# Should I major in humanities?



## rembrandt (May 13, 2004)

I've been deciphering between philosophy, history, and humanities. I have cancelled philosophy out. History is an option. But people say I would end up getting ticked off at the methodology. Humanities is what I am currently looking into. I know for sure that I am going to get a minor in English.

Thoughts on a humanities major?

thanks, 
Rembrandt


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## wsw201 (May 13, 2004)

What do you plan on doing with a Humanities Degree?


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## Mary (May 13, 2004)

Wayne wrote:
[quote:b9f0e4aab5]
What do you plan on doing with a Humanities Degree?
[/quote:b9f0e4aab5]

Excellent point. If I could give one piece of advice to the students on the board, it would be to GET YOUR DEGREE IN SOMETHING YOU CAN GET A JOB IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Graduating isn't the end of learning - you can keep learning as long as you want. You can spend the rest of your life taking night classes/auditing classes/self-learning stuff you are interested in. But to waste lots &amp; lots of time and money just so you can be underemployed is foolish. I should know. I did it. I am a college graduate who is hopelessly underemployed. Trust me on this. Do some research to see where the jobs are, figure out what you like from that list, and plan your degree from there.

I am speaking as a horrible example of what can go wrong...

SO LISTEN! 

Mary


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## a (May 13, 2004)

it sounds like we are raining on your humanitarian parade, but i must agree with the posts above...

it's going to be tough to find a job based on a humanities degree unless you plan on teaching that same subject... and then you'll need a master's at least...

having a computer science/software engineering background, i would suggest something technical... any engineering discipline... software design/architecture (not programming or IT support-type stuff)...

but that's just me cuz i'm a compuGEEK... luckily jobs are picking up now... did you guys hear the news that the IRS made more revenues this year than they expected? they credited Bush's tax cut as the source for the increase... hmmm, a tax cut makes the economy GROW - who wouldda thought it?!?!


oh, uhm... if i HAD to pick a humanities degree... uhm... probably something in music performance (some schools have music in the arts &amp; humanities department... i'm not sure if yours does)

[Edited on 5-13-2004 by ace]


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## alwaysreforming (May 13, 2004)

*Go for it!*

I say get your degree in Humanities, with your minor in English, and then TEACH. (and of course, get your Master's while you're at it)

You should study something your PASSIONATE about (or at least VERY interested in). Why get a degree just to get a job? What, study something you're not interested in just so you can get a job you're not interested in? Life's too short.

You might even be able to teach after your BA degree if the school system you apply to desparately needs teachers in that area. I know several people who teach with only a Bachelors (math and science).

I saw a quote somewhere recently that said something like:

&quot;We don't get an education to make a living. We get an education that makes life worth living!&quot;


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## raderag (May 13, 2004)

[quote:82fe1347d0][i:82fe1347d0]Originally posted by ace[/i:82fe1347d0]it sounds like we are raining on your humanitarian parade, but i must agree with the posts above... 

it's going to be tough to find a job based on a humanities degree unless you plan on teaching that same subject... and then you'll need a master's at least... 
[/quote:82fe1347d0]

Well, technical isn't for everybody. 

rembrandt,

I would however suggest that your bachelors be well rounded in mathematics as well as humanities. It is really sad to see that many of the 'thinkers' of today have no more than an 10th grade education in mathematics. Seriously, if you look at the classically educated throughout the centuries, they all had incredible mathematic backgrounds. Most colleges now only require college algebra for a liberal arts degree. It is funny to me to see all of these philosophers claim Descartes when they can't even have a clue on the incredible influence he had on mathematics. I hate trying to explain the mathematics of a progressive tax system to a PoliSci teacher that has no clue about math. I would say that a bachelors in math or physics is a great start to a career in humanities.

I have a degree in computer science, but I long to go back and get a PHD in history or something at some point in my life. If you do get a degree in humanities, plan on getting a PHD and teaching. If that isn't what you want to do, then get your bachelors degree 
in something else. 

Rant over.

[Edited on 5-13-2004 by raderag]


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## Mary (May 13, 2004)

Always reforming wrote:
[quote:6ebaea9076]
You should study something your PASSIONATE about (or at least VERY interested in). Why get a degree just to get a job? What, study something you're not interested in just so you can get a job you're not interested in? Life's too short. 
[/quote:6ebaea9076]

I agree with that. I wasn't telling him to go for something he hates, I was saying pick something he likes off the list of what's marketable. I have a degree in something that is totally unmarketable, and work as a secretary to pay my bills. If I had gone for something practical, I would have the expendable income to take night classes in whatever I'm interested in. Instead I make decisions like, &quot;Do I fix my tooth or not?&quot; I have had a tooth that needs work for 8 months now. I don't have the expendable income to fix it. I spent my expendable income getting my kitten &quot;fixed.&quot; I can't even think about going back to school to better my situation, because I don't have the money, and according to the state, I make &quot;too much money&quot; to qualify for aid. If I take out student loans, I will be paying them back until I'm old and grey, instead of paying into a retirement plan or buying a house. These are serious concerns that I deal with every day...If I had a time machine, I would go back and get my degree in something marketable and would be taking classes for fun in the other stuff.

BTW, this is a family trait - my sister &amp; cousin also both have degrees that they can't use. My cousin is going to law school, because his mom is willing to help him.

Life is all about work. As of today, my &quot;full retirement age&quot; (according to the Social Security Dept.) is 71. That's a LOT of years to be stuck in a dead end job, and feeling badly because I SHOULD be doing better, and if I had made better choices, I would be.

