The liberal arts is an approach to undergraduate collegiate education that is broadly oriented to exposing students to disciplines across the social sciences, languages and literature, natural sciences and math, and the arts.

Whether for the successful professional or involved citizen, our world is changing so rapidly that it is imperative for a person to be equipped for understanding the major themes and forces shaping our futures. And in the world of the 21st century, in which professionals may change careers more often than their parents changed jobs, narrowly conceived recipes for career training will not work. What is needed instead is an adaptable quality of mind born of broad exposure to the liberal arts, grounded in communication skills, and tempered by an orientation toward application of knowledge in the real world.

Students are ensured adequate variety in course offerings so that they may uniquely tailor a program of study to their own interests as well as prepare to pursue educational or career opportunities other than their chosen major after graduation.

While each major program at Emerson engages the liberal arts in a manner appropriate to its discipline(s), there is also a distinct Liberal Arts curriculum — FoundationsPerspectives, and Liberal Arts Minors — in which all students engage and which accounts for more than a third of their overall educational experience.