Recent debates about whether or not students should be required to major in the humanities have sparked much discussion. Some say that requiring an art history degree is unnecessary because anyone can easily learn how to paint, draw, and sculpt!
Others argue that a general education requires more than just courses related to the humanities, and having such a limited worldview will prevent people from learning valuable concepts like empathy and understanding other cultures.
Both sides of this argument seem to forget two things: first, most successful businesspeople are educated beyond their bachelor’s degrees, so it isn’t really important what field they majored in; second, even if one doesn’t use these learned skills outside of work, they are still important to know how to apply them when you do.
This article will discuss why liberal arts colleges offer majors, what those majors mean, and some ideas for ways to make the most out of your college experience without getting too specific with fields.
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Why Is It Important To Major In The Humanities?
We are living in a highly interconnected world. Technology has allowed us to connect at lightning speed, both virtually and physically. This connectivity gives everyone access to information, resources, and opportunities that only few had before.
What is a degree in?
Many people question whether or not liberal arts colleges have true majors, with some even labeling them as having no real degrees at all. This article will clear up this myth and show you why they do!
Undergraduate students attending college today are usually enrolled in either an academic major or a field of study. An academic major is typically related to something like biology, psychology, social studies, or English. A field of study can be anything from art to business; these courses typically focus more on the skills than what subject matter they cover.
A bachelor’s degree is always three years long, so just because someone has only one year into their student career does not mean that they do not have a degree!
Most graduate schools will accept your Bachelor’s Degree if you include proof of additional education (usually a Masters degree) within those school’s admission requirements. Check out our helpful tips here for how to prove your educational background.
Does it matter?
As we have seen, there is no one major at college level that every student needs to know. This means that if you are looking for employment after graduation, your degree-level expertise in art, business, humanities, or any other field can be limited.
Furthermore, even students who choose to pursue only career paths requiring a specific professional degree often do not require a bachelor’s degree in their field. For example, while most doctors need a medical education, many employers will accept those with an MBA as well.
The importance of having a liberal arts background has nothing to do with vocational skills but instead impacts what kind of person you become as a member of our society.
A general education gives us knowledge about different cultures and philosophies. It also teaches us how to analyze arguments and concepts, which are valuable skills in today’s culture.
These are just some examples, but they make clear that an undergraduate degree in the fields mentioned above adds little more than “marketable skill sets.
Should I go to a liberal arts college?
A few years ago, it was considered that only certain colleges offer “real” majors. Now, however, this is no longer true!
Many universities are adding new major options and requiring students to choose one of them as their degree-program focus. These degrees may be in business, education, art or humanities, social sciences, or science.
Some call these programs non-majors because they feel they can’t compare with the traditional bachelor’s degree. But we think there’s nothing wrong with that!
We also wonder what would happen if every student took an unrelated leave of absence after high school and never returned. Would anyone even notice? We doubt it very much!
What is the difference between a major and a field? A major is focused (or should be) while a field emphasizes content knowledge and skill sets. Fields typically have more specific requirements for graduates whereas majors do not.
A good way to determine whether your academic program has both a major AND a field is by looking at the department website and exploring their courses.
Sample majors
Many people question whether or not liberal arts colleges have true major programs. They believe that most schools just put everything under the banner of humanities, social sciences, and natural resources to make it look more legitimate.
This isn’t always the case though. Some universities do offer students real major programs with specific departments they can enter after graduating.
Students who are looking to get into graduate school might want to know what some of the best undergraduate degrees are before deciding on which college to attend.
Good luck getting in anywhere without at least an associate’s degree, but here are some masters degrees that every student should have! Read on for them.
Education is one of the most important things in our society. We as a civilization depend on education to keep us informed about ourselves and others, and educated individuals are considered leaders of change.
Graduate degrees focus heavily on giving you advanced knowledge in a particular field. With a master’s degree, you advance your career in your current position or find new ways to move up the ladder at your organization.
Popular majors
More students are choosing to major in things like communication, psychology, sociology, business, and theater/ performing arts instead of having an art or music minor. These so-called “popular” majors have become common courses of study at liberal arts colleges.
Some argue that these degrees do not prepare you well for career opportunities because they only focus on educating you as a communicator, psychologist, etc. but none about how to be a CEO, accountant, or marketing professional. However, this is changing as schools are developing programs and specializations within these areas.
Liberal arts education teaches us about history, literature, philosophy, and other academic disciplines, which all contribute to making you a rounded individual – something important in our society today. It also cultivates critical thinking, logic, and analytical skills that can be applied to any field.
However, popular majoring does not guarantee employment after college either. Only 30% of employers consider educational degree certification (like a BA) as significant in their hiring process.
What are the jobs a degree in my major will get you?
Recent studies show that there is no clear correlation between what college majors an individual student chooses and what career they will succeed at. In fact, choosing to study something unrelated to business or engineering may even hurt your future job search because employers look more favourably on candidates with formal education.
Business degrees can be helpful for those looking to work in corporate settings, but studying art or humanities can sometimes be more valuable than learning finance.
A liberal arts education teaches students how to think critically about concepts and material, not just about the next quarter’s test. By emphasizing topics such as literature, history, and philosophy, these lessons stay with you long after you leave school.
You can’t learn how to run a business reading only books written by other people who also wanted to own businesses. You have to walk away with some knowledge of why companies work this way and what makes this company different from the rest.
Time it takes to get a degree
Recent graduate Kelsey from an undergraduate marketing program at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) can tell you that going into college as a liberal arts major really paid off for her.
She says students in non-liberal art majors don’t understand what they’re getting themselves into when they enter college. “I feel like people who are not educated about the liberal arts, they go to college with very limited expectations,” she said.
“They expect to learn how to do their job through taking business classes or creative writing classes, but I think that’s limiting yourself.”
Kelsey is right! Going into college as a general studies student gives you more opportunities than being focused on just your major. You will have access to much better educational resources because there are no specific requirements for graduation. These additional courses and materials can be extremely helpful for your career path after school.
Are there any scholarships?
Recent debates about whether or not liberal arts colleges have majors has sparked some interesting conversations. Some people believe that an education with no major degree program is pointless, while others argue that it is essential to include diversity in your educational experience.
There are several reasons why having a college major is important. First, most employers look at job applicants’ degrees, so if you don’t have one, you can’t apply for jobs. Second, many students take serious classes outside of their major area, which helps them get additional skills they can add to their career later.
Third, knowing what areas of study exist means you know how to relate to other departments and professors. For example, when taking art history courses, you will learn something about painting, sculpture, and drawing.
Fourth, studying different disciplines gives you knowledge that you can apply to other areas. A sociology major knows how organizations work, and someone who studied economics can understand how money works.
Fifth, being able to describe what field you belong to adds credibility to your academic achievements and profession. Someone who only has a bachelor’s degree from an online university might seem less professional than someone who has a master’s or Ph.D. Because of this, employers may perceive online universities as lower quality institutions.
Sixth, getting a graduate degree is more expensive than going to a community college or even a four-year college without one.
