The Benefits of a Liberal Arts Degree

There is a lot of negative stigma surrounding liberal arts degrees. Often, a liberal arts degree is not considered a degree that will help you get a job. Well, this post is here to tell you that’s wrong and a common misconception. A liberal arts degree might not prepare a student for a specific career, but it provides students with skills and abilities that will help them succeed in a wide variety of jobs. In fact, Derek Newton at Forbes has found that majors in “Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies, and Humanities,” have only 18,824 unemployed graduates after five years. In comparison, 282,513 graduates with business degrees were unemployed after five years, as of 2016. So, here is why getting a liberal arts degree will not lead you down a road of unemployment.

YOU LEARN COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND CRITICAL THINKING

Remember all those ten page papers you have written over the past four years? They have taught you valuable communication skills and critical thinking. These skills are in high-demand in the job industry. When looking for a job, prioritize searching for ones that require those skills.

YOU HAVE VALUABLE RESEARCH SKILLS

Liberal arts majors have been taught research skills that allow them to explore non-traditional career paths. They know how to use their skills to fit what a job requires of them. Additionally, with the job industry always changing, liberal arts majors know how to adapt to jobs that may not even exist yet.

YOU HAVE AN OPEN MINDSET WHEN IT COMES TO CHALLENGES

Liberal arts majors have been taught to view challenges and issues from multiple viewpoints. Being able to look at problems with a broad perspective is valued in the workplace and is a worthy skill to have and work on developing.

YOU CAN ALWAYS GO BACK TO SCHOOL

Many liberal arts degrees are very flexible in that they enable you to go back to school to pursue a masters, doctorate, or even a law degree. So, if you aren’t able to find a job you like with your current skills, you can go back for another degree!

Remember, you can succeed in any work-field as long as you put effort into it. When looking for a job, don’t brand yourself as a liberal arts major but as a successful communicator, a critical thinker, and an excellent problem solver.

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