Are you looking to pursue a liberal arts degree?
There are plenty of myths and bad reps surrounding liberal arts. But, in reality, a liberal arts degree sets you up for success in a complex modern world as no other degree can.
Liberal arts teach you valuable soft skills that every employer looks for. Critical thinking, creativity, and clear communication are vital for life and work. The multi-disciplinary approach is also proven to lead to more collaboration and flexibility.
Liberal arts majors are also more satisfied with their work and personal lives. They also tend to experience more personal growth and be better suited to changing times. Read on for seven liberating reasons to study liberal arts.
1. Critical Thinking, Creativity, and Communication
This is the most common reason to study liberal arts that people give. For that reason, we’re starting with it, but you shouldn’t take it lightly. These three skills are vital for success in any field or facet of life.
Critical thinking is paramount, especially as the world gets more complex. Liberal arts degrees force you to consider a multi-disciplinary approach.
What is more, is they allow you to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration. Historians and gender studies work with economists, political scientists, ecologists, and epidemiologists. Rather than being stuck in their own bubble, students explore outside their comfort zone.
This makes them more flexible and capable of creative problem-solving. Part of how this creativity gets expressed is through communication. The ability to make yourself understood in a clear and concise manner is no small feat.
It’s a soft skill that can take years to master and which a liberal arts degree is uniquely positioned to give you. Communication skills are crucial from the company board room to work emails, creative self-marketing, or asking for a raise.
2. Future Proof
Whenever people disparage liberal arts degrees, they harp on the lack of hard skills. They underappreciate how the soft skills developed in liberal arts make you future-proof.
The fact is, the job market changes all the time, and the rate of this seems to be getting faster. Technology and techniques become outdated, and programming languages get replaced. There is a real concern that people right now are studying for jobs that won’t exist by the time they graduate.
Something that will always exist is a demand for critical thinking skills. The same goes for creative problem solving and persuasive communication. These soft skills can come in handy in any job or endeavor, which people like those at Liberal Arts EDU know well.
Another fact is that life-long careers are far rarer these days. The flexibility afforded by a liberal arts degree lets you go where your skills are most needed. They also let you compete for jobs where your salary and satisfaction are highest.
3. Bosses Love the Soft Skills
Liberal arts programs don’t get enough credit for preparing you for the real world. The ability to solve problems, convey your thoughts, and put your creativity to work is pure gold. Companies that value innovation and growth always notice those with these soft skills.
These soft skills are worth far more in the hiring process than your major.
We’ve all fluffed up our resumes or padded our applications before. What matters is your ability to convince your employer that you can do the job and your problem-solving skills.
Employers want people who can learn, contribute, and think for themselves. The soft skills you’ll learn in liberal arts will help with that.
4. Leaves the Door Open
A liberal arts education leaves many doors open. It has many branches which you can decide to focus on eventually. However, that doesn’t mean you aren’t honing anything early on.
It helps you build your critical thinking, communication, and creativity skills. These are useful in furthering your education, in an evolving workplace, and in life. Liberal arts students will have not only a solid degree but a solid grounding to build on.
Once they decide on a more concrete study or specialization, it’s easy to make use of their degree. Even when you specialize, the door is never closed but open. There’s no need to feel like the course you’ve taken only leads to one path and one path alone.
5. Expands Your Horizons
Liberal arts expand your worldview. It exposes you to new cultures and new ways of thinking. It sounds super cliché, but it makes you a global citizen.
In an ever-globalizing world, you’re bound to run into other cultures and ways of thinking. A liberal arts background will have prepared you for this. Your communication and creative problem-solving skills will also come in handy.
The ability to work with and collaborate with people from all over the world is very beneficial.
6. Leads to Growth
The level of self-growth you will find yourself with a liberal arts degree is insane. Cultivating your critical thinking and problem-solving skills teaches you to become creative. What’s more, is you understand how the world and your perspectives work.
Seeing the world and yourself with a more critical eye allows personal growth. It can also lead to world-changing movements and improvements in society.
7. Job Satisfaction
Those who choose to take liberal arts often have greater satisfaction and fulfillment. Not only while studying but also with their careers. It’s only natural for higher education to have its ups and downs.
Riding through a rough patch becomes even harder if you aren’t passionate about what you’re working on. It’s also common for many to feel stuck once they realize they’re not cut out for something. This feeling isn’t a “one-time” thing.
It’s also something many feel about their careers or position. What’s great about liberal arts is – it’s liberal. As cliché as that sounds, taking it gives you all the flexibility you need.
The Benefits of a Liberal Arts Degree
A liberal arts degree prepares you for the world in ways no other degree does. It teaches you soft skills that are flexible and better suited to our complex modern world. They lead to more personal growth and satisfaction as well.
Those who still need convincing or are curious about liberal arts can check out our site for more articles like this one.
