The world will always need accountants, scientists, and mathematicians. But, what about the world needing liberal art majors such as history, literature, and philosophy? How will these majors be beneficial for students in the long run? Since many universities are facing budget cuts and financial strains, liberal art majors have felt the effects of the university financial woes. For example, universities are eliminating majors that if 10-15 years ago, were popular but nowadays, have a lack of appeal and lack of interest from students. Students choosing liberal art majors such as classics or philosophy have steadily declined. Parents and students are more interested in majors that will transition into a secure job post college. The problem, however, is focusing too much on the now. Students should not simply complete a major for the mere fact of having a secure future. College is a chance for students to explore and learn of other subject areas, to mature and develop as a citizen of the world. Employers still want college graduates to be capable of effectively communicating orally and in writing, to use critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills, to be innovative and creative. These are skills that all students should come away with after graduating college—the ability to create and successfully convey ideas to others in order to truly make an impact.
University Advisors
1 comment:
How much of the trend towards focusing on the now do you think is due to the increased cost of attending a university?
I know software engineers who are still paying back debt into their late 20s and early 30s; it must be even harder in less lucrative professions. This pressure seems like it would exert some influence on choice of major.
That said, communication skills and the ability to tackle new problem domains are some of the biggest distinguishing factors I look for in software engineering candidates, so the pressure may well be misleading people into the wrong sets of studies.
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