What Is Liberal Arts?

Holy Cross is one of a number of highly selective institutions that are described as liberal arts colleges.  Studying at a liberal arts college gives you a broad-based, well-rounded education that prepares you for all aspects of life and lays the foundation for any number of careers.

By taking a wide variety of courses in different disciplines as well as focusing in a particular area that gives you significant knowledge, you achieve both breadth and depth in your studies, as well as the acquisition of crucial skills in writing, public speaking and quantitative reasoning.

The liberal arts curriculum at Holy Cross is designed so that every student gains experience in the four major academic areas—the humanities, sciences, social sciences, and arts—and sees them as part of a larger whole. This is the essence of being liberally educated, and it makes you more open and flexible, more interested in the world around you—and more interesting to be around. It also whets your appetite for lifelong learning.

While a liberal arts education does not focus on specific career training, it is the best possible preparation for the future. You will be ready for an environment in which people change jobs and professions frequently, and in which they must continue to learn as knowledge and technology advances and conditions evolve.