Disadvantages Of Humanities

In “Preparing for a Career”, Derek Bok, president of Harvard Law School and author, argues how universities, more specifically liberal arts colleges, should include training for a certain occupation with regular college classes to better prepare a student for the real world after college. Considering that Bok has earned his degrees at some of the most well-known universities like Stanford University and Harvard, he has a better understanding at what students are missing and what they need to be successful. However, on the other hand, not many professors and students see or agree with Bok’s point of view. They do not agree that students need the vocational training during their years in a liberal arts college, even though students need both; an education that helps them become critical thinkers and skilled communicators as well as skilled workers in a certain career. So why not help students with their career along with their regular core courses?

In this paper, I plan to argue the ideas by Edward Conard, in his argument that we don’t need more humanities major in our academic system. In specific, this paper will explore the writer’s claims, the gaps in his arguments and counter-arguments in this topic. My argument is important because I will challenge Conard’s article with the self-fashioning’s article by Keohane.

We are discussing space exploration, and looking at it through the lens of social science and the lens of the humanities.

Divergent and analytical thinking are vital skills. Humanities and Liberal Arts majors encourage critical thinking, and a broad knowledge of diverse topics. For example, English majors work well with analysis, grammar, and writing. Those skills can be applied to politics, law and business. Liberal Arts and Humanities majors learn to form strong opinions, evaluate, reflect, and problem solve because they are given opportunity to experiment, create, and collaborate with others. The Liberal Arts and Humanities can also be a great foundation for students who are determined to become leaders. Students will acquire all sorts of abilities that are necessary for leadership success like critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and communication skills. These majors teach students how to think critically, and this is a key skill needed in all disciplines. A Liberal Arts degree does not equal total ignorance of how a computer or the economy works, nor does it mean that those students are missing out on critical knowledge. As a matter of fact, they have very important skills to offer. All the STEM in the world is useless without context. People need the ability to interpret data and incorporate humanity. It is important to have all aspects of education, STEM, liberal arts, and humanities. While STEM degrees may appear more translatable into a paycheck six months from now, some of the most successful people I have known were Liberal Arts majors. If you ask any employers what skills they would like to see in recent graduates, its communication skills, the ability to write well, and the ability to work well in groups. Liberal arts focused on reading, language and writing are equally important to society as STEM subjects are. Liberal Arts and Humanities graduates may not go on to jobs that are as profitable as engineering of physical science careers, but they fill jobs that are important to a

In his essay, The New Liberal Arts, Sanford Ungar addresses common misperceptions related to a liberal arts education. He speaks to their usefulness, the employment opportunities after graduation, their value despite the cost of tuition, and other misconceptions. His overall message is, despite the recent emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and math degrees, as well as technical or vocational training, liberal arts degrees are still important and are a valid option to consider when deciding on your educational future. While his essay could easily apply to anyone with these misperceptions, it appears to be targeted directly towards students in high school or early college who are trying to decided on the direction of their education

Humanities are required for the development of an individual’s creativity and expression, without these skills our society would be monotonous and bland. Our nation was built on the ideals of freedom and democracy, and although math and science help us to progress economically and technologically, they don’t help individuals to express themselves to be effectively represented by our government.

In fact, the matter goes beyond that reason. Why would someone choose a major that only focuses on conceptual ideas, and is not required in the job market unless it is for teaching the humanities? It seems like a never ending loop. One person can give a lecture to a hundred people, but not each one of them will be able to teach another hundred. While other majors that are demanded in the market are more vast and broad. An engineer can work in a company, on their own inventions, and even teach subjects related to their majors for instance. Brooks needed to see the matter from a realistic point of view, since the reason is, after all, economic in the first place. When he argues that a 19-years old freshman will see the humanities as a boring and useless major, he forgets – or misses to mention, that people go to universities to prepare themselves for the job market. And there is no point of going to the market with a certificate that will lead them nowhere. With that being said, Brooks also insists on quoting a history teacher, transmitting to the reader his own perspective of the reason he thinks is causing the

In this article What Does It Mean to Be Educated?, journalist Earl Shorris explains that the middle class and those who live in poverty have been cheated of one of the most valuable lessons, the humanities. He elaborates on his thesis when he says “Rich people learn the humanities; you didn’t. The humanities are a foundation for getting along in the world, for thinking, for learning to reflect on the world instead of just reacting to whatever

