“Raising the Bar: Employers’ Views on College Learning in the Wake of the Economic Downturn” (Jan, 2010) by the Association of American Colleges and Universities surveyed 302 employers. 

The employers insisted on three things from their prospective employees:

1)    a broad range of both liberal and applied learning;

2)    ability to conduct research and communicate their findings;

3)    ability to connect classroom learning with real-world experiences. 

Can’t get a stronger endorsement for an Arts education than that! 

The survey indicates that employers care less about what students majored in than about their ability to write, speak, be creative, globally aware, and possess fundamental knowledge.

High-tech CEO's Underscore the Value of an Arts Degree

In 2000, 30 high-tech CEOs issued a press release in support of a liberal arts education stating it was as valuable as technical and professional degrees, especially in today’s digital economy, one that is in a constant state of flux.  They said they needed “creative thinkers who are comfortable dealing with decisions in the bigger context, who can reason, create, write and speak."

Arts in a Digital World

Thomas Friedman says in The World is Flat, “in the knowledge-based economy, those who can create value through leadership, relationships and creativity will be ahead of the game” because just about everything else can be digitized. And so, the demand for those who have a handle on our humanity – that is with Arts degrees – will increase.  

Arts Leads the Way

The New York Times reported in January 2010 that the University of Toronto business school was “advocating…a radical idea in business and education: students should learn how to think critically and creatively.” This tectonic shift for business school leaders' has been central to an Arts education for centuries.

Arts in the Private Sector

Arts grads land good jobs in the private sector.  Indeed of the top 500 CEOs of the Fortune 500, 22% have business degrees, compared to 20% who have an Arts degrees.

Arts in the Public Sector

Here’s a sampling of some high profile Arts grads:

Canadian prime minister (economics)

Head of the Liberal party (history)

Head of the NDP (political science)

B.C. premier (English)

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (philosophy)

President of UBC (history, literature)

President of the United States (political science, international relations).

Arts and Income

Studies show that, after five years, graduates in the fine arts and humanities express significantly greater satisfaction with the education they received than others who make higher incomes.  And remember, eventually these satisfied graduates “catch up” in the labour market statistics.

Arts and Continued Learning

The greatest value of an Arts degree is that it teaches you how to engage in life-long learning. 

It makes you experience what Isaac Newton professed: “I am just a child playing on the beach, while vast oceans of truth lie undiscovered before me.” 

If you feel that you now know less of the entirety of knowledge that there is to know, compared to when you first arrived at UBC, then you have successfully learned how to learn.  This will serve you well throughout your life.

Arts, a Personal and Public Investment

An Arts education allows the pursuit of one’s intellectual passions while accumulating valuable human capital for the world of work and service. 

As for the collective, it is an investment that must be made if we hope to sustain our humanity and a civil society.  

Want a quick answer next time someone asks you "what are you going to with that?" Looking to find out more information about your dream job? Check out these resources for helping you make the transition from school to work.

• Discover possible careers for your major or minor.
• Attend Arts Career Expo to find out what alumni have done with their BA
• Get specifics on your dream job, including day-to-day duties and average salary at Career Cruising. You'll need a username and password [normally your student number and birthdate (yymmdd)]. Contact Career Services if you don't have a username or password.
• Explore possible careers based on what you like. 
• Find out how other students chose their majors.
• Get some advice on choosing a major.
• Attend a UBC Future Mapping Explore Career Options workshop.
• Talk to a mentor
• Sign up for some workshops and seminars held by Career Services.

The concern you have over a future career path is one that many students share. Often students choose their career before they choose their major: leading to a lack of awareness of other existing careers.

Some careers and majors do not always appear to directly relate to each other. Many people have careers that may have many different possible major paths. The Arts degree provides enough flexibility that students will gain the skills to perform a range of careers. Your experience in a certain job area may help push you in the direction of your future career.

“You are a liberal arts major, and you will pave your road to success as you go along. You understand that a degree is not a destiny, and that success is a journey, not a destination. You will be hired for who you are, not what your major was. Presumably, those are some of the reasons you chose to be a liberal arts major. Now is the time to continue building on what you have accomplished and confidently take the next step on your journey.”

Reference for quotes:
Giangrande, G. (1998). The Liberal Arts Advantage: How to Turn Your Degree into a Great Job. Retrieved August 2009 from Amazon.com.

