Transfer Bridges: The Value of Humanities
Why study the humanities?
You will find humanities graduates in virtually every profession. Many of today’s employers need their workers and teams to possess more than technical skills, because technologies and processes are ever-changing, and successful organizations need to keep innovating so they will not stagnate.
Some of the specialized skills of humanities graduates that are highly valued by employers, and that will serve you well throughout your life, include:
- The ability to respect and value different cultures, societies, lifestyles, skill sets, and perspectives
- An interconnected knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences, social sciences, and humanities
- Analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- An affinity for lifelong learning and independent thinking skills
- Flexibility and adaptability in an ever-changing workplace and world
- The ability to speak, write, and communicate effectively through multiple channels
- The ability to interact with different types of people from around the world
- True leadership capabilities across time, fields, and disciplines
Studying the humanities is incredible preparation for a full, well-rounded, successful life, no matter what your career or personal choices.
"The humanities are the natural history of culture, and our most private and precious heritage." -- E.O. Wilson
The bigger question would be: why would you NOT want the advantage of studying the humanities?
National media reports on why humanities are essential
- Chronicle of Higher Education: Humanities Grads Close the Pay Gap with Professional Peers
- Inside Higher Education: Humanities Grads are Gainfully Employed and Happy
- Scientific American (blog): Why Study Humanities? What I Tell Engineering Freshmen
- The Atlantic: Learning to Be Human: why the humanities are vital in the information age
- Times Higher Education (blog): Why the Humanities Matter
What are the humanities?
Humanities are liberal arts disciplines such as archaeology, classics, history, linguistics and languages, law and politics, literature, performing arts, philosophy, religion, visual arts, and others.
Humanistic social sciences include liberal arts disciplines such as anthropology, communications, economics, evolutionary biology, genetics, political science, psychology, sociology, and others.
Want to learn more?
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