Mary:wr50:


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## rembrandt (May 13, 2004)

Thanks for all the responses! First of all, I desperately do not want to teach humanities for a living. I want to go to seminary, do alot of graduate studies in theology, and eventually teach theology somewhere (maybe overseas or something where teachers are desperately needed). But it is going to be a long while before all of that happens.

So maybe teaching a bit in the meantime would be useful. The only thing is that I don't want to spend the time and money getting a masters in something I will not use for the rest of my life. I guess it just would depend upon the luck that I have trying to find a teaching job without a masters.

*risky business*

Rembrandt


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## alwaysreforming (May 13, 2004)

*You ain't seen nuthin yet*

Mary:
You think YOU have an unmarketable degree? Try mine on for size: a Bachelors in Liberal Arts! Yikes!

I didn't even have any interest in liberal arts when I got the degree. I was in the military overseas (Sicily) and didn't have my pick of the litter as to what classes to take. All I could do is take whatever they had, combine it with a few tests for credit, throw it into a blender, and out comes the mix: a BS in Liberal Arts, almost a contradiction in terms.

What can I do with my degree? Literally NOTHING, except check off the box that says &quot;4-Year Degree&quot; on job applications.

Because of this, I'm consigned to direct sales or &quot;Retail&quot; for the rest of my life! 

I work right now in Loss Prevention in retail and make $10.10 an hour; and I'm 35 years old! I'm literally ashamed of myself! I feel like a complete loser!

I've made up to $35k per year, but it was in sales and I just can't do it anymore (burnt out) despite the higher income.

Luckily I'm afraid of the dentist or I too would probably realize I didn't have enough money to go!

&lt;end of rant&gt; sorry to detract from the theme of the post :blah1:


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## Mary (May 13, 2004)

Christopher,

I have a BA (Liberal Arts) which is basically worthless. I majored in French and minored in German. Dumb-da-dumb-dumb, DUMB. I had wanted to teach, but my father (a teacher for 38 years) put his foot down. (The man never puts his foot down about anything!) He said the public schools were a disaster and he wouldn't pay 1 nickel toward my degree if I was going into education. And that was before Columbine. (I'm 34.) If I had the money to go back and get an MBA, I might be able to work for a multi-national, except that in the intervening 10+ years since I graduated, I have LOST the languages. IDIOT!!!

You and I might be long lost siblings!

Mary :bs2:

ps: don't be scared of the dentist; be scared of losing your teeth! You'll miss them when they're gone...


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## Gregg (May 13, 2004)

I have a degree in applying lacquer finishes (self taught/administered).


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## matt01 (May 13, 2004)

Study what you enjoy. I am about to graduate with a B.A. in Management. I was told that it would make me marketable--blah! I am bored to death with business.

If I were you, I would major in Humanities or Philosophy or History, with a minor in English. There are plenty of programs which will put you to work and PAY FOR YOUR MASTERS DEGREE. You can't beat that.

Troops to Teachers

Florida certification program

Americorps


There are a few nation wide programs, as well as individual programs in almost evry state.

Just some thoguhts...


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## FrozenChosen (May 13, 2004)

I'm thinking of getting a Ph. D. in some form of History and teaching at a public university. That's my plan.

Honestly, I can't say that I will do it for sure. At once I wanted to go to seminary REAL bad but it kinda faded away, but it's still an option. What I might do is get my Ph. D. and then take two years of general studies at a decent seminary, just for the education.

&quot;Dr. Pope&quot; definitely sounds cool though. One of my buddies at back in Auburn, well, his name is Robert Love, and I keep telling him he needs to get a Ph D so he can be &quot;Dr. Love.&quot;

Apparently his father is a physician, so that rocks.

Love, M.D.


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## a (May 13, 2004)

[quote:9965a84358][i:9965a84358]Originally posted by FrozenChosen[/i:9965a84358]
I'm thinking of getting a Ph. D. in some form of History and teaching at a public university. That's my plan.

Honestly, I can't say that I will do it for sure. At once I wanted to go to seminary REAL bad but it kinda faded away, but it's still an option. What I might do is get my Ph. D. and then take two years of general studies at a decent seminary, just for the education.

&quot;Dr. Pope&quot; definitely sounds cool though. One of my buddies at back in Auburn, well, his name is Robert Love, and I keep telling him he needs to get a Ph D so he can be &quot;Dr. Love.&quot;

Apparently his father is a physician, so that rocks.

Love, M.D. [/quote:9965a84358]


hahaha... hilarious


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## SolaScriptura (May 13, 2004)

Study what you want. If you can't find a job... well, there's always the military! And the pay isn't nearly as bad as it used to be... especially if you become a big time officer!


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## wsw201 (May 14, 2004)

[quote:1af9a11176][i:1af9a11176]Originally posted by rembrandt[/i:1af9a11176]
Thanks for all the responses! First of all, I desperately do not want to teach humanities for a living. I want to go to seminary, do alot of graduate studies in theology, and eventually teach theology somewhere (maybe overseas or something where teachers are desperately needed). But it is going to be a long while before all of that happens.

So maybe teaching a bit in the meantime would be useful. The only thing is that I don't want to spend the time and money getting a masters in something I will not use for the rest of my life. I guess it just would depend upon the luck that I have trying to find a teaching job without a masters.

*risky business*

Rembrandt [/quote:1af9a11176]

If you want to end up in Seminary and become a Pastor or a teacher, whatever degree you pursue you should try and take some courses that will help you out just in case you need to &quot;make tents&quot; for a while. 

You might want to do a search on some of the threads where some of our bi-vocational pastors have given sage advise.


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