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By Asia Education Review Team , Friday, 01 August 2025 08:49:33 AM

MAHE Dubai Unveils BA (Hons) Liberal Arts Program to Shape Future-Ready Talent

    • MAHE Dubai launches BA (Hons) Liberal Arts program with flexible major-minor pathways to meet evolving global job market needs.
    • Program aligns with WEF 2025 skills forecast, focusing on analytical thinking, creativity, and adaptability for future careers.
    • Admissions open for September 2025, with interdisciplinary curriculum, internship opportunities, and optional Honours research year.

    Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) Dubai has announced the launch of its pioneering BA (Honours) Liberal Arts program under the Manipal Institute of Liberal Arts (MILA), set to begin in September 2025. The new program is designed to address the changing global employment landscape and reinforce Dubai’s rising prominence as a global hub for international higher education.

    The BA (Honours) Liberal Arts program introduces a flexible, interdisciplinary major-minor framework tailored to meet the demands highlighted in the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs 2025 report. This report notes that 39% of current core skills are expected to become obsolete by 2030, while analytical thinking is regarded as essential by 70% of employers.

    The four-year program begins with a strong liberal arts foundation year that encourages independent critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving, and then branches into three dynamic academic tracks:

    • Explorer Track: 1 Major + 1 Minor
    • Innovator Track: 1 Major + 2 Minors
    • Consolidator Track: 2 Majors

    Available majors include Sociology, Psychology, English, Mass Communication, and Filmmaking, while minors include Gender Studies, Journalism, Arabic, French, and Geopolitics. Each semester integrates extra-disciplinary coursework in fields like digital literacy, public policy, and creative thinking. High-performing students have the option to pursue an additional Honours research year, allowing them to contribute original knowledge in their areas of interest.

    “This innovative Liberal Arts program represents our commitment to preparing graduates for the future of work”, said Prof. Elsa Ashish Thomas, Chairperson, Manipal Institute of Liberal Arts, MAHE Dubai. “As the World Economic Forum emphasizes the importance of analytical thinking, creativity, and adaptability, our curriculum is designed to nurture these exact skills in every student”.

    The program also includes a mandatory 8-week internship between the second and third years, offering students practical exposure and industry insights. Graduates will be equipped for diverse career paths including media and content creation, policy research, HR and PR, academic research, and applied psychology.

    The program launch comes amid a surge in higher education activity in Dubai. The city’s student enrollment rose 20% in the 2024-25 academic year, reaching a record 42,026 students across 41 institutions. The number of international students grew by 29%, now making up 35% of the student population. Dubai aims to raise this to 50% by 2033 under its Education 33 strategy.

    Recent data from the U.S. Federal Reserve supports the growing relevance of liberal arts, showing that graduates in art history and philosophy experience unemployment rates of just 3% and 3.2% respectively, outperforming many STEM disciplines. The program's curriculum directly aligns with the World Economic Forum’s projected in-demand skills for 2025–2030, such as creative problem-solving (57%), strategic communication (top-ranked skill), and adaptability, which are core outcomes of liberal arts education.

    Also Read: UAE's Leap into AI-First Kindergarten

    The BA (Honours) Liberal Arts program builds on MAHE Dubai’s strengths in faculty mentorship, academic freedom, and interdisciplinary learning. It aims to foster a new generation of globally competent, socially aware, and strategically minded professionals ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.

    MAHE Dubai has recently received licensure from the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and is currently undergoing CAA accreditation, strengthening its credentials as a premier educational institution in the region.

    With this forward-thinking liberal arts initiative, MAHE Dubai positions itself at the forefront of academic innovation in the Middle East, offering a transformative learning experience that balances intellectual rigor with real-world relevance.

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