Everyone (or at least a good part of the population) at some point in their life changes jobs or even switches careers completely. This can at times be a little frightening. But what are some of the most common skills you need to succeed both in your academic career as well as your professional one?
You’ll probably know them as soft skills, attributes that allow you to effectively engage and communicate with the environment around you. That’s why there is a distinction between hard and soft skills. As you may already know, hard skills are what you learn in a specific field from a computer program to speaking multiple languages. Not everyone who embarks on their academic journey will need to have the same hard skills.
That’s why today, in collaboration with the University of Mount Union, we want to share with you the option of directing your academic focus to the Integrative Core.
The University of Mount Union’s mission is to “prepare students for fulfilling lives, meaningful work, and responsible citizenship.” The approach they have taken is to expose students to a traditional understanding of the liberal arts which values the Integrative Core. Essentially, the university provides students with a well-rounded education in a particular field of study combined with liberal arts. This gives students a broad foundation of knowledge that enables them to create their judgment based on critical thinking. Mount Union encourages its students to challenge the difficulties of tomorrow by being able to formulate their ideas rather than being taught a particular point of view. (Soft) skills such as critical thinking and critical and analytical problem solving are what give the foundations to Integrative Core education.
To excel in the workplace, nowadays, college graduates should have a deep understanding of their main field of interest alongside a broad variety of skills and knowledge. This is because we should always be up-to-date with a workplace that is fluid, where a mix of cultures and technological advancement requires us to have “integrative and synthetic thinking”. The Integrative Core helps students learn how to “think in and across various contexts, disciplines, and cultural situations”.
It’s all about pushing your boundaries and achieving your potential through an education that prepares you for a variety of situations. The Integrative Core is one of the 4 pillars of Mount Union’s academic programs that you’ll complete throughout your studies. And did we mention that you’d be an international and friendly city in Ohio? This is one of the best states where you can enjoy a great American experience!
Fun fact: Ohio is known for its wide range of buckeye trees that produce small brown nuts. Legend says that these nuts bring good luck if you carry them with you.
Excited to learn more? Check out the huge variety of Bachelor’s degrees and Master’s & Ph.D. programs. Get ready to kick-start your academic career with a program that will prepare you for the future.