Your research skills come into play anytime you need to search for information in the library, online or even while interviewing someone for a paper or project. Why is it so important to be resourceful? Being able to know where and how to find information is a valuable skill in the workplace and can make you more efficient in the work you do.

Whether you are expressing your ideas in a written or oral format in your native tongue or in another language, being an effective communicator allows you to be more concise and articulate with your thoughts.

Throughout university, the papers you write and the presentations you deliver provide you with the practice and preparation you need to convey ideas in future academic and professional projects. In your future career, you will likely attend meetings with clients, stakeholders and other coworkers where you will brainstorm, present ideas, and deliver reports or project presentations.

The learning processes you experience in your courses as you evaluate the ideas presented in a lecture, on a website, in discussions and tutorials, or in your texts reflect the processes of critical thinking and analysis. Your ability to synthesize information creatively or decisively will increase in significance as you potentially reflect on any past information and apply them to a range of situations and events in your life.

In some of your courses, you may need to do group work, which is yet another valuable skill that is transferable to the workplace. Throughout your life and your career, you will need to learn how to work with different types of people and personalities. Your group projects provide you with learning opportunities that teach you how to overcome the challenges of working and coordinating projects in a team. Furthermore, it can help you learn more about project management, organization and time management.

What if you found out that the student waiting next to you at the bus stop or sitting next to you in class could connect you to a future job? Start setting goals to introduce yourself to fellow peers in class, talk to a TA or your professor, attend workshops and events, join a club or association – you never know who you’ll meet and what significance they can bring to your future. Think about it, getting to know others and letting them get to know you may help you win that competitive edge you need to land a future job. Networking is a great way to set up a word-of mouth strategy to market yourself for various opportunities.

Ever wonder why due dates exist? They’re a great way to train you to organize your schedule and manage your projects in a timelier manner. Once you get out in the work world, some deadlines and due dates will not be as flexible and extensions may not be handed out as easily even with negotiation. In certain lines of work, you will have to learn how to work fast and within a tight schedule.

How effectively do you juggle tasks and schedules? Successfully managing your time while simultaneously performing tasks can be a challenge and a skill to master as you enter the workplace.

How well do you adapt to changing situations? The beauty of the Arts degree is that it is flexible. The variety of programs of study that UBC offers can help enhance your flexibility and adaptability to different situations and types of information.

Technical skills are becoming more important for a number of different jobs. Keeping updated on productivity tools, social media, and other applications may help you become more technically efficient in the workplace.

Learning is a skill that complements adaptability and flexibility. Expand on your skills and interest by keeping updated on the latest trends in relation to your interests and your field of study. The world of work changes from time to time and whether you are starting a new job, a new project, or building on expertise, the knowledge you have will be to your advantage.

While some students are aware of what they would like to major in when they start university, many only have an idea of what they would like to do. Some students who started out knowing what they wanted to do and then change their minds once they have taken a few courses and would like to take other courses that are in tune with their interests.

There are also many students who are unsure of where to begin.

Your choice of major does not necessarily mean you have chosen a career path. It is up to you whether or not your major dictates your career. You may choose your major because you wish to specialize in a career after you graduate. To learn about careers with specializations, do your research to learn more about different fields and sectors – you may be surprised at what you find.

For others not wishing to specialize in a particular career path, your major and degree provide the flexibility that will open up your options for a career. Many who choose a certain major often work in a field that is completely different from their specialization.

Taking all your general courses and electives is not recommended and is not the most effective way to decide on a major. As well, many upper-level courses you may want to take as an elective have prerequisites. While you do need to fulfill your degree requirements, take each year to explore some courses that interest you.

Your choice of major does not bind you to the program. Once you choose your major, you are free to switch to something that suits your interests. However, you must keep in mind the following if you are thinking of switching:

• If you are further into your program, you may have to take additional courses to fulfill the credit requirements of the major you switch into. This may have a few costs attached with respect to finances and delaying graduation.
• The program you switch into may be competitive. (But this doesn’t mean you can’t submit your application and give it a shot).

For more information, visit the Arts Advising page.

Different careers can offer career satisfaction. The options are open to you based on your skills, ability, and personality. Even if you have your heart set on that one perfect career - there are often different pathways to that career.

For more information, continue to the Career Services website.