The School of Arts and Sciences offers our version of what has been called for over 2,000 years a “liberal education,” meaning a broad education undertaken for informed citizenship. The Old Westbury liberal education is about learning to think and act independently, and to that end fosters open-mindedness; critical, coherent, and flexible thinking; tolerance for complexity and ambiguity; and self-examination in the context of a diverse population. Like the original liberal arts, the School of Arts and Sciences aims to prepare students for civic responsibility and the exercise of choice, informed by a sure sense of values.
The liberal arts degrees at Old Westbury provide a solid foundation for graduate studies and professional accomplishment in many fields. In the fast-changing global society, flexible thinking, problem-solving abilities, and communication skills have never been more relevant or more in demand in the workplace.
Students encounter the liberal arts curriculum in two ways, one broad and the other more concentrated. A program of General Education ensures learning across the major branches of knowledge—the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. It is the General Education program that constitutes the liberal education for every Old Westbury graduate. The major, a collection of sequenced courses within a discipline or interdisciplinary area, ensures depth and focus. Whatever one’s chosen field, the School of Arts and Sciences equips students broadly for a life of learning and change.
School of Arts and Sciences Academic Integrity Policy
