Computer Science and the Liberal Arts:

A Philosophical Examination
HENRY M. WALKER
Grinnell College
and
CHARLES KELEMEN
Swarthmore College

This article explores the philosophy and position of the discipline of computer science within the
liberal arts, based upon a discussion of the nature of computer science and a review of the char-
acteristics of the liberal arts. A liberal arts environment provides important opportunities for
undergraduate programs, but also presents important constraints. A well designed program can
flourish in this environment, and evidence indicates that a liberal arts program in computer sci-
ence can indeed succeed well.
Categories and Subject Descriptors: K.3.2 [Computers and Education]: Computer and Infor-
mation Science Education—Computer science education; curriculum
General Terms: Theory
Additional Key Words and Phrases: Liberal arts, undergraduate education
ACM Reference Format:
Walker, H. M. and Kelemen, C. 2010. Computer science and the liberal arts: A philosophical
examination. ACM Trans. Comput. Educ. 10, 1, Article 2 (March 2010), 10 pages.
DOI = 10.1145/1731041.1731043. http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/1731041.1731043.

How can computer science fit within the liberal arts? I thought com-
puter science had to do with engineering and real-world applications,
and their concerns seem different from those of the liberal arts.
Comments of this type arose frequently in the 1980s and have continued peri-
odically to the present day. Just recently, a prospective student asked a ques-
tion of this type to one of the coauthors of this article. This article seeks to
provide a careful answer.

Authors’ addresses: H. M. Walker, Department of Computer Science, Grinnell College, Noyce

Science Center, 1116 Eight Avenue, Grinnell, Iowa 50112; email: [email protected]; C.
Kelemen, Computer Science Department, Swarthmore College, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore,
PA 19081.
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c 2010 ACM 1946-6626/2010/03-ART2 $10.00 DOI: 10.1145/1731041.1731043.
http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/1731041.1731043.
ACM Transactions on Computing Education, Vol. 10, No. 1, Article 2, Pub. date: March 2010.
2: 2 · H. M. Walker and C. Kelemen

Some historical comments may provide some initial perspective. ACM

published its first comprehensive curricular recommendations in 1968 [ACM
Curriculum Committee on Computer Science 1968] and updated those recom-
mendations in 1978 [Austing et al. 1979], 1991 [ACM-IEEE-CS Joint Curricu-
lum Task Force 1991], and 2001 [ACM/IEEE-CS Task Force on the Curriculum
2001]. Although these curricula provided fine insight, they treated all institu-
tions as being similar; the same recommendations were to apply to technical
schools, research-oriented universities, and liberal arts colleges.
In the 1970s and early 1980s, some educators suggested that large,
technically-oriented schools could cover the full ACM curriculum, but the cur-
riculum had to be scaled back in liberal arts colleges. In this view, com-
puter science in a liberal arts setting was often expected to be a watered-down
program.
In response, a group of faculty from liberal arts colleges started meeting in
1985 to consider an appropriate philosophy for an undergraduate degree in
computer science. With partial funding from the Sloan Foundation, the group
published its first “Model Curriculum for a Liberal Arts Degree in Computer
Science” in 1986 [Gibbs and Tucker 1986], and revisions have followed in 1996
[Walker and Schneider 1996] and 2007 [Liberal Arts Computer Science Consor-
tium 2007]. These model curricula build on the premise that computer science
fits naturally with the liberal arts; and the liberal arts setting reinforces the
fundamental concepts, theory, and practice of an undergraduate program in
computer science.
For many, the 1986 Model Curriculum [Gibbs and Tucker 1986] demon-
strated that a strong, intellectually valid computer science program could
indeed reside within a liberal arts setting; computer science could be legiti-
mate within the liberal arts. However, even with the publication of the Model
Curricula [Gibbs and Tucker 1986; Walker and Schneider 1996; Liberal Arts
Computer Science Consortium 2007], questions continue on various college
campuses, with prospective students, and among employers. This article pro-
vides a thorough examination of computer science and its role within the lib-
eral arts.
This article begins with a clarification of what might be meant by “computer
science.” Over the years, various audiences have viewed the field of computing
in different ways, and undergraduate programs have appeared in numerous re-
lated areas (e.g., information technology, information science). Section 1 gives
several perspectives regarding the specific field of “computer science.”
A liberal arts curriculum promotes a broad study of multiple disciplines,
develops reasoning and analysis, and invites multiple views of problem
solving. Section 2.1 outlines several views regarding the nature of the lib-
eral arts and the corresponding characteristics of undergraduate liberal arts
programs.
Since a liberal arts environment brings several important strengths to
the study of computer science, an undergraduate program in computer sci-
ence can build from a solid foundation. However, the liberal arts philosophy
of breadth and multiple perspectives also injects some practical limitations.
Section 2.2 explores both opportunities and constraints on a computer science
ACM Transactions on Computing Education, Vol. 10, No. 1, Article 2, Pub. date: March 2010.
 Computer Science and the Liberal Arts: A Philosophical Examination · 2: 3

