<p>Higher education in the US is quite different than abroad and has been practically since its inception. I have no sense of the meaning of the term “liberal arts” in Europe, if the term even exists. I’m relatively certain that if it does it refers to something entirely different than the US definition. Post-secondary education in Europe is far more specialized and has been for some time-- in fact, the meaning of a bachelor’s degree is fundamentally different overseas so why would we assume that curriculum choices would be the same?</p>
<p>As for whether it even makes sense to try and compare the two styles of education-- why bother? If you’re not seeking a liberal arts education there are plenty of majors/concentrations and universities which can accommodate you. We’re not really discussing the merits of the liberal arts so much as defining them and talking about structures which attempt to teach them.</p>
<p>Also, I think the question as to whether taking one foreign language classes results in functional knowledge of the language precisely misses some of the points we’ve been making throughout this thread.</p>