When we talk about humanities, we're referring to one part of the liberal arts spectrum. When you major in art, literature, linguistics, philosophy, religion, ethics, classical languages (Latin/Greek), etc., these all fall under the umbrella of humanities. In the past, many parents and even some students might have thought a degree in liberal arts would lead to sparse employment options; evidence now shows that mindset is antiquated, and the soft skills gained by this major are what employers are looking for. 

According to the World Economic Forum, problem-solving and critical thinking will top the list of skills employers believe will grow in prominence in the next five years. So even if you have an impressive resume, you still have to collaborate with others, communicate in a team setting, offer creative solutions, challenge conventional thinking, or adapt and improve any given industry changes. A liberal arts education can equip you with the soft skills you need to succeed during and post-university. 

A degree in humanities offers various career paths to choose from and can include jobs in arts, writing, psychology, and marketing. Applying knowledge about human behavior is common in a lot of work, so there are plenty of opportunities available. 

Below are the top career options in humanities according to Indeed.com and what you can expect from each of them. 

Archeologist 

Primary responsibilities: The main duty of an archaeologist is to study the origins and behavioral development of humans. This is done by identifying the physical characteristics, language, and cultures of people worldwide. Archaeologists are constantly testing out hypotheses about the way of living humans have adapted throughout life. Part of this job is to use the existing tools for excavation and use database software to store the newly collected information.

Editor

Primary responsibilities: The main responsibility of an editor is to review all content before it's live or published. Most of their time is spent reading all materials to check syntax, grammar, spelling, and any other type of errors that can pop up when writing. Another part of their job is making writing easier to understand and fact-checking what has been written. 

Copywriter

Primary responsibilities: A copywriter's main duty is to create scripts, ad copy, and words to fill out the website pages to generate leads for their clients. Copywriters can turn into the company's ideal customer by creating buyer personas. This helps them create appealing and specific content for that demographic. These roles are common in the advertising and marketing industry and often work in-house, agency or freelance.

Technical writer

Primary responsibilities: A technical writer is responsible for turning technical and complicated information into more simplistic instructions. They create how-to manuals, assemble instructions and operation guides for consumers.

You'll mostly find these positions in the IT industry as complex information needs to be broken down and understood by a wide range of people with different backgrounds.

Sign language interpreter

Primary responsibilities: A sign language interpreter is responsible for helping individuals unable to hear, understand what is being said in various situations. 

High school teacher

Primary responsibilities: Assess students' abilities, strengths, and weaknesses, plan lessons, instruct students in the subject they teach, and prepare students for the future are just a few of the responsibilities on a high school teacher's plate. Responsibilities will also differ from school to school. 

Social worker

Primary responsibilities: Many specializations are available for this work as social workers aid people dealing with problems ranging from financial, mental, behavioral, and emotional issues. The goal is to identify people who need help to improve their living situation so they can live more fulfilling and enjoyable lives.

As you can see from the few examples above, degrees in the liberal arts sector set you up for a lifetime of learning, evolving, and empathizing while allowing you to work in a wide range of settings to impact people and the world profoundly. 

If you're interested in this major, attend our next WebiFair event on 24 July and search for liberal arts programs!