Liberal Studies, known as LS, is (as defined by me) a two-year program at New York University that needs much more improvements in order to have students appreciate the material that they must learn and realize that they did not, in fact, waste 32 credits of their undergraduate degree. With no further delay, here are the struggles an ex-LS student has gone through.
1. When we got our acceptance letters, it wasn't clear what we had to get ourselves into.
I don't know about everyone else who was in LS, but I was so confused. I went to the wrong information session on Accepted Students Day because I really didn't realize what LS was.
2. The most important thing we probably learned was how to BS your way through class, aka passing without reading a single book.
Got a 10 page paper due the next day and haven't started yet? No big deal. As long as it sounds like a meta-meta analysis, they will never know, as long as it sounds philosophical and you sprinkle in a few quotes.
3. What is Cultures and Contexts? Not something we ever needed to take.
It's called Cultural Foundations, duh. And we had to take 1, 2, and 3 (and also Social Foundations 1, 2, and 3). Also, Writing the Essay? It's just Writing 1 (and 2); it's much less fancy sounding.
4. You'd be surprised how much art history we know (or don't know).
Ancient art, Renaissance Art, Modern Art, Contemporary Art? All of it. From the beginning of mankind till now. We had to learn all of it.
5. We don't understand why people freak out about a class that has only 20 people; we've had ones with only 10.
And if people are absent...you can just imagine. Don't worry, I still managed to sleep in class.
6. Class participation? It exists.
You can't expect an A without talking, usually.
7. We like to joke about enlightenment thinkers and try to define art, but at the same time, have no idea what we're talking about.
Basically #2 in a real life context.
8. We know one person from LS who got into Stern, and it's the same one person.
And the rest become Econ majors in CAS, with concentrations in what would have been their majors in Stern.
9. (might just be me but) Still salty that we get no recognition on our degrees for studying LS, so there goes 32 credits that we'll never get back.
Unless you go into GLS (which is honestly pretty cool). But what would have been the use of an LS degree, amirite? shameless plug, Wasserman offers lectures on how to make most of your (nonexistent) LS degree.
10. Most of advisers have no idea what they're doing and we were left stranded on our own.
Thus enhancing our skill stated in #2. You can see a common theme here. Also, my adviser left for University of Michigan two weeks into my freshman year. So there you have it folks. LIBERAL STUDIES. AMAZING.
Also if you want to check out how nerdy we still are, check out this page on Instagram. Lastly, note that I am in no way trying to talk down the Liberal Studies program at NYU. I am very grateful I was part of the program, and obviously many students move on to to pursue a Global Liberal Studies degree.
