Majors in Arts & Humanities

Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.
--Will Durant

What do arts & humanities majors study?

Rooted in the classical university tradition, arts & humanities degrees examine the role that human beings play in the development of the world. Arts & humanities majors look at the ways that art and culture have influenced history, and how those decisions affect the way we deal with other people in our everyday lives.

Although arts & humanities majors choose concentrations ranging from art to language to religion, they share a common set of courses, designed to develop strong skills to succeed in just about any career. This shared examination of the world gives arts & humanities majors the remarkable ability to tie today's decisions to those of the past, in a way that can prevent us from repeating catastrophic mistakes.

What jobs are hot in arts & humanities?

Not all designers get their own reality shows, but many arts & humanities majors combine their love of style with their sense of function to help improve our lives in ways we don't even notice. Before they take to the runways or to the design expos, these specialists start their careers in an arts & humanities degree program. Thanks to technological advances, many of them can even take college courses online to earn their degrees.

HOT Degrees

» Interior Design
» Graphic Design
» Game Art Design
» Animation
» Digital Design
» Liberal Arts

Interior designers undergo years of training to become experts at creating wonderful places for us to live, work, and shop.Fashion designers keep us looking good and feeling comfortable. Industrial designers make the products we use work even better. Despite their diverse interests, all three of those specialists share a background in arts & humanities that keeps them connected to the customers they serve.

They may not always enjoy the jet-set lifestyles of the spies on television, but many intelligence agents put their arts & humanities degrees to use to keep our country safe from harm. Whether they're monitoring broadcasts in foreign languages or preparing analysis of historic conflicts for senior officials, these smart and highly flexible team members enjoy significant job security and a solid benefits package.

Visit any college campus today, and you'll hear dorm rooms blasting the sounds of high-energy video games. Most of those fantasy worlds grew from the brainstorms of video game designers. Game art & design careers have exploded in the past few years, with arts and humanities majors combining their skills in art, language, and social interaction to develop new generations of challenging, engrossing games.

Many different businesses compete for our attention every day. They try to communicate to us in print, on the Internet, on the television, on our radios, and even on walls and vehicles around us. None of this communication can happen without the creative work of trained advertising executives. These arts & humanities graduates use every skill they learned during their degree programs to connect buyers and sellers in fun and unusual ways.

Why should you consider a college degree in arts & humanities?

If you're not ready to choose a career where you only get to do one thing for the rest of your life, this might be the field for you. Even though arts & humanities majors still specialize in one or two key skills, they benefit from exposure to a wide variety of courses and instructors.

Many staffing experts estimate that the amount of time that the average American spends in one line of work has shrunk to less than seven years. Considering our extended lifespans, you might have to consider shifting your career six or even seven times!

With a solid arts & humanities degree under your belt, you can enter the workforce at one of many points, confident in your ability to absorb new information quickly. While other specialists might struggle with learning new skills, you can combine your understanding of the world with your life experience to create a string of exciting career moves.

In addition to launching exciting careers, arts & humanities majors also enjoy a depth of knowledge that truly allows them to become citizens of the world. Not only do arts & humanities majors use their knowledge to relate more effectively with their friends and neighbors, they often devote time and energy to community causes. You can find many arts & humanities graduates working as volunteers in non-profit organizations or as political staffers helping to elect a candidate.

What kinds of candidates make the best arts & humanities majors?

Students who love to explore their own personal growth, who want to challenge themselves with new ideas, and who love to dive deep into multiple subject areas at the same time will thrive as arts & humanities majors. Since many arts & humanities programs allow students to actively create their own curricula, majors can pick and choose the course work that excites them the most. Online college classes in a variety of subjects are available for students to supplement their degrees (or earn them entirely online).

As a result, students who want to explore multiple passions can do so under the umbrella of a quality arts & humanities program. In fact, many schools encourage students to break out of their familiar routines by mixing required courses in sociology, music, literature, and language into the schedule along with their specialty subjects. Many arts & humanities majors discover new passions after attending courses they might not have selected on their own.

Busy professionals who want to expand their skills can reap huge rewards from participating in online degree programs in arts & humanities. Because students can choose from such a diverse and useful selection of courses every semester, anyone can find subjects that apply to their own dreams and ambitions.

What can you expect from our Guide to Arts & Humanities Majors?

Take your time to explore our profiles of specific arts & humanities majors. Because arts & humanities studies encompass various fields, choosing a specialty early can give your career a valuable head start.

Each profile shows you some ways that arts & humanities majors can turn a specialty into a worthwhile profession. As you review the profile for each major, you'll learn about the benefits of choosing that major, some of the potential careers you can pursue, any of the requirements necessary to launch a career in that field, and how you can take advantage of online degree programs to study from anywhere, often on your own schedule.

Find your arts & humanities major . . .

- Art Major
- Classical Studies Major
- Design Major
- English Major
- Game Design Major
- General Studies Major

- Humanities Major
- Interior Design Major
- Language Major
- Liberal Arts Major
- Library Science Major
- Museum Studies Major

- Philosophy Major
- Religious Studies Major
- Theology Major
- Writing Major