What is the purpose of liberal arts?

The Yale-NUS College is opening this year, and as a Singaporean I like to know, what is the purpose and relevance of a liberal arts degree?
 
Also, what are the reasons behind the criticisms (such as this) at this tie-up from the Yale faculty? I know it’s related to Singapore’s media censorship, lack of political freedom, and restrictions on staging political protests (one will need a police permit, go figure). But surely those are not the only reasons?
 
Liberal arts is a very new thing to Singapore since our major universities, such as NTU, NUS and SMU have always been focused on engineering, science and business. I’m an engineering undergraduate, so arts is an alien topic to me.

I guess to somehow get around everything and survive in such an environment? Or… be aware enough to try and change it?
 
Really, reading on what Liberal Arts is in a basic sense (before now I figured it to be another art degree in a literal sense, derp) it sounds like something that should be taught more before the college/university level…

I heard a joke on that issue somewhere:
 
“Where can you get a job with liberal arts degree?”  
“Everywhere! McDonald’s, Starbucks, Walmart…”

“What is the purpose of liberal arts?”
 
None besides being a waste of money and time.

@kruppenstein  

 
@Vlakc  

 
Wow, that bad eh? The media make it sound like ‘the next big thing’, and I’m skeptical. Then again, I’ve never been into arts or philosophy, so I thought I’m missing out something important.

There’s 2 main reasons people go to school. To prepare for the future and for the pleasure of learning. Some kids are just deluded into thinking an art degree will give them a job and a future. It’s the kind of thing people should study cause they have money and an already assured future.
 
Don’t get me wrong, I do see the importance of art, litterature, etc. I just don’t think it’s worth investing huge amounts of money into university programs entirely dedicated to it. Keep including it in what we teach children and keep offering classes for it. If anything people should be encouraged to seek this stuff on their own using the internet. There’s a lot of untapped potential for people who want to educate themselves for free online.
 
So yeah, the purpose is to give students an appreciation for these things and how it affects society. It’s interesting but won’t get you anywhere in life unless you’re one of the few lucky enough to become a professor for the next generation of art students.

It’s funny because liberal arts isn’t really an art degree like painting or concepting is.

It’s a waste if time. Only good for teaching liberal arts.
 
Really, it’s existence is more political than educational.

@Whatevs
 
>liberal arts
 
>more political than educational
 
You don’t say?

@archestereo  
I do say. And no, I’m not simply basing it off of the name

It does have a purpose, but due to warped market signals (student loans for everyone regardless of degree), too many people take them, thus a glut in the labour market. STEM fields will generally guarantee you a good job.

@archestereo
 
uh, liberal arts isn’t really liberally biased

@gg666
 
…isn’t it?
 
(Okay, I guess I should head off the flood of “dat’s not wut da naem maens” posts and make clear that I know the name doesn’t actually refer to the political stance; it was just too easy a jab to pass up, is all. Besides, you can still make the case that a largely liberal influence looms over the “education” bearing the name of the field, and many others for that matter.)