J o h n F K e n n e d y U n i v e r s i t y

The School of Education and Liberal Arts provides a richlearning environment where motivated, creative students andfaculty collaborate in a spirit of inquiry, dialogue, and service.The faculty believes that education at its best encouragesimagination and innovation while grounding students in thediverse cultural traditions that have formed contemporary life.The school is governed by the premise that a liberal artseducation is defined not by subject matter but by waysof teaching and learning. Educator Mortimer Adler oncecommented that carpentry and chemistry would be liberalarts subjects if they were taught in ways that encourageddiscovery by students, and that English and philosophywould not be liberal arts subjects if they were taught as factsto be memorized.Educational theorist Paulo Freire called education “thepractice of freedom.” In Pedagogy of the Oppressed, hewrote: “Education must begin with the solution of theteacher-student contradiction, by reconciling the poles of thecontradiction so that both are simultaneously teachers andstudents.”In problem-solving education, students and teachers developtheir power to perceive critically the way they exist in theworld in which they find themselves; they come to see theworld not as a static reality, but as a reality in process andtransformation.The liberal arts do not exist in an ivory tower. Studentsand faculty live in the world and engage the problems ofthe world. The school’s curricula explore the fundamentalquestions of our time: How can we learn to live withindividual integrity—and live respectfully together as familiesand communities? How do we share opportunities andchallenges among races, genders, sexual orientations, andsocioeconomic groups? How do we find a balance betweenthe human community and the natural environment? How dowe run our institutions, schools, and museums to serve theircommunities? How do we create our future?The three departments in the School of Education and LiberalArts—liberal arts, education, and museum studies—areeach concerned with a distinct area of inquiry. They arealso united in a common educational philosophy: theyare interdisciplinary—acknowledging and building uponthe interconnections among traditional fields of study.The mission of our programs is to prepare students tobecome lifelong learners, inspiring leaders, and thoughtfulcollaborators in their chosen field of work and valuablecontributors to their communities. We aim particularly tocultivate in our students the capacity to think critically andcreatively, communicate effectively, engage in meaningfulself-reflection, appreciate multiple perspectives, embracediversity, and act with purpose and vision in the world atlarge.DEPARTMENT OF LIBERAL ARTSThe BA faculty has agreed on the following goals for teachingand learning:KNOWLEDGEStudents gain understanding of—• Their own learning process and styles• Basic tenets, assumptions, and methods of their discipline• Interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence• Knowledge from a variety of cultural perspectives• Computer literacy• Critical media literacySKILLSStudents demonstrate the ability to—• Apply theory to practice• Engage in self-reflection• Think and write critically—discerning and examiningclaims, evidence, and assumptions• Express ideas and concepts with clarity and creativity• Communicate effectively with diverse populationsHABITS OF MINDStudents learn to—• Demonstrate empathy and thoughtful collaboration withothers• Act ethically• Explore concepts of holism and interconnection• Respect multicultural perspectives• Appreciate complexity, ambiguity, and uncertaintyADMISSION REQUIREMENTSApplicants must meet all university requirements foradmission in addition to those requirements listed here.Applicants for the BA completion programs in theDepartment of Liberal Arts are expected to have completeda minimum of 45 quarter units (30 semester units) prior toapplying to JFKU. Individuals with fewer than the minimumrequired units are encouraged to enroll at a local juniorcollege; take CLEP, AP, or DANTES examinations; or enrollat JFKU as non-degree student in order to achieve the 45quarter-unit minimum.It is strongly recommended that prospective BA completionstudents submit all required application materials in oneenvelope to the Admissions Office by the priority applicationdate. Applicants must meet all university requirements foradmission in addition to those requirements listed below.• Official transcripts from every previously attended collegeand university attended. (Transcripts should be sentdirectly to the applicant who must then send them to theAdmissions Office without opening the envelope in whichthey are received.)• Personal statement: three double-spaced, typewritten pagesoutlining the reasons for pursuing a bachelor’s degree atJFKU.• Pre-admission interview.SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND LIBERAL ARTS 31