Home > Academic Programs > Liberal Education at Bishop’s > BU Defines a Sound and Liberal Education

The following characteristics of a sound and liberal education are, in essence, our promise. They represent the type of education our founders first spoke of in 1843 and what students can expect if they choose Bishop’s: an outstanding education and a complete university experience.

The undergraduate student first
The reputation of Bishop’s is based on its strong institutional commitment to a student-centered environment.

An intimate learning environment
Bishop’s professors and staff give individual students the personal attention they need and deserve.

Excellence in the classroom
The quality of the exchange between intellectually curious students and dedicated faculty members makes learning a mutual experience.

Diverse and flexible academic programs
At Bishop’s education becomes wide as well as deep: students hear about interesting courses outside their main field of study — and take them.

Learning beyond the classroom
Bishop’s encourages students to broaden their education in a variety of learning situations.

Unmatched student services
Besides matters of the mind, a Bishop’s education concerns itself with the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of young men and women.

A centre for the arts
The creative and performing arts enrich the cultural life of the Bishop’s and Lennoxville communities.

The chance to make a difference
Bishop’s may be small but the opportunities are great for discovering talents and assuming leadership roles.

A friendly and cohesive community
The human scale of Bishop’s fosters genuine community, creating bonds of friendship among those who learn, teach, and work at the institution.

A special location
Bishop’s crossroads setting allows students, faculty, and staff to enjoy the benefits of both country and city living.

A lasting relationship
Graduates cherish their Bishop’s experience and remain connected to the University through alumni branches, the popular Bishop’s University News Magazine, and the Annual Giving and Capital Campaigns.

We expect a graduate with a Bishop’s sound and liberal education will possess:

  • competence in his/her chosen field of study;
  • ability to transfer knowledge from one setting to another;
  • the arts of analysis and argument;
  • effective writing and communication skills;
  • confidence as a social being;
  • intercultural awareness;
  • qualities necessary for civic leadership;
  • the foundation for lifelong learning and friendships.

Bishop’s Academic Core Competencies:

The skills and dispositions for mastery of a chosen discipline are consistent with the wider task of citizenship. In order that our students be able to fulfill these goals, Bishop’s is committed to helping its students gain proficiency in certain key skills, areas of knowledge and dispositions. These eleven core competencies are:

  • Oral and Written Communication Skills
  • Quantitative Reasoning
  • Critical thinking skills
  • Problem Solving Abilities
  • Information Literacy Skills
  • Creative and Adaptive Thinking
  • Social and Cultural Literacy
  • Social Confidence and Inter-personal Competence
  • Capacity for Civic Engagement
  • Knowledge of Environmental, Economic and Social Sustainability
  • Ethical and Moral Reasoning