Career and Transfer

Liberal Arts

Transfer Agreements

Guaranteed Transfer from MCCC to Four-Year Colleges for LIBERAL ARTS Studies

Complete information from MCCC's Transfer Services Office

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International Relations /
Global Studies

Liberal Arts Education and Career Success

Business, Leadership & Entrepreneurship

William Deresiewicz – Solitude and Leadership (2010) Liberal education fosters deep thinking and moral independence, which are critical for avoiding bureaucratic groupthink and leaders who make original, ethical, and long-term decisions

Steve Jobs – Stanford Commencement Address (2005) Humanistic, non-utilitarian, interdisciplinary study drives innovation

Aristotle – Nicomachean Ethics, Book VI Practical wisdom (phronesis), ethical, context-sensitive decision-making, is the foundation of sound action in public and private affairs, thus key for civic & business leadership

Law & Civic Leadership

W.E.B. Du Bois – The Talented Tenth (1903) Liberal education equips leaders with ethical reasoning and historical understanding, therefore liberal education equips leaders with ethical reasoning and historical understanding

Martha Nussbaum – Not for Profit, Ch. 1 Cross-cultural understanding and ethical imagination vital in law and politics with empathy and critical thinking from the humanities being essential for maintaining democracy and justice

Confucius – Analects, Books 12 & 14 Moral cultivation through education prepares individuals for leadership roles and social harmony

Medicine & Healthcare

Simone Weil – Reflections on the Right Use of School Studies Learning to attend to difficult texts trains the capacity to attend to suffering people and is a prerequisite for clinical care and empathy

Thomas Merton – Learning to Live Education must cultivate interior life, not just efficiency - a resilient, reflective practitioner resists burnout and acts with moral clarity

Zhuangzi – Ch. 6: The Great and Venerable Teacher Real mastery and flow lies in non-coercive fluency with reality—like a butcher whose blade never dulls

Science, Research & Technology

Aristotle – Parts of Animals, Book I, Ch. 1 Science begins in philosophical wonder, not only experiment

Simone Weil – Gravity and Grace (selections) True scientific insight emphasizes ethics of truth and intellectual humility in knowledge practices

Empirical Studies Supporting Career Success via Liberal Arts

Arum & Roksa – Academically Adrift (2011) Skills essential for science, business, and law are better developed in liberal education. Students in liberal arts programs showed higher gains in reasoning and problem-solving.

AAC&U – Falling Short? College Learning and Career Success (2015) Employers prioritize broad skills—communication, ethical reasoning, critical thinking. liberal arts key to employability in diverse fields

Georgetown University CEW – What’s It Worth? (2021) Liberal arts majors catch up economically and outperform in mid-career income so strong ROI

Root-Bernstein et al. – Arts Foster Scientific Success (2008, Nature) STEM Nobel laureates are disproportionately involved in the arts and humanities. Liberal arts cross-training boosts creativity in scientific discovery

Duckworth et al. – Grit and Success (2016) Humanities education helps build sustained effort and moral character and predict success across careers

Older Liberal Education Resources Compilation

Philosophy of Liberal Education Curated Bibliography Resources Compiled by Andrew Chrucky 2001