It’s a common misconception that humanities majors are pointless and don’t set students up for a clear path to a career. Pressure from family and society discourages students from pursuing majors or careers in areas of study such as philosophy, literature and history; they are seen as less important than STEM majors and a waste of time and money to spend studying these seemingly “futile” subjects.
Despite such attitudes toward the humanities, they add much value to society—in fact, humanities majors are imperative. A loss of humanities majors is reflective of a loss of humanity in civilization.
Understanding literature, music, poetry, art, social sciences, philosophy and history adds to the richness of global cultures and the purpose of international policies.
These modes of expression are a vital part of the human experience: since the beginning of time we have been driven to create art, evolving from simple charcoal drawings on cave walls to impressive feats of architecture such as the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
It’s important to maintain the tradition of creation—as well as the study of past creation—in order to properly understand the diversity of cultures and the complexity of humanity.
Secondly, STEM and humanities majors are complementary to one another, not contrasting. For every career in engineering, mathematics or biology, the ability to communicate, think critically and approach issues with empathy is necessary; knowledge of the humanities—and understanding unique experiences of the human condition—is the driving force behind technological and scientific advancement in the first place.
Lessons taught in humanities-focused areas of study can (and should) be applied to every aspect of one’s life. Having a thorough grasp, or at the very least surface-level awareness of diverse backgrounds and beliefs around the world, helps foster respect and understanding necessary to making forward progress on a global scale.
Humanities majors are often disregarded because of the belief that a degree in the humanities leads to more career uncertainty—STEM majors, by comparison, usually have very clear, straightforward career paths. While there can be disadvantages to not having a carefully planned future, there’s an upside in being able to be flexible with future career options.
Graduates with humanities degrees are often not bound to a certain career once they graduate; the skills they learn are incredibly versatile and open to interpretation.
An English major’s career options aren’t limited to just a teacher or writer—they’re able to work in several different fields because of the empathy, critical thinking, thoughtfulness and ability to communicate efficiently learned from studying literature and language.
When thinking of the future, whether it’s applying to colleges or searching for jobs, students shouldn’t feel discouraged to explore the humanities, or feel that their college or career pursuits are worth any less than STEM fields.