major within the liberal arts setting. Section 2.3 then examines the impact of
computer science on the liberal arts.
Since undergraduate liberal arts programs have been producing majors for
years, it is natural to consider how well graduates succeed in highly technical
areas, such as computer science. Section 3 reviews some measures that suggest
a liberal arts background does indeed have a fine record of success.
Although this article focuses upon perspectives of liberal arts, the article
does not seek to imply that all qualities listed here are the exclusive province
of liberal arts institutions. Indeed, various qualities described here may be
found in many types of schools. The point of this article is to present a unifying
view of the liberal arts and the place of computer science within that context.

1. THE REALM OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

Over the years, the term “computer science” has come to be used in numerous
ways by various social and cultural groups. Within an academic setting, a
description of the discipline of computer science can clarify the role of computer
science in relationship to other areas of science and technology and also can
examine the central core of computer science within interdisciplinary projects
and endeavors.

1.1 The Nature of Computer Science

Within society as a whole, a general citizen may use the terms “computing” and
“computer science” to refer to a wide range of topics. In beginning a discussion
of computer science and the liberal arts, therefore, some clarification may be
helpful.
(1) Some people use “computing” to refer to the use of multiple paradigms to
solve problems, drawing upon reasoning, logic, analysis, hypothesis test-
ing, and formal problem-solving methodologies.
(2) To some, “computing” refers to the computer hardware, software, printers,
networking, etc., that comprise an organization’s electronic infrastructure.
(3) Some consider “computing” to mean the user directives and low-level skills
involved in running specific software packages (e.g., what key strokes a
user should type to perform a desired spreadsheet computation).
Although these descriptions may not be completely disjoint, they illustrate
different emphases and perspectives. To clarify responsibilities, a department
of “computer science” typically focuses on the problem solving of the first per-
spective, a department of “information technology services” or “ITS” supports
and maintains the electronic infrastructure, and a “help desk” or similar orga-
nization typically provides tutoring or noncredit workshops for running specific
packages.
Similarly, an undergraduate curriculum for computer science emphasizes
approaches to problem solving, algorithms and data structures, social and eth-
ical issues of the use of computers, and a consideration of theoretical and
practical limits of algorithmic problem solving. Although a computer sci-
ence curriculum may include hardware, specific languages, and applications to
ACM Transactions on Computing Education, Vol. 10, No. 1, Article 2, Pub. date: March 2010.
2: 4 · H. M. Walker and C. Kelemen

illustrate concepts, computer science focuses upon principles, formal proper-

ties, and problem-solving methodologies.
Additional notes on the nature of computer science may be found in discus-
sions of liberal arts curricula, such as Gibbs and Tucker [1986], Walker and
Schneider [1996], and the Liberal Arts Computer Science Consortium [2007].

