It’s usually pretty easy to spot the liberal arts majors at the career fair. While the hotelies, AEM majors, and engineers all look at home in their blazers, even while waiting on the 3 hour line, the history and English majors often look lost and confused–that is, if they make it there at all. Most hide away in Klarman Hall, drinking coffee in Zeus, reading obscure novels, and putting off the thought of finding an actual job.
The fear of unemployment, the snickers, and the frustration of navigating Arts and Sciences’ dozens of requirements are enough to make you rethink your liberal arts degree. Why on earth would you choose econ when you could major in AEM? Why philosophy instead of a STEM major? Why suffer through this “useless” archaeology/astronomy/art history class? And anyway, what can you possibly do after graduation besides go to law school?
The truth of the matter is that there are a lot of careers for liberal arts majors that do not require law school. JK Rowling majored in Classics and French, Conan O’Brien in history, and Carly Fiorina in medieval history and philosophy. Liberal arts majors go on to be publicists, psychologists, and authors (no promise that you’ll write the next Harry Potter, though).
When you major in liberal arts, you are not bound to a definitive career path. In fact, it appears that potential employers might actually prefer a well-rounded education to a singularly focused one. According to a study by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, 80% of employers in a range of fields believe that college graduates should have broad knowledge of the arts and sciences. With the job market changing faster than ever and with new industries popping up overnight while others disappear into the economic graveyard, a liberal arts degree could actually make you more employable in the long run and in a wider range of fields.
The parts of my liberal arts education I value are also the parts I have complained about most, like being forced to take courses to fulfill requirements that don’t seem to be at all applicable to the real world. Arts and Sciences has pushed me to take classes that were challenging and out of my comfort zone. My classes may not be directly relevant to my future career, but they have made me a more well-rounded individual. Satisfying my GHB MQR KDFKDSJF requirements may be super annoying, but I also recognize the value behind the madness.
It is true that engineering and computer science degrees often lead to the highest paying jobs right out of college, and sometimes that is the best option. Dozens of articles have been published comparing the merits of a technical degree and a liberal arts degree, but this division is a false one. One study found that even when looking at the CEOs of tech start ups, only 28% had degrees in engineering, and only 9% in computer science, while the rest came from a variety of other majors. Many employers suggest supplementing liberal arts courses with courses that will develop technical skills that will make you a more marketable employee–the best of both worlds. You can get to the same place with a liberal arts degree if that is what you want–you just might get there in a different way.
