Careers And Jobs After Liberal Arts Degree

Are you college-bound and are considering a Liberal Arts Study Program? Then, this is the Blog for you! I have been a professor for Liberal Arts courses at universities in the US and have witnessed my students land some amazing jobs when they graduated. Their employers ranged from IT firms, Media companies, Consulting firms, international organizations, research institutes, TV networks, and even Facebook and Google! Before I list some amazing jobs for liberal arts degrees that you can pitch for do consider these facts:

• The term ‘liberal’ refers to freedom, or liberation, of thought,
• It’s not about any political way of thinking!
• A Liberal Arts Program enables you to select from a wide range of subjects in Social Sciences, Life Sciences as well as Humanities, Media Studies, and Arts.
• Liberal Arts Study is designed to encourage flexible thinking. This is where its value lies.

Who Will Employ Graduates of Liberal Arts study?

The jobs for liberal arts degrees could come from almost any top-level organization like:  

• International consulting firms
• Big IT companies (even IT firms employ non-IT experts for various functions)
• MNCs
• International Media networks (CNN and OTT companies)
• E-Commerce companies (they use a wide range of expertise to help with statistics, consumer behavior, social network analysis, etc.)

Also Read: Liberal Arts Study in the UK

What Specific Jobs Can I Get After Liberal Arts Study?

After you finish your liberal arts degree, you have a variety of job options:

• Marketing specialist
• Research Analyst (consulting firm, United Nations agency or MNCs)
• Finance Analyst
• Financial manager
• Project manager
• Human Resource Manager
• Manager of Information Systems
• Advertising representative
• Statistician
• Public Relations professional
• Advisor on Social Policy.
• Advertising / Marketing managers
• Archivist
• Artist
• Events director
• Graphic designer
• Journalist

Must Read: What is Liberal Arts Education?

Why is it Important to Choose Major and Minors in Liberal Arts Study?

• With a careful choice of subjects, a student can graduate with a double major. This helps you to construct a degree specialization which will be a unique combination of what you are passionate about and how you combine that with options that recruiters are seeking.

• Thus, your subject-combo will show your planned focus area. In addition, it will also show that you have studied wide-ranging subjects from professors in different fields. Thus you become a powerful candidate for :
• Managerial positions
• As a Consultant
• Analyst
• Researcher

Many of my former students who were pursuing Liberal Arts Study programs got good internship offers in their final year of college. When they graduated, many got their first job offers as consultants, analysts, marketing specialists, and policy researchers.

Commonly Asked Questions 

• How can I strategically create Majors and Minors?
• How do I choose a Major and Minor in Liberal Arts for career success?

You can create a combination by choosing varied courses. So choose wisely!

Here are examples of how to create innovative Majors and Minors. 

Example 1

Statistics, Economics, Media Studies, and World Politics. A double major in Media Studies and World Politics can lead to an amazing job at an international TV network like CNN or a think-tank in Policy Studies.

Example 2

Group together courses from different departments like Psychology, Sociology, Public Health, and Management.

A combination like this can open job opportunities in healthcare, non-profit management, E-commerce management, marketing(based on consumer behavior), client management in any industry including finance, banking, IT, manufacturing, advertising, etc.

Final Tips on How to Choose Majors and Minors 

Always plan to graduate with a Double-major and a Minor for example: 

• Double-Major in Economics and Sociology with a Minor in a subject that you have a passion for ( Foreign language/ History of Art/ Psychology/ Computer Science/Gender Studies/ Film Studies).
• This order can also be reversed with a Major in Media/ Journalism; Minor in Psychology etc.

• Grouping unusual subjects together enhance your value in the job market. Recruiters are always attracted by candidates who have a unique set of skills.

• Make sure that your Major also reflects focus and cohesion in the group of subjects you have chosen

Also Read: Top BA Courses

What is the Future Relevance of Liberal Arts?

This is a question I am often asked! Here is an important tip about future-of-work:

The Pandemic has shown the world that Flexibility and Adaptability are key to Success.  Many jobs have disappeared in recent years. For example, retail businesses were badly hit. Many businesses suffered huge losses and had to ‘re-invent’ themselves. Liberal Arts study gives you the adaptability to cope with changing landscapes in the job market. It liberates your mind from being a narrow specialist who has only one disciplinary specialization. When you can analyze a problem from multiple perspectives –not simply as an engineer, scientist, or humanist, you become a professional who can ‘Think-different and ‘Think-Smart’.

To sum up, Liberal Arts Study shapes a student’s education for flexibility and openness in how one thinks. Thus, even as technology advances and some careers become obsolete, Liberal Arts Study will not lose its relevance! We will be back next Friday with another amazing blog from Dr.Maina Chawla Singh Till then, if you have any questions or suggestions, just drop us a comment and we will get back to you.

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Dr.Maina Chawla Singh