@article{ART003262167},
author={Oh, Gyung Eun and Han, Kyueun},
title={New Horizons for Liberal Arts Colleges: The Potential as Core Hub of Undeclared Major System},
journal={The Journal of General Education},
issn={2465-7581},
year={2025},
number={33},
pages={9-52},
doi={10.24173/jge.2025.10.31.1}
TY - JOUR
AU - Oh, Gyung Eun
AU - Han, Kyueun
TI - New Horizons for Liberal Arts Colleges: The Potential as Core Hub of Undeclared Major System
JO - The Journal of General Education
PY - 2025
VL - null
IS - 33
PB - Da Vinci Mirae Institute of General Education
SP - 9
EP - 52
SN - 2465-7581
AB - This study aims to redefine the role of liberal arts colleges in the autonomous major system that is expanding in response to the demand for convergence talent and to explore the potential of liberal arts colleges as core hubs for major exploration and design. To achieve this, comparative analysis of successful autonomous major system cases from the United States, Japan, and Europe was conducted to derive development directions for Korean liberal arts colleges. The analysis results suggest that overseas cases demonstrate liberal arts education functioning as a core mechanism for students' major exploration and academic identity formation, beyond the basic knowledge transmission function. The Core Curriculum of Columbia College, the Open Curriculum of Brown University, the liberal arts faculty system of the University of Tokyo, and the convergence-type liberal arts program of Amsterdam University College all show common characteristics of liberal arts colleges playing a pivotal role in systematically supporting the entire process of exploration-discovery-design. Based on this analysis, three key tasks for the development of Korean liberal arts colleges were presented. First, it is suggested that securing independence and authority to exercise substantial influence over academic operations through strengthening the institutional status of liberal arts colleges and improving organizational structure is necessary. Second, the necessity of curriculum construction that enables student-led academic inquiry through educational innovation centered on convergence-type, exploration-type, and project-type courses is raised. Third, it was confirmed that the establishment of an integrated student support system including major exploration workshops, mentoring, and portfolio design is required. Therefore, for the successful implementation of the autonomous major system, the necessity of reorganizing liberal arts colleges from their limited role as 'general liberal arts completion institutions' to core hubs of the autonomous major system is suggested. It is implied that liberal arts colleges require the establishment of status as the first major that realizes students' academic potential, transcending the simple venue for liberal arts education.
KW - Undeclared Major System;Liberal Arts College;Major Exploration;Convergence Education;Curriculum Innovation
DO - 10.24173/jge.2025.10.31.1
ER -
Oh, Gyung Eun and Han, Kyueun. (2025). New Horizons for Liberal Arts Colleges: The Potential as Core Hub of Undeclared Major System. The Journal of General Education, 33, 9-52.
Oh, Gyung Eun and Han, Kyueun. 2025, "New Horizons for Liberal Arts Colleges: The Potential as Core Hub of Undeclared Major System", The Journal of General Education, no.33, pp.9-52. Available from: doi:10.24173/jge.2025.10.31.1
Oh, Gyung Eun, Han, Kyueun "New Horizons for Liberal Arts Colleges: The Potential as Core Hub of Undeclared Major System" The Journal of General Education 33 pp.9-52 (2025) : 9.
Oh, Gyung Eun, Han, Kyueun. New Horizons for Liberal Arts Colleges: The Potential as Core Hub of Undeclared Major System. 2025; 33 : 9-52. Available from: doi:10.24173/jge.2025.10.31.1
Oh, Gyung Eun and Han, Kyueun. "New Horizons for Liberal Arts Colleges: The Potential as Core Hub of Undeclared Major System" The Journal of General Education no.33(2025) : 9-52.doi: 10.24173/jge.2025.10.31.1
Oh, Gyung Eun; Han, Kyueun. New Horizons for Liberal Arts Colleges: The Potential as Core Hub of Undeclared Major System. The Journal of General Education, 33, 9-52. doi: 10.24173/jge.2025.10.31.1
Oh, Gyung Eun; Han, Kyueun. New Horizons for Liberal Arts Colleges: The Potential as Core Hub of Undeclared Major System. The Journal of General Education. 2025; 33 9-52. doi: 10.24173/jge.2025.10.31.1
Oh, Gyung Eun, Han, Kyueun. New Horizons for Liberal Arts Colleges: The Potential as Core Hub of Undeclared Major System. 2025; 33 : 9-52. Available from: doi:10.24173/jge.2025.10.31.1
Oh, Gyung Eun and Han, Kyueun. "New Horizons for Liberal Arts Colleges: The Potential as Core Hub of Undeclared Major System" The Journal of General Education no.33(2025) : 9-52.doi: 10.24173/jge.2025.10.31.1
