The Benefits of a Liberal Arts Education for Entrepreneurship

Attending a liberal arts college usually means spending a good part of your four years of school balancing a number of general education courses along with those related to your major. Some people prefer to focus on the major-related courses, wondering why the others are even on the schedule at all. The thing to remember is that all of those gen eds serve an important purpose: they teach the soft skills that make students excellent entrepreneurs. What are these soft skills? How do they help you become a better businessperson? Here’s what you need to know.

Working with a Team

One thing that you’ll encounter quite a bit in the business world is the need to work with others. Whether you lead that team or simply contribute to it, you need to be able to collaborate with people in order to be successful. A good entrepreneur knows the importance of teamwork, and a liberal arts education prepares you for it.

Communication

Students who attend a liberal arts program, no matter their majors, end up taking quite a few communications courses. These classes focus on written and spoken communication, and teach students the skills needed to give presentations, write up reports, and communicate in a professional manner. All of these skills are crucial for entrepreneurs.

Problem-Solving

It’s hard to teach critical thinking skills. Instead, these skills are mostly learned over time, especially when you’re in college. Some of the general education courses that you’ll need to take, such as those related to science, can help you hone your problem-solving skills, while others serve additional purposes.

Creativity

Entrepreneurs need to be creative. Few things can enhance your creativity like a liberal arts college. The courses that you’ll take usually include things like art history or a hands-on art class, such as drawing, which will help you literally think creatively.

Research

Many of the classes that you’ll take as a part of your degree program will require you to do research. From presentations to papers, you’ll learn to conduct proper research and compile it into an organized project. This skill is very useful for people who go on to be entrepreneurs because it takes some research to set up and run a business.

Flexibility

In addition, there’s the need to be flexible. You never know what will happen during the course of operating your business. A day may start out one way and end up another. Either way, the ability to be flexible is gained through your liberal arts education.

Consider Getting Your Liberal Arts Education from Dean College

Have you decided to get a liberal arts education? Attending a school with a focus on the liberal arts can help get you ready for just about anything, regardless of your major. However, if you want to go to a small school where you’ll feel like your part of a community, instead of just a number, then put Dean College on your list. We offer a number of majors, minors, and certificate programs, so you’ll have no issues finding the best options to help prepare you for your future career.