<p>Ok Rather than define from a major news and entertainment source why not take what is commonly the definition in higher education. A Liberal Arts degree is commonly a Bachelor of Arts degree in which a student studies a general knowledge curriculum with a few courses of specialty within a given major. these degrees are awarded at the likes of Grinnell, Pomona, Carleton, Swarthmore, Williams, Smith, Oblerin, Middlebury… etc. Schools typically without graduate programs or professional degrees. </p>
<p>A Humanities degree or now more commonly referred to as a social science degree is typically either a BA or a Bachelor of Science degree. A BS degree is typically awarded in the pure sciences and engineering, but is also very common in what we would refer to as humanities - languages, lit, history, poli sci, and social sciences sciences. Most Universities offer a BS in humanities. Most schools that award a BS will also have some professional degrees - those can be anything from Management to Engineering to nursing etc. </p>
<p>It would be very hard to classify any SA as Liberal Arts or a liberal Arts education. Many have humanities and social science programs - that still is quite different from a LAC. Given that the SA’s have professional programs - Engineering - they do not fall into the typical definition of a LAC.</p>
<p>USNews- is really taking liberty in their definition.</p>
<p>Who really cares which school is where… You can graduate from the best (or what society perceives as the best college) and do nothing with it - so are you any better off? Then again you can graduate from a community college - do well, go to a middle of the road graduate program and earn your PhD. Just like the saying, after graduation everyone is an Ensign. It is what you do with that education and career choice that will eventually set you apart.</p>