"Liberal arts - you've got to be joking!
What does that subject teach you anyway?
And what kind of a job are you going to get after you graduate?"
In today's difficult economy, liberal arts university graduates might find themselves facing questions like these from well-meaning relatives and friends as well.
And to add to the confusion, "liberal arts" doesn't consistently mean the same thing to everyone.
In some cases when people say liberal arts, they're referring to all the sciences plus the humanities, but other individuals limit the words "liberal arts" soley to just mean the social sciences and humanities.
Even if you only consider the most narrow definition, liberal arts involve a wide selection of disciplines like English literature, languages, women's studies, and history.
But even when you've explained what a liberal arts major is, it could be challenging to know how a liberal arts degree will result in a fulfilling and lucrative career.
Thankfully, students who study liberal arts can pursue a range of job selections.
Mainly this is simply because today's employers are searching for candidates who have capabilities in subjects like verbal and verbal communications, problem-solving and critical evaluation, as well as the ability to take initiative and function as a member of a group.
All of these are capabilities that most liberal arts majors usually obtain experience in as part of their undergraduate and graduate studies.
That doesn't mean that getting a job once you graduate won't take effort and persistence.
A little bit of outside-the-box thinking can be required to help employers to appreciate the value of your liberal arts education.
Remember, do not restrict your job search to only the most obvious possibilities.
An English degree is undoubtedly solid training to become an English teacher or a writer, but other jobs that require good communications expertise include public relations, editing, and in some cases sales and marketing.
Similarly, a history graduate may possibly consider jobs as a research assistant, paralegal, reporter or technical writer which would make use of his/her research experience.
And geography majors are nicely suited to positions in location-based urban planning and also public policy and administration.
One more alternative that can assist liberal arts students entering the workforce would be to pursue a minor or other education in a technical or business subject.
It is actually worth investing the time to look for colleges and universities that actually offer specific programs to improve the job-readiness capabilities of their liberal arts graduates.
By way of example, some colleges and universities provide instruction in art appraisal for their art or art history students, while others have certification programs in translation for language majors.
And internships are a time-honored way to get your foot in the door with potential employer.
An internship is a good solution to get real-world expertise within your prospective profession.
Summer jobs, part-time jobs, and volunteer work may also be useful possibilities for all those students who need to get valuable practical knowledge as well as a superior understanding of the challenges and rewards of their selected profession.
In short, whatever job-related expertise you might acquire when you're an undergraduate will help you obtain beneficial job skills and build a reputation as a trusted and successful employee.
And this extra experience will help ensure that your resume will catch the interest of potential employers so that your liberal arts education actually is the key to a rewarding career in your chosen field.
What does that subject teach you anyway?
And what kind of a job are you going to get after you graduate?"
In today's difficult economy, liberal arts university graduates might find themselves facing questions like these from well-meaning relatives and friends as well.
And to add to the confusion, "liberal arts" doesn't consistently mean the same thing to everyone.
In some cases when people say liberal arts, they're referring to all the sciences plus the humanities, but other individuals limit the words "liberal arts" soley to just mean the social sciences and humanities.
Even if you only consider the most narrow definition, liberal arts involve a wide selection of disciplines like English literature, languages, women's studies, and history.
But even when you've explained what a liberal arts major is, it could be challenging to know how a liberal arts degree will result in a fulfilling and lucrative career.
Thankfully, students who study liberal arts can pursue a range of job selections.
Mainly this is simply because today's employers are searching for candidates who have capabilities in subjects like verbal and verbal communications, problem-solving and critical evaluation, as well as the ability to take initiative and function as a member of a group.
All of these are capabilities that most liberal arts majors usually obtain experience in as part of their undergraduate and graduate studies.
That doesn't mean that getting a job once you graduate won't take effort and persistence.
A little bit of outside-the-box thinking can be required to help employers to appreciate the value of your liberal arts education.
Remember, do not restrict your job search to only the most obvious possibilities.
An English degree is undoubtedly solid training to become an English teacher or a writer, but other jobs that require good communications expertise include public relations, editing, and in some cases sales and marketing.
Similarly, a history graduate may possibly consider jobs as a research assistant, paralegal, reporter or technical writer which would make use of his/her research experience.
And geography majors are nicely suited to positions in location-based urban planning and also public policy and administration.
One more alternative that can assist liberal arts students entering the workforce would be to pursue a minor or other education in a technical or business subject.
It is actually worth investing the time to look for colleges and universities that actually offer specific programs to improve the job-readiness capabilities of their liberal arts graduates.
By way of example, some colleges and universities provide instruction in art appraisal for their art or art history students, while others have certification programs in translation for language majors.
And internships are a time-honored way to get your foot in the door with potential employer.
An internship is a good solution to get real-world expertise within your prospective profession.
Summer jobs, part-time jobs, and volunteer work may also be useful possibilities for all those students who need to get valuable practical knowledge as well as a superior understanding of the challenges and rewards of their selected profession.
In short, whatever job-related expertise you might acquire when you're an undergraduate will help you obtain beneficial job skills and build a reputation as a trusted and successful employee.
And this extra experience will help ensure that your resume will catch the interest of potential employers so that your liberal arts education actually is the key to a rewarding career in your chosen field.
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