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IP101 Liberal Arts: Principles and Praxis

Elizabeth Chant
Module leader: Dr Elizabeth Chant
  • Core module
  • Non-assessed
  • 10 weeks | 10 discussion hours
  • Not available to students outside the School for Cross-faculty Studies

Moodle Platform

Consider this:

Most 18 year-olds "have passed the age when a compulsory external discipline is useful. A well-instructed youth of eighteen can select for himself a better course of study than any college faculty, or any wise man who does not know him and his ancestors and his previous life, can possibly select for him". (Charles Eliot, Harvard University President, 1885).

Liberal Education is timely. Its emphasis on individualism and freedom of choice coincide with the spirit of our time. Let's explore what it means for us, on this degree course, and how it will empower us to choose our own path through education so that it's meaningful, personal and relevant.


This set of interactive discussions aims to introduce you to Liberal Arts Education and its history. You'll be introduced to Liberal Arts thinking and how it differs from traditional discipline-based thinking. The lectures are structured around areas of intellectual debate.

  Please note: Module availability and staffing may change year on year depending on availability and other operational factors. The School for Cross-faculty Studies makes no guarantee that any modules will be offered in a particular year, or that they will necessarily be taught by the staff listed on these pages.