As more families consider the ROI of a college education, the value of a liberal arts education has been a hot topic. With many STEM degrees and programs topping lists of highest-paying majors and best college ROI, many have waged a war on the liberal arts. But let’s not dismiss the liberal arts so fast.
A STEM degree can open doors to lucrative careers, but not all STEM programs fully prepare students for the workforce. Many employers are finding that, without a liberal arts background, many STEM graduates lack the necessary communication, management, and collaboration skills critical for career success. Some colleges are addressing this problem by merging liberal arts and STEM disciplines for an interdisciplinary, holistic education.
10 Colleges that Combine Liberal Arts and STEM
It is possible to marry the skills of liberal arts and STEM in a way that best prepares students to not only master highly technical skills but also be valuable employees and problem solvers. These colleges have done a great job creating programs that don’t just focus on one or the other, but, instead, utilize the best parts of both a STEM and liberal arts education to create a comprehensive educational experience.
If you are currently researching schools for your college list, these colleges and universities might be a good fit for you.
1. Davidson College: Davidson, NC
Davidson College offers either a 4-2 or a 3-2 dual engineering program culminating at either Washington University in St. Louis or Columbia University. Davidson students who complete the prerequisites and achieve the required GPA are guaranteed admission to Washington University; however, admission to Columbia is not guaranteed. While Davidson itself does not offer an engineering major, most students in this program major in math, physics, chemistry, computer science, or biology.
2. Bowdoin College: Brunswick, ME
Bowdoin College partners with the University of Maine at Orono, the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University, the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College, and the California Institute of Technology for students pursuing engineering and physics. These schools provide numerous degree paths that result in a B.A. in Physics from Bowdoin and a B.S. in Engineering from the partner institution. Learn how to get into Bowdoin College.
3. Bucknell University: Lewisburg, PA
Bucknell University, a small liberal arts school with an enrollment of 3,900 students, offers eight engineering majors through the College of Engineering. Students can also pursue three dual programs: a five-year program in engineering and management, a five-year B.S./M.S. in Engineering, and a five-year B.S./B.A. in engineering and liberal arts. In addition to engineering, students can select a major from several natural sciences disciplines as well as mathematics.
4. Harvey Mudd College: Claremont, CA
Harvey Mudd is unique in that it is a liberal arts college known for its focus and strength in STEM fields. This is reflected in the Common Core, which is comprised of courses from every department. Although Harvey Mudd is focused on producing engineers, mathematicians, and scientists, students are required to take 11 courses in humanities, social sciences, and the arts to develop their academic writing and critical thinking skills. In addition to pursuing a STEM major, students can include an emphasis in data science or environmental analysis to their program.
5. Lafayette College: Easton, PA
At Lafayette, students have access to the full range of academic disciplines, including humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering — students can even work with faculty to create their own majors. Lafayette offers a dual bachelor’s degree program in which students can earn a degree in international studies along with a degree in chemical, civil, electrical and computer, or mechanical engineering.
6. Swarthmore College: Swarthmore, PA
Swarthmore College offers a degree in engineering in which students can specialize in mechanical, electrical, civil/environmental, or computer engineering, or develop an individualized program of study combining all these fields with computer science, biology, chemistry, or other STEM disciplines. Other STEM majors include biochemistry, neuroscience, biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and more.
7. Smith College: Northampton, MA
Smith College is a small women’s liberal arts college offering an ABET-accredited engineering program as well as several other STEM majors. Students can pursue a bachelor’s in engineering science or declare a minor in engineering to complement a liberal arts major. Other STEM programs include astronomy, biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and more.
8. Wesleyan University: Middletown, CT
Students interested in graduate studies can pursue one of Wesleyan University’s B.A/M.A. programs in mathematics, natural sciences, or psychology. These research-intensive programs can be completed in five years — four years of undergraduate work and one year of graduate study. Regardless of major, undergraduates at Wesleyan pursue a curriculum grounded in the liberal arts.
9. Union College: Schenectady, NY
Union College offers a variety of engineering and other STEM majors within an interdisciplinary curriculum that includes the humanities and social sciences. Alternatively, students can combine interests in an interdisciplinary degree program that covers a range of liberal arts and STEM disciplines. Undergraduates benefit from a research-intensive education that allows them to work closely with a faculty mentor and even co-author papers.
10. Carleton College: Northfield, MN
By blending STEM with liberal arts, Carleton College cultivates well-rounded individuals equipped for diverse career paths and lifelong learning. Students interested in STEM majors have numerous options, including engineering, computer science, mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, and more. All first-year students are required to take one Argument and Inquiry seminar, which prepares them for the liberal arts-based curriculum.
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