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The Value of the Humanities The value of the humanities is a widely debated topic, with many claiming that studying any of its vast fields is redundant and not applicable to technological fields. This view is ignorant and dismissive of the many applicable skills the study of the humanities provides. Through analysis and real-world examples, this paper will illustrate how the humanities are valuable areas of study because they foster growth in communication and collaboration – both practical skills essential to navigating the modern workforce effectively. To understand why the study of the humanities is necessary, we first need to examine the ideas behind the initial perception of its insignificance. When people think about humanities degrees, initial perceptions are often quite adverse. There is an association between humanities degrees and few job opportunities. It is essential to understand the falsity behind this perception. Humanities degrees usually do not lead to a specific career, unlike many STEM or business degrees. However, this does not mean that there are few opportunities for humanities graduates. It is often the contrary. Transferable skills learned in the humanities, such as effective communication and collaboration, open countless doors for graduates and allow them to tailor their skill sets to many careers rather than a narrow area of expertise. Communication is arguably the most valuable skill in the workforce. It allows you to work well with others, market yourself and your company well, understand your audience, and create positive work environments. The importance of communication in the workplace is noted in Grobman and Ramsey’s Major Decisions as “almost half of the top twelve skills ‘most valued in the economy are essentially communicative in nature’” (115). Though communicative ability is such an essential skill, it is underrepresented in university graduates. Humanities graduates
stand out in this aspect. Through common humanities courses such as English, philosophy, and history, we learn to comprehend complex ideas in texts and express them clearly so others can understand. Moreover, in work environments there are often many departments with different expertises. To foster productivity, workers need to use the ability to simplify complex ideas in order to communicate with other departments and minimize miscommunications. This skill in the forms of both functional written and verbal communication are vital in work environments, as our readings show that “employee misunderstandings cost around $37 billion per year” (115). The costs of miscommunication demonstrate how practical communication skills learned through humanities studies can not only foster effective work environments but also prevent major miscommunications leading to business crises. All jobs value succinct communication in the forms of clear writing, speaking, and understanding. These are skills that cannot be explicitly taught, but are learned throughout one’s studies. Continuous development of skills is evident in the format that humanities studies frequently take. Courses focus on discussion, presentations, and debates. Over many years of taking courses focused on these skills, students learn effective writing and planning, productive verbal communication, and interpersonal communication. Regardless of which area of the workforce one aspires to work in, communication is a necessary asset to ensure success. Humanities majors may be better prepared for communication-heavy careers such as journalism, human resources, public relations, law, social work, etc., but they are not limited to those areas. Throughout this analysis, it becomes abundantly clear that communication is a valuable, applicable skill for any career. Therefore, humanities majors are better prepared for the workforce due to their strong fundamental skill set. Whether it be a career in STEM, business, or stereotypical humanities careers, humanities graduates are qualified and ready to succeed. This
experiences lead to increased ability to delegate responsibilities, manage time effectively, trust others, and compromise – all of which are incredibly valuable skills in the workforce and equally as challenging to teach. These group projects also allow for experience working with diverse perspectives and lead to an increased comprehension of various opinions. Through group projects, humanities students experience exposure to diverse perspectives, strengthening their groupwork skills. Along with this, the study of texts, laws, history, and diverse cultures allows representation of many diverse experiences and views. This knowledge, gained through their studies, helps graduates understand and navigate conflicting interpretations with the skills of negotiation, empathy, and compromise they have learned. Experience in these situations leads to a more cohesive, accepting environment for all, as one culture’s ideas aren't valued above another's. As well as creating a healthier work environment, collaboration also allows for people to work together, listen, compromise, and build on each other’s ideas, as “we are often smarter and more innovative when we collaborate than when we work alone” (123). This skill development was demonstrated in our tutorials this semester through group tasks. These tasks exemplified how collaboration leads to answers that are more widely encompassing than individual efforts would have been. With these skills learned through tutorial activities, I have been able to generalize my knowledge of how to effectively interact with others to other courses as well as my personal life through navigating emotional and confrontational situations. Through these examples, it is shown that there is value in working with others, as well as in the skills needed to do so. Studies that encourage growth of these skills such as the humanities should be deemed valuable as well.
Furthermore, a skill learned through the study of the humanities that I deem essential for collaboration is constructive disagreement. Often, a significant obstacle to working with others is the inability to compromise or resolve conflicts. Through experiences in the study of the humanities, such as the analysis of ethical issues, discussion surrounding interpretations of literature, or group projects, humanities students learn how to disagree respectfully and productively. We learn how to listen and analyze arguments prior to verbally disagreeing with them and to create valid counterarguments in cases that we do. Throughout humanities studies, “students learn to effectively and civilly challenge the ideas of others, defend their own ideas, and consider how other teams rationalize their decisions” (127). This practice, ingrained in humanities students, enables successful navigation of conflict rather than falling victim to the common escalation of emotions. In the workforce – and in personal life – this ability to navigate conflict is essential. Differing opinions are prevalent, and to be able to politely and effectively de-escalate situations is extremely valuable in any workplace. Overall, the study of the humanities has been proven far more valuable than its common perception suggests. Regardless of the specific content learned in classes, the process of learning said content in humanities courses cultivates communication and collaboration skills – among many others – that shape effective workers. Through practice in discussion and group work, students learn transferable skills to navigate conflict, communicate effectively verbally and in writing, and understand diverse perspectives. The practice of humanitarian study provides students with foundational strengths that can be applied and continuously adapted to an ever-changing workforce and an evolving world. References
