Gaols I Want to Get Out of a Liberal Arts Degree

A liberal arts degree includes the written report of history, literature, writing, philosophy, sociology, psychology, artistic arts and more. Liberal arts programs are designed to assist y'all formulate compelling arguments, communicate well and solve bug.

Studying liberal arts tin equip you "with a myriad of colors to paint with to create a vibrant career movie," said Torian Parker, a career advisor at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). That'southward because the degree programs are designed to develop soft skills such equally:

• Collaboration
• Inventiveness
• Critical Thinking
• Effective advice

"With these skills, liberal arts (majors) have a unique opportunity to enter varying career paths through a holistic approach," Parker said. Earning a liberal arts degree can be an effective mode to show employers you lot have the skills necessary to be an asset in a range of fields.

What Exactly Does Liberal Arts Mean?

Liberal arts is a wide term that tin can exist cover everything from theater arts to economics.

Every bit a discipline, these subjects are intended to give you general knowledge and the ability to call back critically and learn any subject field – instead of specific skills needed for a technical profession. Instead, liberal arts sharpen your research, writing and disquisitional thinking skills.

As to what yous tin can do with a degree in liberal arts, the benefits get in beyond the specific subject knowledge from a particular degree. When it's time to enter the job market place, liberal arts majors have a huge array of possibilities bachelor to them, including many in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stalk) and business concern.

What is a Liberal Arts Caste Skilful For?

With further training, nearly all liberal arts degrees tin lead to careers in education, assuasive graduates –  with the right qualifications – to share their passion with others. These degrees besides lend themselves well to farther studies and enquiry. Many liberal arts majors are also interested in giving back and connecting with people, which leads them to careers in politics, public service and other helping professions.

These are some of the more traditional paths for liberal arts majors, only graduates can be plant in well-nigh all industries and professions. Their ability to think critically, adapt rapidly and solve issues is in demand in Stem and business fields where liberal arts graduates may observe their niche in areas such as marketing, sales, strategy or relationship-driven piece of work such as client relations and account management.

Their skills in reading, enquiry and making circuitous information digestible tin can help them become upwards to speed apace on technical subjects, even when they may not have a formal technical background.

Liberal arts majors frequently know how to connect with others and can excel at adding the "human touch" to whichever field they enter. "Liberal arts (majors) approach problems in the workplace and the world from a unique vantage point by borer into the humanistic qualities and dynamics at times overlooked due to a narrowed and single approach to problem-solving," Parker said.

What Jobs Tin can You Become with a Liberal Arts Caste?

You lot can look frontward to entering a number of careers in business, authorities, pedagogy and healthcare thanks to the transferable skills a liberal arts education provides. Below are some popular majors and career paths y'all tin consider.

Communication

With a advice caste, you tin learn cardinal skills to work in industries such as journalism, public relations, advert and more. Coursework in public speaking and graphic design helps you come to piece of work prepared to evangelize presentations, create publications and reports, and convey messages through digital media.

Some jobs in the communications field include:

• Advertizement, Promotions and Marketing Managing director: Boost interest in various products and services across industries as an advert, promotions or marketing manager. Professionals in these roles plan paid advertising campaigns beyond radio, television, web and other media; develop corporate or product-based websites and create promotional campaigns. The median annual salary for advertising, promotions and marketing managers was $141,490 in 2020, co-ordinate to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
• Graphic Designer: Are yous able to tell a compelling story through infographics and photography? Graphic designers describe upon their creativity and artistic skills to create visual concepts for corporate websites, media outlets and print publications. They earned a median annual salary of $53,380 in 2020, according to BLS.
• Public Relations Specialist: Are y'all interested in shaping the public perception of a visitor, organisation or production? Cartoon upon their strong speaking and writing skills, public relations professionals arts and crafts media releases and develop social media programs to increase sensation and measure engagement. They earned a median annual salary of $62,810 in 2020, according to BLS.

Discover what else you tin can exercise with a communications degree.

English

English degree majors specializing in English language and literature take courses in history, social science and literary theory and are prepared for jobs as writers, historians or museum curators. With related paths such equally a bachelor's in creative writing or journalism, you can focus on storytelling in nonfiction, news, fiction, screenwriting or poetry genres.

The curriculum is also designed to prepare you for jobs in public relations, film, theater and advertising, to name a few.

Some jobs in the field include:

• Editor: Do you showroom strong writing skills and attention to detail? Editors work in a variety of industries and support both impress and online publications. They earned a median salary of $63,400 in 2020, according to BLS.
• Technical Writer: Technical writers create didactics manuals, web content and other supporting documents for products and services. They earned a median bacon of $74,650 in 2020, according to BLS.