1.2 Computer Science in an Interdisciplinary Setting

As computer science has evolved as a discipline, researchers and developers
have integrated insights and advances from many related fields. For exam-
ple, Computing Curricula 1991 [ACM-IEEE-CS Joint Curriculum Task Force
1991] argues that the discipline of computing integrates three fundamental
processes:
—theory: from mathematics,
—abstraction: based upon the scientific method, and
—design: from engineering [ACM-IEEE-CS Joint Curriculum Task Force
1991].
In recent years, computer science has connected with many interdiscipli-
nary efforts (e.g., bioinformatics, neuroscience), and specific boundaries for
computer science itself may be fuzzy. However, even in wide ranging research,
a computer science perspective likely highlights underlying algorithms, data
representations, and principles as part of an overall research team.
2. THE REALM OF LIBERAL ARTS
Programs in the liberal arts build upon a centuries-old perspective that places
an emphasis on concepts, principles, and a breadth of education. Students and
faculty strive to bring multiple viewpoints to bear in addressing topics and
issues. By its very nature, computer science fits into this environment in at
least two ways.
—The liberal arts shape the study of computer science, as a discipline that
inherently draws upon insights and perspectives from many subjects.
—Computer science itself contributes insights and perspectives to an overall
liberal arts environment.

2.1 Characteristics of Liberal Arts Programs

Historically, the notion of liberal arts has evolved over centuries. The focus has
been on education of the whole person, and medieval universities in Europe
emphasized the Trivium (grammar, rhetoric, and logic) and the Quadrivium
(geometry, arithmetic, music, and astronomy). More recently, areas of study
have expanded to include the arts, language, philosophy, history or social stud-
ies, mathematics, and science. Just as liberal arts History and English ma-
jors may not become professional historians or writers, liberal arts computer
science majors may not choose to become professional computer scientists. A
liberal arts computer science major in the context of other liberal arts courses
must provide a strong foundation for life and lifelong learning independent
of the career choice of the student. Of course, liberal arts computer science
ACM Transactions on Computing Education, Vol. 10, No. 1, Article 2, Pub. date: March 2010.
 Computer Science and the Liberal Arts: A Philosophical Examination · 2: 5

majors must also be prepared deeply enough in computer science so that they
can pursue graduate study or entry into computer science work. The 2007
Model Curriculum [Liberal Arts Computer Science Consortium 2007] gives
this description:
Liberal arts programs in computer science generally emphasize mul-
tiple perspectives of problem solving (from computer science and
other disciplines), theoretical results and their applications, breadth
of study, and skills in communication. In addition to the material
content of computer science, the algorithmic approach is a very gen-
eral and powerful method of organizing, synthesizing, and analyz-
ing information. Three general-purpose capabilities that are among
those fundamental to a liberal arts education are the ability to orga-
nize and synthesize ideas, the ability to reason in a logical manner
and solve problems, and the ability to communicate ideas to others.
The design, expression, and analysis of algorithms and data struc-
tures utilizes and contributes significantly to the development of all
three capabilities. [Liberal Arts Computer Science Consortium 2007]
To support breadth and exploration of multiple perspectives, a liberal arts pro-
gram limits work in one area, and a typical computing curriculum might show
the following balance:
—computer science courses: about 30%,
—mathematics courses: about 10%,
—other science courses: 5–10%,
—nonscience (e.g., humanities, social science) courses: 50–55%.
In the resulting degree, often labeled “Bachelor of Arts,” required computer
science and mathematics typically make up about 40% of the overall course
work for a degree; about 60% of an undergraduate program is outside the major
(outside both computer science and supporting mathematics). In contrast, for
degrees typically labeled “Bachelor of Science” or “Bachelor of Engineering,”
the percentages are reversed, with about 60% of the course work for these
degrees being in the major and about 40% being outside.
Considering this breakdown in another way, in a school in which most
courses carry four credits, graduation typically requires 31 or 32 courses over-
all, of which 8–12 will be computer science and supporting mathematics for a
Bachelor of Arts degree in computer science. At Swarthmore College, for ex-
ample, of the 32 courses required for graduation, at least 20 must be outside
the major. Similarly, Grinnell College requires 124 credits (the equivalent of 31
4-credit courses) for graduation; a major requires 32 credits (8 courses); and no
more than 48 credits (12 courses) within a department can count against the
124 total.
A well-constructed Bachelor of Arts program for computer science can draw
upon breadth in several ways. Here are a few examples.
—Many courses outside a major will reinforce work on communication skills
(e.g., writing and oral presentation).
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2: 6 · H. M. Walker and C. Kelemen

