6 Reasons to Pursue a Career in Liberal Arts

The purpose of a Liberal Arts education is to liberate human beings to exercise their potential to the fullest. Education in liberal arts provides a broad intellectual foundation in all areas of humanistic investigation. A quintessential course that purports to invest in young minds' futures by providing intellectual, civic, and moral support. There are six compelling reasons to pursue a profession in the liberal arts:

1. Freedom to select any major/minor/specialisation: Liberal arts is the best course to take if you want to explore a variety of disciplines before deciding on a major. The following are a few course options:

• Humanities: Literature, Philosophy, Art, Religion, Gender Studies, Linguistics, Ethics, and Foreign Languages.

• Social Science: Law, Political Science, Sociology, History, Economics, Psychology and many more;

• Natural Science: Environmental Studies, Geography, Physics, Earth sciences, Archaeology, Zoology, etc;

• Mathematics, Music, Visual Art, Theatre, Performing Arts and Public Affairs.

2. Opens up a wide range of job opportunities: A course that is highly demanded amongst the youths due to its diverse and classified nature. India's economy is varied, and students must learn how to communicate with people of all genders, castes, races, religions, and social classes. The curriculum emphasises on overall personality development as well as life skills. The following are some of the most common careers that a liberal arts graduate can pursue:

• Advertising - Advertising managers assist advertising departments in conducting research and developing successful advertising and outreach programmes.

• Design - Be it a fashion designer, interior designing, graphic designer, illustrator; one can ace them all!

• Social Work - Individuals and their families are supported by social workers during tough times as they act as guides and advocates. 

• Psychology - Psychologists are in charge of assessing, diagnosing, and treating mental, emotional, behavioural, educational, and developmental issues in humans.

• Copywriter - Copywriters are in charge of creating persuasive marketing and promotional materials for a wide range of products and services.

• Corporate communications - The career entails writing emails and memos, as well as announcing company news and activities amongst the rest.

• Public relations - The work comprises planning and coordinating media initiatives, as well as creating presentations and press releases. They also deal with questions from the general public, the press, and other organisations.

• Marketing - Marketers are in charge of planning and executing a company's marketing initiatives in order to increase its promotional efforts.

3. Interdisciplinary and diverse learning scope: A liberal arts degree encapsulates and reckons with a broad variety of  issues, ideas and methods. It moderates the students to think critically, write cogently and reflect broadly. These abilities will improve your classroom interactions and enrich your social and cultural analyses; allowing you to see the world through a variety of lenses. 

4. Adds a nuanced understanding of research techniques: The course prepares students for the research and methodology component that allows us to have a better shot at think tanks and research positions as a CSR, as well as specialised consultants who require research in statistical analysis based on society.

5. Enhances knowledge base and enables personal development: Students receive sufficient knowledge that extends beyond the technical and theoretical aspects of a subject, allowing them to create thorough opinions and conduct polished conversations. It aids in the formation of a fully formed personality and an aura that attracts people's attention.

6. Makes Students socially responsible and aware: The course is beneficial for the flourishing of the individual as well as the society. The abundance of knowledge and areas makes us well versed and sensitive to the human race and issues that surround us. Graduates learn about diverse cultures and perspectives while researching and analysing civic obligation, resulting in a more responsible environment.

A few Indian universities offering the Liberal Arts course are:

• Ashoka University, Sonipat

• Symbiosis School of Liberal Arts, Pune

• Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities, OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat

• Flame University, Pune

• Christ University, Bangalore 

• Shiv Nadar University, Noida 

• Delhi University (Cluster Innovation Centre)

• Mumbai University