Hobart and William Smith Colleges

The Four Perspectives of Liberal Arts

Along with our integrated goals of critical thinking and communication, the HWS curriculum exposes students to critical, analytical, and creative modes of inquiry. These perspectives provide students a broad foundation of knowledge, foster intellectual curiosity, and analytical reasoning, and encourage the exploration of multiple academic disciplines and approaches. These perspectives underscore the imperatives of a liberal arts education to provide a breadth of knowledge and the means to engage that knowledge effectively.

Scientific and Quantitative Reasoning (P1)
The scientific and quantitative reasoning perspective introduces students to methodical, analytical, and systematic modes of inquiry that address complex problems. Students learn to interpret data, evaluate mathematical arguments, and/or apply scientific reasoning in decision-making. 

Artistic and Creative Expression (P2)
The artistic and creative expression perspective provides students with the skills to think and express themselves imaginatively and reflectively. Students explore their unique voices while they refine their creative abilities through performance-, studio-, or workshop-based learning, as well as through studies that integrate performance or creative activity with topics related to the art form.

Global and Cultural Connections (P3)
The global and cultural connections perspective introduces students to new ideas, languages, and/or cultures from across the globe. By interacting with different cultural traditions, histories, and practices and, by integrating these experiences into their own worldviews, students enrich their understanding of and preparation for an interconnected world.

Ethical and Social Responsibility (P4)
The ethical and social responsibility perspective equips students to analyze critically the unequal distribution of wealth, power, and privilege through socio-historical factors. It fosters an understanding of ethics, responsibility, and justice, empowering students to engage in informed and socially responsible action.

Addressing the Four Perspectives

Students work with their faculty advisors to design a program of study that meets both their individual academic interests and addresses the four perspectives of the curriculum. To complete this graduation requirement, students must pass one course in each perspective, with a C- or better (CR courses also count). At least three of the four perspective courses must be taken from different subject codes. Courses taken to address the perspectives requirements may also count towards a student’s academic major and/or minor. Students are encouraged to complete the four perspectives within their first two years. A list of courses addressing the four perspectives can be found online: Courses by Educational Perspectives.

Opting into the Perspectives Curriculum

The Perspectives Curriculum applies to all undergraduate students who began their program in the fall of 2026 or after. Students who began their program sooner may elect to follow the Perspectives Curriculum in place of the Goals Curriculum upon consultation and approval of their primary advisor. Opting into the Perspectives Curriculum, however, requires meeting all the requirements that are reflected in the current catalogue. If a student’s major or minor has changed since they began, opting into the new Perspectives Curriculum will require the student to additionally meet the requirements of the more modern version of that major or minor. Students are strongly advised to make the change only upon consultation with all their program advisors. Requests to change will be accepted and processed only after the start of the fall 2026 semester. A change from the Goals Curriculum into the Perspectives Curriculum is not reversable.