END THE STIGMA: THE VALUE OF HUMANITIES MAJORS THE VALUE OF HUMANITIES MAJORS

A perspective that has been predominant since the mid 1900s is that there is one track that is the primary guarantee of success: science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). While they can not be devalued, STEM majors have been emphasized as the main mechanism towards accomplishment and achievement by society. As a result, humanities majors have been pushed to the side. They are often viewed as less intensive, fulfilling, and beneficial in comparison to STEM majors. This has created a stigma around securing humanities degrees and has actively discouraged students from pursuing them. Even with aspirations of graduate school and following a pre-professional track, receiving a degree from a humanities subfield has been viewed with skepticism. However, the value of these degrees has been grossly underestimated.

The foundational skills and deep thought processes that humanities curricula evoke are transferable for any career and should be openly respected.

Humanities majors include English, history, philosophy, religion, arts, literature, linguistics, and ethnic studies. These programs result in students delving into the intricacies of human interaction and the world, trying to find ways to understand the past, present, and future. This incorporates analysis of culture, ideas, trends, historical events, written works and ethics. The ability to have this wide-ranging perspective is extremely valuable as it allows individuals to see topics in a new light. This can lead to new ways of thought and promotes a versatile knowledge base where students explore a plethora of topics. Humanities courses and related majors require intensive reading, writing, research and analysis, and they encourage students to think differently and challenge their pre-existing beliefs. Despite the uniqueness and freshness of humanities programs, students often take the courses to complete their general education requirements and then avoid them for the rest of their time in college. Students declaring or continuing to pursue a degree that falls under the humanities is even rarer. One reason that this has occurred is because of the specific mindset that has been thrust upon students from the economic reality, pressures from family or peers, and society overall. This mindset perceives humanities degrees as useless in the job market. Students on college campuses across the globe believe that workers only want STEM degrees and that they are a safer option for a steady income. People with this mindset are paralyzed by fear of the future and view STEM as the key to a job. The dedication individuals have for STEM should not be discouraged, stifled, or minimized in any matter. These majors are extremely valuable and play a necessary, beautiful role in our world. If one has an interest or devotion to a humanities field, one should not feel inadequate for following their passion. The degree should not carry a stigma or be automatically viewed as lesser just because of their differing nature.

To combat this stigma, it is necessary to recognize the value in receiving a humanities degree. Some of the skills cultivated by humanities majors include those in writing, critical thinking, research, analysis and communication. The humanities offer individuals the opportunity to uncover new perspectives about the world around them and subsequently peel back the layers of themselves. It requires them to learn how to effectively put their ideas into words on paper. It helps craft them into stronger writers by forcing them to build arguments out of logic and evidence and to explain those ideas succinctly and persua- sively. This results in individuals developing effective nonverbal communication techniques. Humanities coursework also develops critical thinking skills that help students to see complex connections which allows them to reach well-thought-out conclusions. It pushes their thought processes to account for a plethora of influencing factors which promotes deliberate, objective decision making. Furthermore, educations in the humanities spur qualitative research that takes form in extensive analysis, usually in regards to nuanced texts. This advances students’ abilities to apply different vantage points to varying topics and comprehend complicated ideas rapidly and systematically.

The aforementioned skills are permanently required for nearly every job and career path. They help advance individuals on multiple levels, making them more multifaceted thinkers, learners, teachers and people. It is understandably easy to get lost in the looming net total of future paychecks and decide that a STEM path might be a better strategy. However, humanities majors mustn’t be discredited for the benefits that they bring. Each degree serves a purpose, constituting a method of personal growth and enlightenment. Students should follow their desires and study what fascinates them without embarrassment or feelings of inferiority, no matter the field that they choose to study.

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by Susan Rossano Design by Courtney Chalmers