The undergraduate curriculum in Alfred University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences emphasizes those areas of study which form the basis for any truly liberal education. We use the term "liberal" here in its original sense - that of freeing the mind to explore various fields of interest.
Our curriculum provides students with opportunities to deepen their knowledge and develop skills so that they may better:
- explore human cultures, as well as the physical and natural world;
- communicate as readers, writers, speakers, listeners, and artists;
- respond to problems and/or opportunities creatively;
- practice personal and social awareness through engagement with local and global communities;
- and apply knowledge and skills across general and specialized studies.
We believe that liberally educated citizens can best perform complex intellectual tasks - tasks which have technical, moral, and political consequences. Our goal is to give our students the constructive skills to accomplish those tasks. These skills include conceptual analysis, disciplined writing, and a creative approach to problem-solving. We put specialized knowledge and inquiry into values within living contexts, encouraging our students to meet real demands in real situations. We prepare our students not only for multiple careers, but for graduate and professional schools and for leadership in the world.
Our requirements for the bachelor's degree combine breadth of study in a range of subjects and disciplines, represented by the General Education Program, with specialization in a major field of study. The College offers an ever-increasing number of majors and minors. In addition, students may take courses and complete minors in other colleges within the University, as long as prerequisites for these courses and minors are met.