Discover what else yous can do with an English caste.

History

Understanding the by is central to helping organizations translate significant historical events and prepare for the future. Drawing upon your strong inquiry and analytical skills, you lot may exist able to work as a curator, historical interpreter or policy advisor with the help of a history caste.

Although history majors often piece of work in politics, they are also qualified to work in other roles in business, journalism, law or education. A major in history can set up you for law school, as well.

Some jobs in the history field include:

• Archivist, Curator and Museum Worker: Archivists review, process, catalog and preserve historically valuable records. Curators oversee art collections and historical artifacts and may present their inquiry on behalf of an institution. Museum technicians and conservators restore objects and documents and set up museum collections and exhibits, according to BLS. They earned a median salary of $52,140 in 2020, co-ordinate to BLS.
• Historian: Historians inquiry, clarify, interpret and write most the past by studying historical documents and sources, according to BLS. You tin can discover work in museums, archives, historical societies and research organizations. Historians earned a median salary of $63,100 in 2020, according to BLS.

Discover what else you can do with a history degree.

Psychology

The study of the man mind, a psychology degree focuses on man behavior and how to apply concepts to social and organizational problems that touch usa globally. You tin wait forward to pursuing roles in human resources, marketplace research and social services. Some jobs in the field include:

• Human Resources Specialist: If y'all are interested in resolving employee conflicts, interviewing, hiring and retaining employees, y'all might enjoy working as a man resources specialist. To exist successful, you need potent interpersonal and advice skills. Human resources specialists earned a median salary of $63,490 in 2020, according to BLS.
  Market place Inquiry Analyst: Potent analytical and disquisitional thinking skills assist marketplace inquiry analysts decide what products people desire, who will buy them and what price they are willing to pay. They earned a median bacon of $65,810 in 2020, according to BLS.
• Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder and Mental Health Counselor: In this office, you can help individuals recover from alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders, mental health issues or other mental or behavioral bug. They earned a median bacon of $47,660 in 2020, according to BLS. Boosted education and licensure is normally required for these roles.

Discover what else you tin do with a psychology degree.

Sociology

Focused on social beliefs and how people acquit in groups, sociology coursework includes history, religion, geography and social scientific discipline research, to proper noun a few. In this field, you can proceeds an sympathize of society'southward historical, economic and political problems and how people can work together to solve problems. Roles open to sociology majors include jobs in social services, criminal justice or public health. Some positions in the field include:

• Health Educators and Community Health Worker: To exist successful in one of these roles, yous need strong interpersonal and communications skills to develop and evaluate health programs and create materials on various health topics. Wellness educators and community wellness workers work in hospitals, government and non-turn a profit organizations. They earned a median annual bacon of $48,140 in 2020, according to BLS.
• Social and Customs Service Director: Working in one of the "helping professions" requires you to identify and evaluate programs that encounter the needs of special populations such equally veterans, the elderly or children. Y'all may also focus on serving people affected by substance abuse or poverty. They earned a median annual salary of $69,600 in 2020, according to BLS.

Detect what else yous can exercise with a sociology degree.

What are the Benefits of a Liberal Arts Teaching?

Pursuing a degree in the liberal arts helps you succeed in a fast-paced world that requires individuals to develop creative solutions today to solve the complex challenges of the future.

It'due south no surprise, so, that business leaders are speaking out in defense of these foundational subjects. Harvard Business Review looked at three books about how the humanities ready students. Humanities, the books' authors contended, are about the ability to learn, ask the right questions, identify the real problem and never lose sight of existent human needs.

An Associate of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) survey found that the learning outcomes of contemporary liberal instruction, including the liberal arts, are valued every bit "somewhat" or "very important" to ix out of 10 employers.

"Learners need a strong foundation in the liberal arts, which provides a foundation for enhancing their verbal and written communications, disquisitional thinking and ideals for career success," said Tom Patria, a career advisor at SNHU.

Soft skills are essential to being a proficient leader, communicator and critical thinker and are oft developed in full general education courses. The implications of a liberal arts background extend far beyond that, though.

Strange languages teach another way to view linguistic communication itself. This translates into an employee who can motion seamlessly between computers, employers and customers, better understanding each perspective, limitations and needs. Philosophy encourages logic and research, which translates into an employee who effectively assesses unexpected situations.

Does Liberal Arts Include Science?

Basic math and science are also role of the traditional arts. The problem solving, assay and observation skills established in those subjects are essential for a lasting career when artificial intelligence (AI) and other new technologies are causing hereafter changes in the workplace.

