Wait…What CAN I do with my Humanities Major?

When I introduce myself to people as a Classics major, their reaction is almost invariably (right after “what’s Classics?”) an inquiry as to what I plan to do after graduation.  For myself and other Humanities majors, the assumption is all too often that the answer can only be “go on to graduate school and eventually teach.” While teaching is an important and rewarding profession, it’s not for everyone—nor is graduate school. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that, but there IS something wrong with the assumption that a Humanities degree is restricted to that career path.

In fact, an increasing number of businesses and companies are targeting Humanities majors in the same way that business graduate schools and law schools are seeking students who aren’t necessarily Business, Economics or Political Science majors.  A Bachelor’s degree in the Humanities can demonstrate the ability to think, read, and write critically, specialize in a field, learn new skills, and motivate oneself to work hard, among other skills. These are all valuable characteristics for any career path and employers recognize the importance of having employees with diverse educational backgrounds and skill sets.

The Career Center and the various major departments do provide pamphlets entitled “What can I do with a major in...[insert your major here]?” but that’s just the first step. Talk to your Career Advisor about what WU Alumni with your major have gone on to do after college. Look through CareerLink and come visit the Career Center library to see what careers you may be interested in. But most of all, let go of any preconceptions or assumptions about what you can or cannot do with your particular major; you’re not locked into any career path. In the same way, more explicitly “pre-professional” majors like Engineering and Architecture do not necessarily go into those fields after graduation.

Most often, Humanities majors feel like teaching is the only option for them simply because they don’t know what careers are actually available in the job market. So start researching and enjoy your major for what it is—a great education in something you are passionate about—and not as an indication of what you have to do for the rest of your life.