—Students will have significant exposure to areas in the humanities and social
sciences.
—Liberal arts settings emphasize connections between subjects and interdis-
ciplinary work between departments and programs. For example, computer
science may work with a philosophy department on courses that consider
ethics within a technological society. Similarly, courses on digital art or elec-
tronic music may enrich student’s understanding of how computing might
fit within other disciplines. Altogether, courses may provide both technical
and nontechnical perspectives on common problems.

2.2 Computer Science within the Liberal Arts: Opportunities and Constraints
Shape Curricula and Courses
As mentioned earlier, a liberal arts program in computer science requires 8–12
courses. Thus, it must focus on principles, fundamental ideas, underlying con-
cepts, and key examples. When the number of courses is limited, offerings and
selections must be particularly careful and strategic. Such a focus is consistent
with key finding 2 from “How People Learn” Bransford et al. [2000, p. 16].

To develop competence in an area of inquiry, students must: (a)

have a deep foundation of factual knowledge, (b) understand facts
and ideas in the context of a conceptual framework, and (c) organize
knowledge in ways that facilitate retrieval and application.

This seems particularly appropriate in a field that changes as quickly as com-

puter science. For example, William Wulf, former President of the National
Academy of Engineering, reported that a 2000 workshop calculated the “half-
life of engineering knowledge” as between 2.5 years and 7.5 years. Wulf con-
cluded, “half of what we are teaching our students in some fields (computer
science, by the way, was the field of 2.5 years) is obsolete by the time they
[students] graduate.” [Wulf 2002, p. 6]
Liberal arts programs also celebrate multiple views of problem solving, con-
sidering insights of many disciplines. Expectations for breadth encourage stu-
dents to take courses outside their areas of specialization, resulting in at least
three practical advantages.

—Liberal arts students learn the terminology, concepts, perspectives, and in-
sights of multiple disciplines. Since software systems focus on application
domains, the common language for a project comes from the application, not
from computer science. Computing professionals, on any development team,
must be comfortable with the perspectives of the application area.
—Course work in the liberal arts often involves team-based assignments and
projects, providing insights and experience with group-based activities and
interactions. Many computing professionals have observed that significant
software development projects now take place in teams; computer scientists
work with experts in various application areas.
—Much of the liberal arts brings together multiple perspectives and disci-
plines. Although research arises from pushing current techniques and ideas
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 Computer Science and the Liberal Arts: A Philosophical Examination · 2: 7

further, breakthroughs in research often arise when a person connects dif-

ferent ideas in creative ways.
A common perspective for the liberal arts is that an undergraduate degree
should provide a foundation. As Wulf observes, “Every other profession treats
at least a Masters Degree as the first professional degree. Engineering is the
only discipline that believes that the baccalaureate is a professional degree. I
think the fact that we have not faced up to that causes all kinds of foolishness.”
Wulf [2002, p. 6]
A liberal arts undergraduate program has many opportunities to focus upon
fundamentals as well as multiple viewpoints and connections; this results in
significant advantages. With a liberal arts foundation, graduate work or ap-
prenticeship easily enhance professional specialization.

