Program Overview

Organizations of all kinds continue to seek graduates with the skills, experiences and perspectives only a liberal arts degree can deliver. 

Our public and applied liberal arts degree takes this time-tested preparation to the next level. You’ll explore and develop the essential skills of a liberal arts education (like evidence-based reasoning, human-centered analysis, and effective communication) to address today’s most important issues. And then you’ll put them to work right away in an applied field.

How our liberal arts degree delivers results for employers, communities and you

Our new public and applied liberal arts degree is a truly innovative major designed for undergraduate students eager to impact the world's biggest issues with even bigger ideas. This pioneering approach to liberal arts education merges the foundational skills employers want with practical experiences (including internships) that allow you to apply, test and improve classroom concepts in real-world situations. 

The transdisciplinary nature of the program is its secret sauce. Rather than being guided by the concerns of any one academic discipline, the specific issue or problem being tackled guides the teaching, tools and tactics you receive. From big-picture analysis to creative problem-solving, empathetic listening to the craft of storytelling, you’ll put liberal arts skills to work from day one, working in community while also training in an applied field.

Our applied fields are Entrepreneurship, Fashion Innovation & Human Centered Design, and Resilient Environments (with future applied fields like Game Studies in development).

Pick an area to focus on — like saving the planet (Resilient Environments), creating socially responsible designs (Fashion/Design), or being your own boss (Entrepreneurship). You might use your critical thinking skills to assess ideas for making your organization more eco-friendly, or your writing skills to create a killer business plan!

By the time you graduate, you will have already taken the essential first steps in a rewarding career that makes a real  difference in the lives of others — and your own!