“It has been said that history repeats itself. This is perhaps not quite correct; it merely rhymes.” Theodore Reik, 1965
The current discourse on the “demise” or “gutting” of liberal arts education echoes past exaggerated predictions about other industries. We have seen bold claims about the death of many things that are not quite dead: vinyl, albums, advertising, cable TV, American manufacturing. And while there may be declines and shifts in the short term, the practitioners who use a growth mindset to find opportunities within the challenges will build a viable platform for healthy evolution and a resurgence.
We have often spoken about the digital transformation of the music industry because of its disruption by digital technologies and shifting consumer behaviors as this technology became more pervasive, accessible and easy to use. During music’s disruption in the early 2000s, media and industry analysts were acknowledging the changes with hyperbolic language, like “Digital downloads have brought about the death of the album.”
“The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” Mark Twain
While Mr. Card was not wrong about the erosion of traditional album sales or the shift in revenue for the RIAA, the recent “Vinyl Revival” has seen vinyl LP sales continue to expand year over year since 2012 and artists like Taylor Swift and Beyonce have made albums relevant again, showing that the reports of “death” may have been early or slightly exaggerated.
“Everything old is new again” Various
Like our rhyming history and exaggerated reports, a series of pendulum swings and cycles bring us back to past successes and areas of interest.
Education is no different.
The oft-cited Morrill Act of 1862, which established the land grant colleges in the United States were created to provide education in “agriculture and the mechanic arts” also provided a remit “…to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life.” A fact that is often omitted or overlooked in recent citations.
The land grants were founded with the intent to create a broad and holistic education. In fact, the first college to open under the Morrill Act, Kansas State Agricultural College in 1863, provided offerings that included English, music and math alongside agriculture, agricultural chemistry, botany and Liebig’s husbandry, mechanic arts and military science.
Over the 150 years since the Morrill Act passed it was natural that there was an evolution of the various offerings, seeing world class liberal arts departments built alongside their technical and agricultural programs. The fact that there is a continuing evolution, perhaps back to a pragmatic focus, should probably come as no surprise, even as it is painful to experience the change.
Today, the liberal arts face pressures from multiple directions: declining enrollments, shifting market demands, and the rise of technical and vocational programs. Critics from both political spectrums often clash over the role of liberal arts, with some decrying the erosion of these programs as an attack on education, while others argue that liberal arts departments must shrink or be removed in favor of more market-driven curricula.
There is a middle ground. The challenge to liberal arts education programs can be seen as an opportunity to evolve and reinvent. Just as education is adopting AI and alternative credentialing systems, liberal arts programs can reframe their value proposition by embracing cross-disciplinary approaches, problem-solving skills, and cultural competencies. For example, the relevance of liberal arts in teaching critical thinking, creativity, and the ability to write for AI contexts underscores their adaptability and importance in today’s world.
Moreover, education today must account for learner-centered approaches, offering flexible, market-aligned courses that still retain the core strengths of liberal arts disciplines. This can involve shorter, topic-focused modules that appeal to current events or technological advances, while maintaining depth in areas like ethics, communication, and cultural literacy. Programs that pivot to meet the needs of today’s learners—such as integrating digital literacy with traditional liberal arts themes—can thrive even in this challenging landscape.
Ultimately, liberal arts are unlikely to “die” but will continue to evolve. Institutions that lean into this evolution by aligning with market demands while retaining their unique strengths will find new ways to thrive in the future educational ecosystem.
Education is not a zero sum game. The liberal arts are not going to “die” but they will continue to evolve. Institutions and professors that lean into this evolution by aligning themselves with market demands while retaining their unique strengths will find new ways to thrive in the future educational ecosystem.