2.3 The Liberal Arts Gain from Computer Science

Historically, computer science grew out of electrical engineering and mathe-
matics. As computer scientists began to develop systems that would be easy
to use for tasks other than calculation, they found it necessary to study ar-
eas such as psychology, biology, and linguistics. At the same time, workers
in these and other fields discovered that they could use computer systems to
model some of their ideas. Thus, computer science has come to share some
topics with disciplines other than mathematics and engineering. A few such
disciplines are psychology and biology (human-machine interface, brain the-
ory, artificial intelligence, genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics), philosophy
(logic and artificial intelligence), and linguistics (formal languages, natural
language understanding). More generally, computer applications are found in
almost every academic discipline, and the creation of useful, innovative com-
puter applications in any discipline requires both knowledge of that discipline
and knowledge of computer science.
Computer science also provides problem-solving perspectives for address-
ing problems in many disciplines. Sometimes called “algorithmic thinking”
or “computational thinking” [Wing 2006], methodologies within computer sci-
ence involve an active, creative process for understanding a problem, designing
and organizing solutions, and presenting those solutions in a precise and log-
ical fashion. And, once the algorithmic way of thinking has been mastered, it
may be applied to questions of all sorts, independently of any desire to obtain
a solution from a computer. Algorithmic thinking can be used to counteract
the natural human tendency for quick and easy, but sometimes careless and
sloppy, thought. This is not to say that the algorithmic mode of thinking is
a panacea. Obviously, there are important questions that require other types
of thinking. Algorithmic thinking is, nonetheless, a very powerful tool when
added to other modes of thought.
Turning more specifically to a liberal arts environment, the mission state-
ment of Grinnell College, typical of many liberal arts colleges, includes the
following elements:
a mission to educate its students “for the different professions and for
the honorable discharge of the duties of life.” . . . The College aims to
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2: 8 · H. M. Walker and C. Kelemen

graduate women and men who can think clearly, who can speak and
write persuasively and even eloquently, who can evaluate critically
both their own and others’ ideas, who can acquire new knowledge,
and who are prepared in life and work to use their knowledge and
their abilities to serve the common good.
As this statement indicates, a liberal arts education is to be an education for
life, not some short-term vocational preparation. As already noted, computer
science interacts with many disciplines and thus is vital for citizens of “the
different professions.” Algorithmic thinking also provides vital insights for
addressing many problems throughout society, and computer science in a lib-
eral arts environment can help students hone their skills in problem solving,
abstraction, formalization of vague ideas, careful and critical thinking, man-
agement of complexity, and clear and concise communication of ideas. These
are important, general skills useful in every discipline and useful for life.
Furthermore, computer systems have become a significant factor in contem-
porary life. Understanding this technology and its implications, therefore, has
become vital “for the honorable discharge of the duties of life.” Like any pow-
erful technology, computer systems can be used for the benefit of all or, in the
hands of the selfish, for the benefit of a few at the expense of many. Although
relatively few liberal arts graduates may enter a computing profession, many
liberal arts graduates will be making policy decisions and taking leadership
roles within a democratic society. All of these people need to understand op-
portunities and issues related to technology; they need insights to understand
implications and to ask appropriate questions. People well-educated in the lib-
eral arts with some knowledge of computer science are needed to help decide
what computers ought to do.
Overall, computer science has a strong, symbiotic relationship with the lib-
eral arts. Computer science draws upon ideas and perspectives from other
disciplines; from this standpoint, computer science might be considered the
ultimate of liberal arts disciplines. Further, computer science connects with
disciplines throughout the liberal arts and impacts many components of gen-
eral society; from this standpoint, computer science also has much to offer the
general education component of any liberal arts program.

