Your Transferable Liberal Arts Skills

Liberal arts skills are transferable abilities that are required in many different problem solving and task oriented situations.

This list of skills which are used in careers and in other life situations was developed by Paul Breen and Urban Whitaker in consultation with students, faculty members, and employers in the humanities and behavioral and social sciences.

Information Management Skills

Ability to...

• sort data and objects
• compile and rank information
• apply information creatively to specific problems or tasks
• synthesize facts, concepts, and principles
• understand and use organizing principles
• evaluate information against appropriate standards

Communication Skills

Ability to...

• listen with objectivity and paraphrase the content of a message
• use various forms and styles of written communication
• speak effectively to individuals and groups
• use media formats to present ideas imaginatively
• express one's needs, wants, opinions, and preferences without offending the sensitivity of others; identify and
• communicate value judgments
• describe objects or events with a minimum of factual errors
• convey a positive self-image to others

Valuing Skills

Ability to...

• assess a course of action in terms of its long-range effects on the general human welfare
• make decisions that will maximize both individual and collective good
• appreciate the contributions of art, literature, science, and technology to contemporary society
• identify one's own values
• assess one's own values in relation to important life decisions

Research and Investigation Skills

Ability to...

• use a variety of sources of information
• apply a variety of methods to test the validity of data
• identify problems and needs
• design an experiment, plan, or model that systematically defines a problem
• identify information sources appropriate to special needs or problems
• formulate questions relevant to clarifying a particular problem, topic, or issue

Critical Thinking Skills

Ability to...

• identify quickly and accurately the critical issues when making a decision or solving a problem
• identify a general principle that explains interrelated experiences or factual data
• define the parameters of a problem
• identify reasonable criteria for assessing the value or appropriateness of an action or behavior
• adapt one's concepts and behavior to changing conventions and norms
• apply appropriate criteria to strategies and action plans
• take given premises and reason to their conclusion
• create innovative solutions to complex problems
• analyze the interrelationships of events and ideas from several perspectives

Design and Planning Skills

Ability to...

• identify alternative courses of action
• set realistic goals
• follow through with a plan or decision
• manage time effectively
• predict future trends and patterns
• accommodate multiple demands for commitment of time, energy, and resources
• assess needs
• make and keep a schedule
• set priorities

Management and Administrative Skills

Ability to...

• analyze tasks
• identify people who can contribute to the solution of a problem or task
• identify resource materials useful in the solution of a problem
• delegate responsibility for completion of a task
• motivate and lead people
• organize people and tasks to achieve specific goals

Human Relations/Interpersonal Skills

Ability to...

• keep a group "on track" and moving toward the achievement of a common goal
• maintain group cooperation and support
• delegate tasks and responsibilities
• interact effectively with peers, superiors, and subordinates
• express one's feelings appropriately
• understand the feelings of others
• use argumentation techniques to persuade others
• make commitments to persons
• be willing to take risks
• teach a skill, concept or principle to others
• analyze behavior of self and others in group situations
• demonstrate effective social behavior in a variety of settings and under different circumstances
• work under time and environmental pressures

Personal/Career Development Skills

Ability to...

• analyze and learn from life experiences--both one's own and others'
• relate the skills developed in one environment (e.g. school) to the requirements of another environment (e.g. work)
• match knowledge about one's own characteristics and abilities to information about job or career opportunities
• identify, describe, and assess the relative importance of one's needs, values, interests, strengths, and weaknesses
• develop personal growth goals that are motivating
• identify and describe skills acquired through formal education and general life experience
• identify one's own strengths and weaknesses
• accept and learn from negative criticism
• persist with a project when faced with failure, unless it is clear that the project cannot be carried out or is not worth the time or effort needed to complete it
• recognize when a project cannot be carried out or is not worth the effort needed to complete it
• generate trust and confidence in others
• take risks
• accept the consequences of one's actions
• "market" oneself to prospective employees

Copyright 1982 by Paul Breen and Urban Whitaker. The learning center, P.O. Box 27616, San Francisco, CA 94127. Reprinted with permission. Write the center for a list of its publications including "Bridging The Gap: Learner's Guide to Career-Transferable Skills" and a tape/slide presentation.