No more history majors...?
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Anonymous
| History could be a good subject for a minor |
Anonymous
This is an amusing liberal arts major cope. Guess what, AI is going to replace a lot of what you learned to do in your proudly non-vocational major, too. |
Anonymous
| But that’s not an answer. Is AI going to take all our jobs and if so, does majoring in something either vocational or non vocational offer any sort of cushion? Aren’t all majors equally vulnerable? Literally hearing young people complain that they were “promised” employability if they majored in the vocational thing and feeling betrayed. What’s the answer. |
Anonymous
| History majors aren’t disappearing fully. They just need less because there isn’t much opportunity to go into history as a college professor. I was an Art History major and dreamed of becoming a professor but realized as a GenXer it would never happen because boomers hold onto their positions forever. |
Anonymous
I’m a biology major. Guess what? I needed to go get a Master’s to get hired by the Feds. Many majors basically require a Masters now. |
Anonymous
The Chinese are majoring in Communications now, in droves. |
Anonymous
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One business owner said these talents are at top of his list for hiring.
“We want task-orientated people who have disciplines in critical thinking,” said Michael Fromm, CEO of Fromm Electric, an electrical manufacturing firm based in Reading, Pa. “If someone’s studied literature, they know people and have insight into themselves and customers,” said Fromm, who majored in journalism. “I find people that have a liberal arts background have a broader view of the world and will go farther in business.” The survey also found that business executives thought colleges weren’t teaching students what they need to know to succeed. A third of employers said graduates weren’t even qualified for entry level work when it came to reading and writing. “A stem education is important but I think it’s sucked all the oxygen out of the room and crowded out investment in other areas like history, literature and political science,” said Jamie McKown, chairman of the government and polity department at the College of the Atlantic. “I think the U.S. will lose some of its competitive edge if it takes the simplistic approach that this (STEM education) is the only pathway to economic success.” A key result in the survey is the need for innovation in the workplace. Ninety-five percent of those surveyed said they look for college graduates who can think clearly and solve problems and be able to translate their ideas with good oral and communication skills. “Our business students take more liberal arts classes, like the humanities, literature and art, than they take business classes,” said Donald Gibson, dean of Fairfield University. “This is rare among colleges, but we think this makes them more well rounded and better at succeeding in their chose field of business “Businesses want more now,” Fox said. “In places like Google , they want people who are self-motivated and articulate and can think on their own. It’s not enough just to have tech skills. Graduates have to do more.” |
Anonymous
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As a person with a master's in history who is a teacher (sigh), I couldn't agree more. It's very sad. But soon enough, major changes will arrive for the world economy. That may change the way people look at history.
Perhaps not in my lifetime though. |
Anonymous
Me too! As late as junior year, I contemplated becoming a medieval history professor. But looking at Boomers in the field plus the state of scholarship convinced me it was pointless. I went econ/MBA instead. Far more lucrative and portable. I haven't regretted it. Boomers have badly impacted my business career as well but there are always way more mid-level openings in business. |
Anonymous
Those positions have always been hard to get. The generation insults are stupid. |
Anonymous
| What kind of jobs are those with a B.A. in history getting? Kids graduating from schools outside of the top 50? |
Anonymous
Bio majors with only an undergrad also have a hard time finding a good paying job, as do many humanities type majors. |
Anonymous
+1 there are people who love history, read a lot of history books, watch history documentaries, but didn't major in history. What are you learning in a history class that can't be learned by reading lots of history books? Whereas the vast majority of people wouldn't be able to teach themselves higher level math by just reading a math book. Yes, a great coder can learn to code without a college degree, which is why companies like Alphabet now don't necessarily require a college degree for swe positions. But, most people can't learn on their own if they want a career in CS. Even if most people can't learn on their own about history by just reading a book, so what? They aren't trying to get a job in a field that requires you to know history. I'm not saying you need to major in CS (one kid is but another is not), but this is about why there aren't very many history majors anymore. And it's clear why. |
Anonymous
| Which colleges in the US don't give their students a background in the liberal arts? I have never heard of this. |
Anonymous
They pivot like any other industry. New tech spawns new types of jobs. What will anyone do when their job is taken over by AI? |