What is a Liberal Arts College?

A liberal arts college is an accredited college that focuses on providing undergraduate students a broad liberal arts curriculum that exposes them to a variety of subjects in the sciences and humanities. A liberal arts curriculum differs from a professional, vocational, or technical curriculum in that it does not teach towards a specific career or job, instead focusing on developing all around intellectual abilities.

Most liberal arts colleges require their students to declare a major area of study, which will concentrate their classes on a specific subject. Majors often translate to potential employment opportunities after graduation, to check out the expected salary of different undergraduate majors, check out our infographic that details the Outcomes of Choosing a Major.

Many liberal arts schools are small, private institutions, as opposed to larger state schools or community colleges. While attending a public university or community college within your state of residence will often be the least expensive option to obtain a degree, there are many private liberal arts colleges that award large financial aid packages and offer good rates on tuitions. For reference to some great options for private liberal arts colleges that will not incur an unmanageable amount of student debt, have a look at our list of the Top 20 Affordable Small Private Schools. Let’s take a closer look at a couple of these affordable options for prospective students who are looking for a liberal arts college experience.

Martin Luther College

Martin Luther College is a private liberal arts college that was established in 1995 and is located in New Ulm, Minnesota. While the school offers a variety of classes in the humanities and sciences, though many students focus on seminary studies, as the college is operated by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The college provides an intimate setting for students to engage with their teachers, as the student-to-faculty ratio comes out to 12 to 1. The student body is fairly small, with a total of 937 students, 859 of whom are undergraduates. Graduates at Martin Luther College can earn Master of Science degrees in Education, Educational Administration, or Theological Studies. The tuition at Martin Luther College is $17,420 per academic year, and 90% of students receive some form of financial aid.

University of Virginia’s College at Wise

The University of Virginia’s College at Wise is a public liberal arts college. Located in Wise, Virginia, it has a student population of 1814 and an impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 11 to 1. The school offers 33 majors and 39 minors. Plus, there are five pre-professional tracks. Total tuition at UVA Wise is $11,498 per academic year. And financial aid is offered to anyone who demonstrated financial need.

See Also: 100 Best Online Colleges in the US