Humanities Division

Degree:

Description:

Humanities is the integrative study of ideas, values, society, and the arts. Under this major, students can choose specific tracks in Literature, Writing, Linguistics, or Philosophy.

What types of students succeed in this program?

Students who enjoy thinking, discussion, art, creativity, who are concerned with culture will all thrive in this program. This major gives a broad and flexible base that equips students for life. In addition, similar college programs have been proven to be excellent preparation for the Graduate Records Exam (GRE) and Law School Admittance Exam (LSAT).

What can I do with this major or minor?

The Humanities major provides a wide range of flexibility. It develops critical reading and thinking, logical and analytical thinking, argumentation, creativity, advanced writing skills, communication skills, research skills, ability to understand ideas and values, sensitivity to cultural differences, wide range of knowledge, aesthetic understanding, questioning skills, time and resource management skills, linguistic skills, etc. These will be useful for a number of careers. While some of the following jobs/careers do require an advanced degree, some do not: account supervising-marketing, advertising copywriter, analyst, anthropologist, arts educator, arts organization employee, charity and non-profit positions, college professor, columnist, critic, curator, editor, foreign correspondent, freelance writer, historic preservationist, human resources manager, instructional media specialist, interpreter, interior designer, journalist, lawyer, librarian, manager/supervisor, market researcher, museum exhibit programmer, news analyst, playwright, policy analyst, postmodern theorist, production assistant, proposal writer, public relations consultant, publisher, researcher, scientific writer, social worker, teaching, writing, and more.

What are some of internships or partnerships with this program?

Professional associations include the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities, National Association for Humanities Education, and National Endowment for the Humanities. Local internships could be sought at Frederick Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids Public Museum, Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Gerald R. Ford Museum, libraries, newspapers, publishers, editors, local art councils, businesses, and more.
 

What is the future outlook with a degree in this area?

Recent research shows that humanity majors’ percentage of employment after undergraduate studies has gone up in recent years. See the articles “In a New Generation of College Students, Many Opt for the Life Examined” and “I Think, Therefore I Earn”.

More specifically, writers and editors’ jobs are keeping up with the average employment. Technical writers with specializations perhaps have the most opportunities. Employment growth for professors and post-secondary teachers is supposed to grow by 23% between 2006-2016, much faster than the average occupation. Advertising, sales, and public relations positions are expected to keep up with the average occupation. For curators, archivists, and museum employment is expected to grow faster than the average occupation. Positions in the field of arts, recreation, and entertainment is also supposed to grow much faster than other occupations. Similarly, artists and other related workers are also looking at very favorable outlooks with a field that is growing faster than the average occupation.
"I have no doubt that the analytical and social perspectives I learned in Humanities have made me a better lawyer than I otherwise would have been." –Harvey Locke
"Employers are looking for people with broad-based knowledge. Rather than someone who has learned a specific discipline, they want someone who can analyse information, process it, and give it back in a different form." –Corinne Kuypers-Devliuyer, Vice-President of the Naisbitt Group (Consulting)
"The faster technology changes the world, the more flexibility, adaptability, clear thinking, and effective communications are needed. And that's what humanists have to offer." –Susan Stratton, Speaker at a workshop for Developing the Humanities Market
"Humanities graduates . . . are much less likely to be victims of technological unemployment than someone who has learned only specific skills.” –Northrop Frye
"If I could choose one degree for the people I hire, it would be English. You can teach a group of Cub Scouts to do portfolio analysis." –Vice President for First Atlanta Corporation
“And the skills employers say they want most in a candidate, such as communication and critical thinking, are precisely those for which liberal arts students are known.” ` Occupational Outlook Quarterly http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2007/winter/art01.pdf
"Employers tell us they can teach their employees their business but need other skills," Washington said. "I think these students can fit in almost any employment field." Pamela Washington, dean of University of Central Oklahoma’s College of Liberal Arts
 

See admissions (prospective students) or career services (current students) for more information