I agree with Delbanco that college is overcrowded, under resourced, and little attention is paid to the fact that a whole person should be developed (154). I am convinced that a liberal arts education is what is needed to be successful in the world today. Not only is this particularly clear in universities like NYU, but also in specialized schools all around the country. For example, a student at the Stern School of Business is marketable to corporate businesses such as Morgan Stanley and firms on Wall Street, but the students may lack the knowledge necessary to transfer out of that specific field. Liberal arts colleges within universities (or even those that stand on their own) are much more useful today than specified schools because liberal arts classes offer opportunities to be exposed to a variety of subjects. They can also spark interests or passions one never knew they had. Delbanco says that colleges offer students too wide of an array of classes to take, and believes that they are too unrelated. While it does seem like classes such as the history of Australia’s koala population may seem unimportant, it is less about the specific class and more about the university creating a well rounded person that can integrate well into

Now since we are being honest with each other, I can admit that I did not even know that one could major in the humanities. In comparison to the other sections, this course seemed less likely to include research-based papers or business related prompts. After some research, I am pleasantly surprised to discover that the humanities can be anything from music to history and culture and do not include any topics I find boring.

“Misconception No.1: A liberal arts education is a luxury that most families can no longer afford. ‘Career-education’ is what we must now focus on.” (Ungar, 2010, pp.191) As Ungar has claimed, there is a recent misconception that a liberal arts education is no longer a necessity but luxury because it doesn’t provide an instant career launching education. With so many people having to a need to spend as little money as possible, they are determined to only spend money on preparation for their future career. For this reason they go to college only to take courses that are necessary for their future. “She is in college to take vocational training. She wants to write computer code. Start a business. Get a job in television. She uses college to take vocational courses that pertain to her career interest.” (Murray, 2008, pp.228) Murray explained the story of a girl who is in college solely for preparation for her career. Because of this, she isn’t interested in a liberal arts education. If the course doesn’t directly pertain to her desired career, she prefers not to take it.

In my life, I have had to make made many difficult choices, each with their own consequences, but the most significant choice I made occurred three years ago; I decided to leave my home state of Maine, and enroll in Texas A&M University. This decision has had a major impact on my life, and continues to influence my life today for better and for worse. I've grown to be more independent, but as the same time my debt increases every semester.

The use of a liberal arts degree is considerably useful and you should certainly strive towards one. The professor in this essay believes that the perception of getting a liberal arts degree is commonly misconceived as being a degree for hobbies and not for the workforce. The argument centers around the many uses of a liberal arts degree that offer people multiple opportunities for them to find a career. The point of this essay is to evaluate and provide facts of the uses of these degrees and how these degrees will help you in the workforce.

Growing up with parents who didn’t know much about money put me in a position where I had to learn how to be financially responsible at a young age. Before my 18 birthday I wanted to open my own checking account and eventually a credit card in my name without any cosigner. With this in mind before my 18th birthday, I research every bank from big banks such as Bank of America to little credit unions like Arizona Federal. I learn about the fees, how to avoid them, the advantages and disadvantages of a big bank and credit unions, credit reports, the different type of credit cards available and what the best way to obtain them is. Then at 18, I opened my first bank account and subsequently a credit card a couple months later all without a cosigner. With the knowledge I have obtained on my journey, I know I would be an excellent fit for the company and looking forward to working with the team, and ready to educate the public about finances.

“Too many students aren’t sure what job they could get after four, five, or even six years of studying a certain major and racking up education loans”(255). Singletary is given the fact that numerous students are confused on their own majors even though they have studied for years. And parts of the students even start realizing their majors might be in a hopeless employment situation after they graduate from that particular field. Therefore, before choosing a field of study, it is necessarily worthwhile for students and parents to check out the majors whether in the highest or the lowest unemployment. According to new statistics on unemployment for recent college graduates by The Huffington Post this June, majoring in social science and creative fields, such as anthropology, film, fine art, etc. have earned the top three of the unemployment rate. In contrast, engineering technologies, math, and computer science remain at the top of the employment chart. Alex Tabarrok mentions the harsh unemployment rate in his article, “…More than half of all humanities graduates end up in jobs that don’t require college degrees…”(250). The society has never shown mercy to students who are unlikely to be employed with the majors they have. Graduating without employment must be one of the biggest nightmares for most students; however, selecting an in demand major can surely decrease the chances of being