The Future of Liberal Arts in the Workforce

Consider this – the chore market changes rapidly, and the near in-demand skills in the futurity may very well be the humanities. Automation and AI are affecting more and more industries. Merely skills like critical thinking, relationship-building and storytelling resist automation and will go on to exist needed in the workforce.

The Humanities Indicators report from the American Academy of Arts & Sciences shows that the number of humanities degrees conferred in 2018 was 2% beneath the previous year and 14.1% below the highest number of degrees conferred in a single year – back in 2012. And yet, competencies developed through foundational subjects, such as getting a liberal arts caste, thing more than always.

Automation and AI take limits because of unanticipated nuances to a task or its human and emotional elements. AI needs capable humans to manage and pull the best from information technology.

Today'due south highly digitized, AI-supported environments have a heightened demand for employees with interpersonal skills, nimble minds and the ability to piece of work alongside machine learning.

AI is existence used to a remarkable effect in about every sector. For example, companies in the healthcare and insurance industries can assemble data to determine customers' rates via the Net of Things (IoT) sensors that capture one's driving and lifestyle habits. A virtual claims adjuster tin can even minimize fraud as information technology handles settlement and payment following an accident.

And even so, a frightened commuter calling their motorcar insurance company from a ditch on the side of the highway wants to speak to a human. That client service representative must be able to mind sympathetically, get together the relevant information and clearly instruct the driver on firsthand adjacent steps. At that moment, the insurance company needs employees with problem-solving and communication skills.

In a medico'southward office or hospital, AI tin can collect and process more comprehensive and authentic information than a man could ever promise to. Only rather than replace the nurses and role administrators, this automated capability frees them to focus on what they do best — educating patients and providing unique back up and communication.

Pressure level to compete for STEM careers continues to grow in a world increasingly supported by and reliant on technology. Liberal arts studies emphasize enduring skills in an era when engineering and automation volition increasingly replace workers, co-ordinate to Dr. Ruth Lahti, associate vice president of liberal arts and social sciences at SNHU.

Soft skills are nevertheless relevant in the workplace, and students who can demonstrate their creativity in areas such every bit writing, communication, critical thinking and collaboration, will continue to be attractive to employers. In that location is a growing tendency for experts in the "digital humanities," who can bring digital resource into their research, teaching and publishing to make scholarship more than accessible to others, Lahti said.

Preparing for the Workforce

Although they're well-equipped for many different roles, liberal arts majors may have a less clear-cut road to the perfect job than some graduates. Here are some suggestions for liberal arts majors entering the job market place.

• Build Your Personal Make: Liberal arts students are adept at storytelling and communicating circuitous ideas. When it's fourth dimension to enter the job market they demand to harness tho
  se skills to tell their ain story, and they can practice that through establishing a personal brand.
• Diversify Your Skill Set: Since liberal arts majors tin be helpful in many fields, one way to stand up out from other applicants is to larn new topics and skills transferrable to your industry or organization of interest. For example, if you're a advice major looking to work for a engineering science company, you might consider building on your vocabulary and understanding of the subject with an IT elective. You could also subscribe to technology journals to stay up-to-appointment on manufacture news.
• Think Exterior of the Box: Exist willing to explore different industries with an open mind and proceeds new skills and cognition. Publishing houses are not the but employer of English language majors; your background and willingness to learn tin be beneficial in other chore markets equally well. "As a liberal arts major myself, how you apply your pedagogy to your career growth is entirely up to you," saidRyan Bernier, a benefits specialist at SNHU and erstwhile career advisor.

Why Do Employers Similar a Liberal Arts Education?

In his book, "You Can Practice Anything: The Surprising Ability of a 'Useless' Liberal Arts Education," Forbes contributing editor George Anders writes that companies look for five cardinal qualities in potential employees:

1. Eagerness to tackle uncharted areas
2. Power to solve murky issues
3. Well-honed analytic methods
4. Great awareness of group dynamics
5. Ability to inspire and persuade others

"It just seemed equally if there was this tremendous disconnect betwixt public rhetoric that said 'you've got to become the STEM route and there is no road but Stalk,' then all of these interesting new job openings that were coming upwards for people with liberal arts degrees," Anders said in a U.s.a. TODAY College story. "It was this hidden strength of the economic system that nobody wanted to write about or talk about."

A degree can change your life. Find the SNHU liberal arts program that can best help you meet your goals.

Rebecca LeBoeuf 'xviii is a writer at Southern New Hampshire Academy. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

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Source: https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/liberal-arts/what-is-a-liberal-arts-degree

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