Articulating the Role and Value of the Humanities

Articulating the Role and Value of the Humanities

Among the high school students, a few expressed both an interest and an aptitude for the humanities, but they were reluctant to major in the subject for reasons related to careers. In some cases this was due to parental pressure, but many of the high school students were quick to volunteer that they thought career options for humanities majors were quite limited. When separated from the issue of careers, the students still tended to recognize the value of humanities skills and knowledge in their lives. But the lack of association with a career path appeared to inhibit students with an interest and aptitude in humanities subjects from considering the major.

The interviewed college students, most of whom were selected because they had at least one major in a humanities subject or a substantial interest in the field, were frequently quite articulate about what they perceived as the future value of the humanities degree. The interviews explored how they arrived at that conclusion.

Some of the students talked about the importance of pursuing a subject that would keep them engaged with their studies and help them finish college. As one student observed, “I know a lot of people like to look at the money and the financials for careers they can do afterwards, but for me, I was more so looking at what I really found joy in.”46 A few of the students discussed taking on a second major with a professional focus to satisfy their career needs, while seeing their humanities major as a valuable complement. For instance, one student noted, “I’m planning on focusing on my business major for career opportunities and then bringing in the aspect that I can also speak Spanish.” Other students noted the inherent value of skills honed in a class such as English: “Reading, speaking, listening, and writing are just really important skills for any profession.”47

The college students were also better able to articulate the larger social value of humanities studies than their high school counterparts. One college student noted the change in their own attitude, observing, “Before I went into college, a lot of it was related to just getting a career, but I think now that I’ve . . . taken a few humanities courses . . . I think becoming a better citizen . . . and becoming a more enriched person is, like, half of it now.”48 Another student emphasized the essential capacities developed in humanities courses, observing that “as AI grows, and . . . fake things are just more and more prevalent, people are gonna start valuing real-world experiences a lot more.”49