With the economy the way it is, why do people major in the liberal arts?

[Tekkie]

Originally Posted by Mandate_of_Heaven

oohh good point Tekkie! I am somewhat unsatisfied with my degree as well, and I think a lot of the unhappiness stems from the fact that I feel that I can only be a teacher with my degree whereas before, I thought a person could get decent jobs with just a bachelor's alone. I throughly enjoyed what I studied, but I need to make more money and I feel like my degree hinders me not only just in job prospects but in the financial mobility that I need to move up in the world.

A degree doesn't hinder your ability to get a job. That is a huge misconception. A degree is an addition to one's CV, not a subtraction. If you need to add more in terms of skills, experience, or personability to find a more lucrative career, the onus is on the individual to add those to their CV. Network, get some certifications to pad your degree, etc. Never blame your degree for your career shortcomings, rather look into ways you can add value on top of the skills/experience you obtained from that degree program.

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by fellowjoe

I meant the majority of students.

I actually can think of very few people I've known whose parents footed the bill for their schooling. Were that not the case, we wouldn't have the plethora of folks bemoaning their student loans that we do.

[Mandate_of_Heaven]

Originally Posted by Tekkie

A degree doesn't hinder your ability to get a job. That is a huge misconception. A degree is an addition to one's CV, not a subtraction. If you need to add more in terms of skills, experience, or personability to find a more lucrative career, the onus is on the individual to add those to their CV. Network, get some certifications to pad your degree, etc. Never blame your degree for your career shortcomings, rather look into ways you can add value on top of the skills/experience you obtained from that degree program.

I don't know if I entirely agree with that statement when I have seen and heard people say they cannot fill positions due to a mismatch in educational qualifications when it comes to hiring for a job. I have thought about taking the odd class here and there or even like you said suggested which would be getting a certificate, but I'm not sure if that will really help. I mean after all, I did get a 4 yr degree. How do I know that the university is not trying to suck more money out of me?

[ElijahAstin]

My liberal arts majors got me good grades so I could "game the [extremely unholistic] law school admission process" more easily and get into a top program.

Just kidding, that actually ended up being a happy accident.

But in truth, my liberal arts classes (especially those related to my creative nonfiction major) have helped me attain professional school (and soon-to-be real-world) success as well.

[dazeddude8]

Originally Posted by Mandate_of_Heaven

I don't know if I entirely agree with that statement when I have seen and heard people say they cannot fill positions due to a mismatch in educational qualifications when it comes to hiring for a job. I have thought about taking the odd class here and there or even like you said suggested which would be getting a certificate, but I'm not sure if that will really help. I mean after all, I did get a 4 yr degree. How do I know that the university is not trying to suck more money out of me?

the going back to school, going for a certifcate is certainlly a solution though it does require thought.

I guess I would start with asking myself- do I want to go back to school, can i afford it, if I do go back what do i study?

Right now the popular 2nd degrees seem to be nursing and accounting, accountancy, computer programs so it seems many liberal art grads are going back for something more marketable. When i was taking classes at the local community college there where an astonishing number of 2nd degree students so it is not

If your heart is set on going back and you can afford it then I say go for it.

Certificate is a little different in the fact that it does not take as long nor as expensive as school. I hear accounting certifcates are popular-maybe something to look into?

If you are intersted in the medical side you have the phlebotmy, emt, patient tech

[Tekkie]

Originally Posted by Mandate_of_Heaven

I don't know if I entirely agree with that statement when I have seen and heard people say they cannot fill positions due to a mismatch in educational qualifications when it comes to hiring for a job. I have thought about taking the odd class here and there or even like you said suggested which would be getting a certificate, but I'm not sure if that will really help. I mean after all, I did get a 4 yr degree. How do I know that the university is not trying to suck more money out of me?

What I'm saying is that a degree in a particular field is not going to preclude you from a job. "You can't have this job BECAUSE you have an English degree" is not the way it works. "You can't have this job BECAUSE you don't have this experience or this certificate" is the way it works.

I have a social science degree from a good public university. It HAS opened doors for me. I work in a field completely unrelated to what I studied. A BA/BS was strongly preferred for the position. It set me apart from the applicants that did not have a degree. And now, any experience or additional education I receive is only going to pad the degree even more.

[DogMomDeb]

Originally Posted by Mandate_of_Heaven

What are you going to grad school for? Yeah taking into consideration those other factors, there really arnt any white collar jobs in my area so I guess that makes sense. I worked at a non profit in another city and I have a degree in History. The only thing that I didn't like about it was that I didn't get paid much.

missed this

I am in Gerontology masters program.

Originally Posted by NJBest

"Finishing" a college career has always been the completion of a terminal degree. Most 4-year degrees are not terminal degrees. This is how it's always been in European, Latin, and even US academics. Only recently have people (after the 1940s) considered a BS/BA an appropriate stopping point to join a career. However, perception doesn't change academia. The purpose of a Bachelors is preparation for a Masters and so on. That's how academia has worked for centuries and that's how it continues to work today. This is recognized at most traditional universities.

No. I'm saying an engineer who stops their college career early will generally do well in the job market. With regards to someone with a liberal arts degree, it depends on many factors and can be a hit or miss.


Agreed, it's not a given. But an engineer who leaves their college career early (after a 4-year degree) will generally have more applicable skills in the job market than a liberal arts student in the same position. It's tougher out there for liberal arts majors (in general) than it is for an engineer.

I know that there are many careers (lawyer, veterinarian, etc.) that require more than a 4 year degree but more do not.
Most college graduates do not go onto graduate school and it seems that a majority of universities recognize that and thus consider a 4 year the end of the college degree.

[NJBest]

Originally Posted by DogMomDeb

I know that there are many careers (lawyer, veterinarian, etc.) that require more than a 4 year degree but more do not.
Most college graduates do not go onto graduate school and it seems that a majority of universities recognize that and thus consider a 4 year the end of the college degree.

I agree. A lot of people go onto jobs that do not require you to finish a college career.

[introv78]

With the economy the way it is, why do people major in the liberal arts?

Why not? I graduated many years ago with a degree in information technology and just finished a degree in psychology because its a subject that interests me .