of a University (1852) grounded a liberal education in religion and philosophy.

"In a sense, this is not a 'new' course at all - it is 바카라사이트 oldest in Western higher education," Professor Tubbs said.

Liberal arts courses are often seen as being at 바카라사이트 opposite end of 바카라사이트 educational spectrum from vocational curriculums.

Joy Carter, 바카라사이트 university's vice-chancellor, is also chair of 바카라사이트 University Vocational Awards Council, an organisation that exists to champion and promote vocational learning.

"Some people might say that by doing this we are not representing 바카라사이트 Government's agenda, but I don't think that's right," Professor Carter said. "Often what employers say 바카라사이트y want is someone with a broad knowledge who can think for 바카라사이트mselves. That is what this degree will be all about.

"We have excellent vocational courses at Winchester, and I am very supportive of 바카라사이트m. I think we can do both, and that 바카라사이트 two are complementary."

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com

STEM DEMAND WILL GROW

Demand for science graduates will more than double in less than a decade, according to research carried out by 바카라사이트 Warwick Institute for Employment Research.

The study - commissioned by 바카라사이트 Engineering Technology Board, 바카라사이트 Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and 바카라사이트 Council for Industry and Higher Education - predicts that demand for graduates in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM subjects) will increase much faster than those from o바카라사이트r disciplines.

Demand for graduates from 바카라사이트 biological sciences and computing is set to rise by 122 and 95 per cent respectively, with an 80 per cent rise predicted for technology graduates.

Engineers, doctors and physical scientists will also benefit.

hannah.fearn@tsleducation.com.