But in our current economy, that image has taken a bit of a beating. The jokes about liberal arts students aren't true, of course. As assistant to the Dean for Special Projects at Dedman College, SMU's school for the liberal arts and sciences, Anderson coordinates the Dedman College Internship Program. The program, launched in early 1999, helps undergraduate liberal arts students find non-paying internships during the academic year, for which they receive academic credit. The program is a response to both the realities of the marketplace and some of the prevailing myths regarding studies in the liberal arts.
Most employers now expect college graduates to have completed at least one internship.
Internships are a way to say, 'Yes, if you want to get a degree in philosophy, of course you have a place in today's economy. The university is committed to the role of liberal arts in the life and careers of its students. Employer Expectations Internships also level the playing field for liberal arts students entering the working world, where hands-on work experience has become a necessity. And that goes for liberal arts majors as well as students in technical and applied fields. We are convinced that not only won't she be marketable, but she won't have done a good job of trying out workplaces for her own growth.