<p>poetgrl: are you comparing the employment opportunities for BAs today with those for BAs 3o years ago? If so, is that even valid?</p>
<p>Are you arguing that the humanities depts are failing if their BAs aren’t finding employment?</p>
<p>Nope. I’m not saying anything. Clearly the issue is that STEM majors are smarter and better candidates for great jobs. It is better to get a degree in business than in philosophy because it is a “better” undergrad degree for business. Except when taught well, philosophy and history are soooo much better majors for that field. </p>
<p>So why don’t students choose those majors? And why don’t employers choose those grads?</p>
<p>poetgril, I’m baffled: which argument of mine demands evidence ???</p>
<p>(And yes, your comment citing "all those humanities professors blaming US for 9/11 was border-line extreme. Maybe not even border-line, since it’s patently untrue.)</p>
<p>Yeah, not actually “patently”</p>
<p>This thread has a ring of d</p>
<p>[Profs</a>. on Mideast Turmoil: Blame America, Israel, and Free Speech | FrontPage Magazine](<a href=“http://frontpagemag.com/2012/cinnamon-stillwell/profs-on-mideast-turmoil-blame-america-israel-and-free-speech/]Profs”>http://frontpagemag.com/2012/cinnamon-stillwell/profs-on-mideast-turmoil-blame-america-israel-and-free-speech/)</p>
<p>kmom–even thoughtful humanities prof says they have gone too far to left and obscure thought. And it is true to at least some extent.</p>
<p>[Humanist:</a> Heal Thyself - The Conversation - The Chronicle of Higher Education](<a href=“http://chronicle.com/blogs/conversation/2013/06/10/humanist-heal-thyself/]Humanist:”>The Conversation: Humanist: Heal Thyself)</p>
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<p>It isn’t irrelevant. But the law of supply and demand is ruthless.</p>
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<p>Here are the preferred requirements for a random job that I found:</p>
<p>Preferred Qualifications:</p>
<pre><code>0-2years’ experience developing software for consumer products and embedded environments.
Skills in C/C++; design, coding, testing, debugging, integration, documentation
Experience with Linux
Experience with iOS and or Android a plus
Solid understanding of software fundamentals - ability to work in a fast-paced, iterative development environment (Agile-SCRUM).
Experience with settop application platforms and associated tools a plus (Java, Flash/AIR, OpenTV, UbuntuTV, Qt, GoogleTV)
Experience with: Infrared, XMP, FSK/ASK, Z-Wave, Zigbee, RF4CE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, TCP, UDP, HTTP, HDMI, CEC, EDID, UPnP, DLNA, IPTV - a plus
A passion for learning and exploring new technologies
Good personal skills
A BA/BS in Computer Science/Engineering or related field preferred.
</code></pre>
<p>Perhaps you can do anything but you probably can’t do it immediately.</p>
<p>From Barron’s link:</p>
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<p>Look, everyone, a Stanford professor says Harvard’s study is concerned that “Some ideas are unspeakable in our classrooms.” Apparently, and this could just be a ridiculous idea or something, this alienates students. who knew? :rolleyes:</p>
<p>I have not read all these posts despite the fact I originated the thread – sorry! Yes, in my middle daughter’s high school AP History class there was significant emphasis on how European-descended Americans dominated, expoited and oppressed Native Americans and African Americans – an idea that is explored repeatedly throughout humanities and social science college courses (disclosure: I teach college sociology). I recall a father at the high school back to school night objecting to this emphasis, and I’m sure there were others who found it alienating. That doesn’t mean that perspective isn’t the backbone of critical thinking and that it shouldn’t be taught so that the numbers of humanities majors doesn’t continue to shrink.</p>
<p>We have two recent English/ Education majors in the family. Neither has had trouble landing jobs either teaching or in the business world. Neither is a graduate of a top school. Both are smart, self confident and hard working. They both have a large and varied group of friends so it appears they also play well with others.</p>
<p>Sure, it ought to be taught. Of course. But it still leads to the question of why students are exiting the Humanities, and the Harvard study does not say it is purely “financial realities.”</p>
<p>Even the students who enter Harvard intending to major in the humanities leave. This is at least partially due to poor teaching. They acknowledge this, as well. What is most interesting about the study is that the researchers finally ASKED the students why, and didn’t just make conjectures. The facts are interesting and not hypothetical. </p>
<p>Students enter Harvard intending to major in the humanities and do not do so. Clearly the subject matter is not holding their interest in any meaningful way. Given the subject matter is less dry, when well taught, than most, this is a statement about the faculty and I’m glad they acknowledge this, at least.</p>
<p>ETA: exactly Tom. This is why when people state that students leave the humanities for financial reasons, I think they are missing the wider picture. I’m glad to see somebody finally asked the students.</p>
<p>I have a degree in chemistry, and have been a well paid chemist since I graduated from college. My husband has a degree in English, and has always worked as a customer service rep in a call center. He does his job well, and has worked his way up, but it never required any degree. He has co workers that never went to college that have also worked their way up. </p>
<p>College has become too expensive to major in subjects that have poor employment prospects. Critical thinking is a skill that is needed to succeed is any major, not just humanities and liberal arts. </p>
<p>Our daughter is going to major in nursing. I am thankful she’s choosing a major that she loves that will afford her a good living to repay student loans quickly.</p>
<p>What is the difference between a humanities major and a business administration major coming out of school and looking for a job in an entry level position with a company? What skills does the business major have that the humanities major would not?</p>
<p>A business administration major is more likely to have taken more business courses, such as accounting, finance, human resources, marketing and economics courses that are required for the major. I assume that you are distinguishing between business admin and something like accounting. With accounting there is no contest.</p>
<p>I would not be interested in business administration jobs if I have a degree in philosophy or literature. I’d rather continue to read and write about philosophy or literature. I would not choose philosophy or literature to develop my critical thinking. I choose them because I am interested in the subjects.</p>
<p>BC- I am distinguishing between accounting and business administration. I see no difference in the qualification of a business administration major with maybe 2 required classes in accounting and an English major in terms of being prepared to work for a corporation in a trainee position in sales, management trainee or HR etc. Heck the humanities major could easily take several accounting classes if they wanted to.</p>
<p>Icaan majored in philosophy. He’s not the only undergrad humanities major who is incredibly successful in business. I suspect, for the most part, those days are gone. </p>
<p>But why?</p>
<p>A humanities student could take business courses but I find that a requirement does a better job at improving the odds. I have been doing the job search thing for a few weeks and I’ve looked at general unskilled jobs which want college degrees and I’ve run into far more looking for technical skills.</p>
<p>Are you seeing lots of job openings looking for humanities majors?</p>
<p>I can believe businesses when they say that Americans don’t have the technical skills that us companies are looking for. The educational qualifications that businesses want today are high.</p>
<p>But is business administration a technical skill? </p>
<p>I was once told by a successful business owner he never hired business majors because he was going to teach his new employees how he wanted things done and could care less what some professor taught them. He liked history and English majors because they had strong writing skills and better skills formulating an argument and defending their position.</p>
<p>I agree that requiring certain related courses makes it more likely they will be taken. All that means is that a humanities major could use some guidance to make themselves more marketable.</p>
<p>There are many jobs that only require a college degree. Certainly not has many as require a specific major but smart, hardworking people can land jobs. My niece quit med school because she decided her heart was not in it and landed a job with a hedge fund. No business classed at all. She is smart, she works hard.</p>