If you’re majoring in the arts, you’ve probably heard the word “unemployment” before. Despite what people might assume about BA undergrads, you’ll find them in every company, big and small.
Although the unemployment rate for arts majors is slightly higher than those in the sciences, arts degrees are far from useless, and universities should stop labelling them as such.
Arts majors rule the industries of social science, education, and government service, constituting a huge portion of the job force. Arts degrees provide invaluable research, writing, and persuasion skills that are vital for all careers, whether it comes to writing a lab report, or a press release.
Increased budget cuts for undergraduates in the arts will only perpetuate the stigma that arts degrees are useless and unemployable. With a reduction in funding, opportunities for arts majors will be even more limited, making students feel undervalued, and cutting off the current upward trend of the humanities job sector.
When over 55 per cent of the world’s professional leaders hold social science and humanities degrees, universities should realize the value in funding these fields appropriately.
Whether you’re a journalist, historian, or philosopher, arts undergrads deserve as much funding and opportunities as those in other fields.
Photo credits: file photo
