In this paper, I will refute the argument over the legitimacy and importance of a liberal arts education for a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) major. My opponent makes the argument that a liberal arts education holds no importance to a student studying in the STEM field. His first premise (1) is that STEM majors do not need to take courses outside their major. His second premise (2) is that a liberal arts education lacks depth in required general education courses. His third premise (3) is that a liberal arts education does not prepare STEM majors for the real world. His fourth and final premise (4) is that a STEM degree from a liberal arts college will not hold as much importance as it would from a STEM college. Based
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His third premise is that a liberal arts education does not help prepare a STEM major for the real world. To a certain extent I agree with him, as a technical engineering major, how would art history help in the long run. Nevertheless, some of the general education courses will help, though maybe not directly. Having to take a writing course as a freshman will end up helping a junior biology major when writing lab reports and directions for experiments. Not all will directly or indirectly correlate, but many of them will end up helping in some sort of way. My opponent with this claim is using personal incredulity. My opponent, having never gone to college, does not understand how a required general education course, could end up benefiting a STEM major student in the long run. If my opponent were to have attended college, especially a liberal arts college, for multiple years, then he would be able to fully understand the necessity for required courses outside of a major at a liberal arts college. Required general education, though some classes are bogus, not only help STEM majors throughout their college experience but also help them past their college education. The things they learn in the general education courses may not help directly but most of them will indirectly. Knowing how to write a five-page research paper in MLA format might not help when applying for a job but knowing good grammar and how to …show more content…
My opponent not only needs to define “importance” but he also needs evidence. He claims that if two people were going for a job and they had the exact same degree except one was from a liberal arts college and one was from a STEM college, then the candidate from the STEM college would receive the job offer. He has no factual evidence to support this claim. My opponent’s claims are appealing to tradition, he is from an older generation where his father, and his father before him and all of his friends believe that a STEM degree means nothing if it comes from a liberal arts college. If his claim were true, then liberal arts colleges would not offer STEM majors. As long as a candidate has a degree in a field that pertains to the job they are applying for, a good GPA, and meet all of the other job requirements then it does not matter whether the candidate went to a liberal arts college or a STEM college. It is not within my opponent’s power, or society’s power, to require that all people seeking a STEM major or degree to earn it from a non-liberal arts
His third premise is that a liberal arts education does not help prepare a STEM major for the real world. To a certain extent I agree with him, as a technical engineering major, how would art history help in the long run. Nevertheless, some of the general education courses will help, though maybe not directly. Having to take a writing course as a freshman will end up helping a junior biology major when writing lab reports and directions for experiments. Not all will directly or indirectly correlate, but many of them will end up helping in some sort of way. My opponent with this claim is using personal incredulity. My opponent, having never gone to college, does not understand how a required general education course, could end up benefiting a STEM major student in the long run. If my opponent were to have attended college, especially a liberal arts college, for multiple years, then he would be able to fully understand the necessity for required courses outside of a major at a liberal arts college. Required general education, though some classes are bogus, not only help STEM majors throughout their college experience but also help them past their college education. The things they learn in the general education courses may not help directly but most of them will indirectly. Knowing how to write a five-page research paper in MLA format might not help when applying for a job but knowing good grammar and how to …show more content…
My opponent not only needs to define “importance” but he also needs evidence. He claims that if two people were going for a job and they had the exact same degree except one was from a liberal arts college and one was from a STEM college, then the candidate from the STEM college would receive the job offer. He has no factual evidence to support this claim. My opponent’s claims are appealing to tradition, he is from an older generation where his father, and his father before him and all of his friends believe that a STEM degree means nothing if it comes from a liberal arts college. If his claim were true, then liberal arts colleges would not offer STEM majors. As long as a candidate has a degree in a field that pertains to the job they are applying for, a good GPA, and meet all of the other job requirements then it does not matter whether the candidate went to a liberal arts college or a STEM college. It is not within my opponent’s power, or society’s power, to require that all people seeking a STEM major or degree to earn it from a non-liberal arts