Why study the humanities?

In February 2024, the New York Times proclaimed, “When Your Technical Skills are Eclipsed, Your Humanity Will Matter More Than Ever.” That headline led an article by Aneesh Raman, a workforce expert at LinkedIn, and Maria Flynn, president of Jobs for the Future, who wrote, “The early signals of what A.I. can do should compel us to think differently about ourselves as a species. Our abilities to effectively communicate, develop empathy and think critically have allowed humans to collaborate, innovate and adapt for millenniums.”

Similarly, a recent list by Indeed of the Top 11 Skills Employers Look for in Job Candidates was topped by communication, leadership, teamwork, interpersonal, learning/adaptability and self-management skills, all of which are the objective of a liberal arts or humanities-centered education. At Clemson, we encourage students to pair the communication, interpersonal and critical thinking abilities learned through their humanities courses with technical skills from resources including our Adobe Studio & Makerspace in order to be career-ready leaders.

Effective communication and strong writing skills are at the core of all humanities courses. You will be trained to form, articulate and defend ideas in both written assignments and class discussions. In 2024, LinkedIn listed communication as the No. 1 most in-demand job skill. In addition to our literature courses in the Department of English and our interdisciplinary courses in Professional Communication and Information Design (PCID), our Writing Lab and the Pearce Center for Professional Communication create opportunities beyond the classroom for students to hone their craft.

The humanities encourage students to analyze texts and claims to identify patterns and point out inconsistencies. You will learn to read and notice not only what is said but what is omitted, you will learn to listen not only for words but for themes, and you will be trained to understand the context of communication to understand its meaning. Critical thinking is essential to many professions and is key to successful legal careers, which are a frequent path to success for humanities majors. CAH’s majors in philosophy and history both offer concentrations with a legal emphasis, and we are proud to host Clemson University’s pre-law advisor.

The study of languages has benefits beyond simple fluency. In learning the literature, history and philosophies of the world’s cultures, you can begin to understand how the intersection of ideas has shaped the world we live in. And you begin to understand not only which words can be understood in another language, but which ideas resonate with people from different backgrounds. Most importantly, you learn how to empathize and connect with people from all walks of life.

As Socrates is noted as saying, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” For many students, the college experience is an optimal time to examine their lives and consider not only what goals they want to pursue in life, but why. The studies of religion, literature, philosophy and history each in their own way push students to consider life’s purpose and to establish a framework for ethical decision-making. This period of reflection is of equal importance for humanities majors and for majors in business or the sciences with a profound impact on career choices and personal fulfillment.