3. SOME OUTCOMES FROM LIBERAL ARTS PROGRAMS

Since liberal arts programs have been producing computer science and, more
generally, science graduates for many years, it is natural to ask how well these
graduates succeed. As already noted, a liberal arts graduate likely has taken
somewhat fewer courses in the major than a graduate with a more technical
degree, but the liberal arts graduate also likely has considerable breadth. Di-
rect comparison of various types of graduates can be difficult, but quantitative
and anecdotal information provide some hints.
—In a recent NSF study of “Baccalaureate Origins of S&E [Science and
Engineering] Doctorate Recipients,” only 20 of the top 50 schools (ranked
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 Computer Science and the Liberal Arts: A Philosophical Examination · 2: 9

by number of S&E doctorates per 100 graduates) were research-oriented

universities. Most of the remaining 30 schools are undergraduate, liberal
arts colleges [Burrelli et al. 2008]. The authors are not aware of any recent
study that gives figures specifically for computer science. In an earlier study
by Franklin and Marshall covering the years 1986–1995, the undergradu-
ate origins of doctoral recipients in CS were consistent with the recent NSF
study for Science and Engineering. We suspect that this is still the case.
—Both authors have many former students employed in the computer indus-
try. A 2003 alumna of Swarthmore College who did NOT attend graduate
school wrote the following in response to a question about how well prepared
she was to enter industry.
While creating a system that tracks error reports to a main server,
I’m learning to manage a large-scale project and large amounts
of code. The system has an interface that automatically tracks
everything that has been reported, worked on, and changed—and
everything is accessible from the Web. When it’s released, anyone
will be able to download the source-code and use the software. It’s
exciting to be working on something that people will really use.
Swarthmore understood that the broader picture would serve us
best in the “real world”; that, by giving us a holistic view of the
discipline instead of narrowly focusing on applied software engi-
neering, we would be better equipped to solve a wider array of
problems that arise in real-world situations. Now an engineer at
Google, I am constantly aware of the educational advantage this
background has given me—although a B.S. in software engineer-
ing may teach one how to approach specific problems, a B.A. in
computer science from Swarthmore has given me the tools neces-
sary to approach any problem.
—One of the authors organized about ten industry panels as part of a series of
workshops for high school computing teachers. These workshops, funded by
the Noyce Foundation and Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust, provided content,
background information, and perspectives to help teachers guide their stu-
dents through schooling to careers in the computing field. During these pan-
els, every industry panelist, without exception, listed “communication skills”
and “the ability to work in groups” as the two most important qualifications
for success. Although the ordering of these two areas varied by panelist, spe-
cific technical skills never made the top two qualifications on the list. This
is consistent with the first key point in the 1999 Business-Higher Education
Forum report, “Spanning The Chasm: A Blueprint for Action” [Forum 1999]:
In addition to providing pertinent data, the core curriculum needs
to help students develop flexible and cross-functional skill sets,
including leadership, teamwork, problem solving, time manage-
ment, communication, and analytical thinking.
—One of the authors of this article observed Members of Technical Staff years
ago during a project at Bell Laboratories. In that environment, all technical
people were competent. However, the folks in various lead positions were
ACM Transactions on Computing Education, Vol. 10, No. 1, Article 2, Pub. date: March 2010.
2: 10 · H. M. Walker and C. Kelemen

notable for their communication skills and ability to work with clients, cus-
tomers, and other team members.
Altogether, the experience of breadth and interdisciplinary work of the lib-
eral arts would seem to have a direct payoff in professional careers.

4. CODA
Overall, a liberal arts program emphasizes general knowledge, multiple per-
spectives, alternative ways of thinking, and connections among disciplines.
This philosophy places constraints on specific requirements for a computer
science program, but also encourages strategic choices and a focus on long-
term and fundamental ideas. Within a computer science program, liberal arts
graduates master core ideas, structures, algorithms, and methodologies. These
graduates also have considerable experience with writing, oral communica-
tion, and ideas from other disciplines. Such a breadth of background provides
a strong base for professional careers as well as explorations into new areas
and interdisciplinary challenges.

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Received November 2008, November 2009; accepted November 2009

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