Liberal arts degrees can get a bad rap ("But what are you going to do with a sociology major?" ask your mom and your dentist and other well-meaning adults). The truth? Your B.A. can actually take you a long way—and make you a true triple threat in the workplace. The beauty of liberal arts and sciences is that they teach you how to think.
Theater majors, art history students, and English nerds alike all graduate with a uniquely honed but common set of tools and knowledge tricks that are fully applicable to life beyond college. Katie Glasner, the co-chair of Barnard College's dance department, agrees: "The whole mission of a liberal arts college is to educate more broadly and deeply. It makes its students a jack of all trades, and a master of none." That's a really good thing—and here's how it can help you in the real world.
Critical Thinkers Finish First
Because liberal arts students learn how to consider concepts at a very high level, they are great at assessing situations and then finding the right problem-solving method for the moment. "[Employers] don't come in and say, 'This is the project we want you to do, here are the steps we want you to go through, here's the rubric we're going to judge you on,'" says Roger Soenksen, a professor at James Madison University. "They'll say, 'Here's this task. Do it.' For a liberal arts grad, that's a piece of cake because you've been doing it for years (the only difference? Now you're getting paid).
They Adapt, Survive—and Thrive
Not into change? Too bad! So many of today's jobs didn't even exist five years ago. That's a good thing for LAS degree holders: "A liberal arts education will aid you as you land that job and move up the career ladder to be able to adapt to all the changing situations you're going to find in the workplace," Soenksen says. "It's so easy to have this push towards a technical college because they can pinpoint a specific job. That's what a technical education does for you — develops you for a specific career—whereas I think the liberal arts education is looking for: How are you going to adapt?" From the bottom of our editorial hearts: so true.
They Ace Programming Prep
Scared your degree will be meaningless when it comes time to interview for a job? Don't fret too much: Whether you realize it or not, you've been preparing for this moment for literally four years. "Before they even walk in the door, liberal arts grads have an advantage in terms of their writing skills," Soenksen says. "Your resume has probably been polished numerous times. You've had other people look at it, toy with it, and that's an advantage." Chances are, you've given a presentation (even a performance) or two, and may be more comfortable than someone who spent most of their collegiate time in a lab. Kudos on those public speaking skills!
Of course, all this depends on the effort you put into college overall (it's hard to reap the benefits of a liberal arts education if you didn't do the work!). But the next time someone asks what you'll do with a literature or photography degree, don't be afraid to proudly admit that you don't quite know yet: You've got a lot of options.
