The period in European civilization immediately following the Middle Ages came to be called the Renaissance, or "rebirth." Characterized by a surge of interest in classical learning and values, this era produced the concept of the "Renaissance man," whose ideal was to spend his time embracing all types of knowledge and developing his own intellectual capacities to the fullest extent possible.

The quintessential Renaissance man was Leonardo da Vinci, whose considerable intellect and talents were concentrated in the fields of art, science, music, invention and writing. During his time, great value was placed on the study of these "liberal arts," a value that greatly influenced the development of the traditional curriculum of liberal arts colleges and universities.

However, over time the value of a liberal arts education began to be questioned as the pressures of society led students to choose specialized fields of study that would help them get a job after graduation. Universities tried to predict what the jobs of the future would be so they could prepare students with the technical skills they would need to succeed, but this proved to be a daunting task.

During the late 20th century, professional and technical education expanded far faster than the liberal arts. In 1995, just 40 percent of all degrees granted were in the liberal arts while 60 percent were in a professional or technical field. The largest number of baccalaureate degrees awarded in the 1990s was in business.

The Rebirth of Arts and Sciences

Today the higher education pendulum seems to be swinging back in favor of the arts and sciences. At the dawn of a new century, many colleges and universities are stepping back to reexamine their approach to undergraduate education. While not everyone can be the next da Vinci, many of the great Renaissance man's favorite subjects are being included as educators redefine what it means to be "an educated person."

Some leaders now wonder whether career-based learning alone prepares students for the professional challenges of tomorrow. In a world in which knowledge doubles every seven years, many educators believe that we have no way of even knowing what the jobs of tomorrow will be.

James Brennan, dean of U of L's College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), believes it is impossible to prepare them for specific careers in such a rapidly changing environment. What universities must do instead, he says, is prepare students to think and solve problems, communicate, adapt to change, and deal with ethical issues-skills needed in any professional situation.

"Back in 1980 we were predicting job trends and trying to prepare students for those jobs, which in hindsight has turned out to be almost a joke," he says. "Now here we are in 2001, and we know that there is no way to predict what the jobs of the future will be like. "We also know that today's students will likely change not just jobs but careers two to three times during their lives. The only thing we can really be sure of is uncertainty."

But there are some constants that can guide educators, he says. For one, people will always need the ability to think systematically and creatively in order to solve problems. They also must be able to express themselves clearly in oral and written form. And they should behave ethically. He believes that a well-rounded liberal arts education will help today's undergraduates develop these skills and traits to prepare them for whatever the future brings.

John Richardson, associate professor of chemistry and director of the Honors Program, agrees.

"Employers are telling us that they are looking for well-rounded job candidates," he says. "They can train people for the specific functions of their company or organization, but they want them to already have the ability to think critically, communicate effectively, work well in teams and groups, and find ways to solve problems.

"That's what employers are looking to universities to provide."

The Rebirth of a College

Brennan notes that in recent years U of L's College of Arts and Sciences has struggled to maintain its sense of identity. That struggle is a result of the college's need to not only serve arts and sciences majors, but to provide general education courses to students majoring in other areas such as business or engineering. More than half of U of L's students come through the college for one of those reasons, with 8,000 currently majoring in an arts and sciences discipline.

The college encompasses disciplines ranging from biology to Spanish, from mathematics to justice administration, and from Pan-African studies to art history. This creates a great opportunity to touch the lives of many students, Brennan says.

It also presents a huge challenge to keep such a large, diverse group of departments and faculty communicating with one another and focusing on common goals.

Today, the college is capitalizing on its diversity, busily remaking itself into a vibrant and connected academic community. Its goal is to ensure that every student who touches the college in any way comes away from the experience with three major skills: how to do research and find information, how to think about and discuss ethical issues, and how to appreciate differences between people and successfully exist in a multicultural world.

The college is particularly focusing on developing meaningful, real-world based topics for general education courses, Brennan says. One way it is doing that is by examining topics and issues through the eyes of multiple academic disciplines-an approach that creates areas of common interest for both faculty and students.

"The beauty of the arts and sciences is that you can take any problem and look at it from a number of perspectives," he says. "By creating thematic courses we can not only accommodate the diversity of disciplines within the college, we can celebrate it and use it to develop flexible thinkers."

Modes of Inquiry

One example of this approach is a new course offered this fall. "Modes of Inquiry," a one-credit introduction to study in the arts and sciences, is a required course for all freshmen. All 52 classes will follow the same reading list and syllabus organized around the theme "The City as a Text," an idea that builds on the university's location and its metropolitan mission.

Senior full-time faculty members who will teach the class are excited about its interdisciplinary nature.

"The purpose of Modes of Inquiry is to open the students' eyes to different avenues of learning," says Richardson. "We want to instill in them an excitement for learning and a thirst for knowledge, as well as show them how the subjects they're studying impact and fit in with the world they live in every day."

Joy Hart, associate professor of communication, adds that although exposure to the arts and sciences through courses like Modes of Inquiry may help a student choose a vocation, a key purpose of a liberal education is to stimulate cultural interests that will bring lifelong enjoyment as an avocation.

"Part of a liberal arts education is to provide the foundation for a more enriched life regardless of what students choose as their profession," she says. "People have a lot of time outside of work in which to read, go to plays, listen to music or explore other areas of our humanity.

"Higher education should provide an appreciation for the liberal arts as well as a curiosity about the world around us. We want to instill that in our students and prepare them for lifelong learning."

Brennan believes this new focus on undergraduate education and the revitalization of arts and sciences will have a ripple effect throughout U of L.

"The health of the university as a whole is only as good as that of arts and sciences because of the impact we make on students," he says. "Our students' success is infectious to the rest of the campus."