B.S. in Liberal Arts and Business Double Major (Arete)

Frances Weller Bailey, Director

Students who want to combine practical skills with broad knowledge should consider Areté, an interdisciplinary double major integrating professional training in business with the skills and perspectives of the liberal arts. It provides students a broad base of leadership and communication skills, along with the analytical abilities essential for success in the emerging global business world.

Areté (pronounced ar-eh-tay) is an ancient Greek word describing an individual who embodies individual excellence combined with a strong sense of social responsibility. This word from the classical world perfectly captures the spirit of tomorrow’s leaders. Areté students are leaders.

The program was initially developed in response to Clarkson’s many business partners who demanded future managers who combine humanistic values and insights with business expertise, who are flexible and creative in their solution of contemporary problems. 

Beyond the knowledge gained in each area of the student’s double major in business and liberal arts, Areté students will develop their understanding of:

• ethics and social responsibility;
• the global economy;
• the techniques of problem solving and critical thinking;
• the definition of individual values and goals; and
• the importance of oral and written communication skills to a successful career.

The U.S. Department of Education has recognized the Areté program as one of the most innovative in the country, awarding it a substantial grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE). In the years since its inception, Areté has also developed some alternative paths to an interdisciplinary degree, including the choice of an accelerated three-year bachelor’s degree in liberal arts with a final year pursuing a Clarkson MBA, and a number of other interdisciplinary options.

Areté encourages students to manage their own future, to take control of their own education. That’s why students play a major role in running the program — designing courses, developing activities, running seminars and participating in development of the guidelines and policies of the program. Teamwork, planning and discussion generate a collaborative environment where all viewpoints are allowed on the table. Personal attention is a high priority within the program and every student benefits from having two advisors — one from Liberal Arts and one from Business. The modules created by students and faculty help students integrate the skills and insights provided by both majors. These courses promote critical inquiry, communication, a sense of history, the ability to analyze values in society, and an international perspective. 

Employment
Areté graduates are currently pursuing careers in a wide range of businesses and industries, as well as in teaching, government agencies and not-for-profit foundations. The range of companies in which they hold leadership positions is large and growing, among them Accenture, Capital One, IBM, HSBC, Deloitte & Touche, GE, Morgan Stanley, TV Guide and Champion International. Areté grads can also be found working as legislative aides in the U.S. Senate and as teachers in public and private schools. Many graduates also pursue advanced degrees in business, law, science and education.

Curriculum
Students choosing to double major in liberal arts and business begin with the Clarkson Common Experience. Additionally, they complete all the specific requirements for the degree in each of the majors they have selected. Areté students also take a series of three one-credit modules, intended to help integrate their learning in both of their major fields. In their senior year, they have the opportunity to draw together their two majors in a research project overseen by faculty from both schools. Areté brings together students with diverse interests and backgrounds who share the excitement of discovery, and the possibilities for Areté courses are virtually endless. The sample curriculum below indicates some examples of the kinds of courses available.

Aretê Sample Curriculum
FIRST YEAR
First Semester				Second Semester
Course	Title	Cr. Hrs.		Course	Title	Cr. Hrs.
UNIV190	Clarkson Seminar	3			Liberal Arts Major Course	3
MA180	Intro College Mathematics	4		MA181	Basic Calculus	3
	Liberal Arts Major Course	3		EC151	Macroeconomics	3
EC150	Microeconomics	3		SB114	Entrepreneurship, Mgt.
SB113	Entrepreneurship, Mgt.				and Organization	3
	and Organization	3			Common Experience
AR120	Introducing Liberal Arts	1			Science Course	4
FY100	First-Year Seminar	1
						16
		18
SOPHOMORE YEAR
First Semester				Second Semester
Course	Title	Cr. Hrs.		Course	Title	Cr. Hrs.
	Liberal Arts Major Course	3			Liberal Arts Major Course	3
IS211	Intro to ERP Tools	3		EC311	Economics and Business
	Common Experience				Statistics	3
	Science Course	3		MK320	Principles of Marketing	3
AC205	Intro Accounting	3		OS286	Organizational Behavior	3
STAT282	Statistics	3		OM331	Operations & Supply
					Chain Mgt.	3
		15		AR321	Following the News	1
						16
JUNIOR YEAR
First Semester				Second Semester
Course	Title	Cr. Hrs.		Course	Title	Cr. Hrs.
LW270	Law and Society I	3			Liberal Arts Major Course	3
MK331	Consumer Behavior	3			Liberal Arts Major Course	3
MK332	Market Analysis & Research	3		OS352	Human Resource
	Liberal Arts Major Course	3			Management	3
FN361	Corporate Finance	3		EC370	Economics of Innovation	3
				SB322	Leading Innovative
		15			Ventures	3
				AR325	Advertising Theory &
					Practice	1
						16
SENIOR YEAR
First Semester				Second Semester
Course	Title	Cr. Hrs.		Course	Title	Cr. Hrs.
MK436	Creativity/Innovation/				Liberal Arts Major Course	3
	New Products	3			Technology Course	3
	Liberal Arts Major Course	3		SB437	Commercializing
	Business Professional				Innovation	3
	Elective	3		SB440	Innovation &
AR480	Major Research Seminar	3			Entrepreneurship	3
	Business Professional			OS432	Organization Policy	3
	Elective	3		AR425	Informal Business
					Practices	1
		15
						16