What can I do with a degree in the Liberal Arts and Humanities?
Find out why 100% of our English Studies students, and 96% of our History students, said their courses developed the knowledge and skills they need for the future (NSS 2023-25). Discover our Humanities degrees or book on to an Open Event today.
There are many reasons to do an Arts and Humanities degree. You'll be studying a subject you love. Understanding better how society works, and what it means to be human. But what about when you’re finished? How can you answer the all important questions: What can I do with a History degree? What jobs does studying English Literature lead to? How will a degree in film or creative writing help you in the future?
The good news is, all of these subjects can set you up for a successful and meaningful career.
Arts and Humanities give you skills for the Twenty First Century
Technology is changing fast, and this will have a big impact on the way we work. According to the British Academy, in the future there will be a shortage of skills in areas like History, English language, Sociology, Philosophy and Theology. These all make up the Liberal Arts and Humanities, and we offer them here at St Mary’s.
The British Academy have also suggested that students in subjects like History, English and other Arts and Humanities disciplines will benefit from exactly the kinds of skills that new technology, like Artificial Intelligence, will find difficult to replace. These include:
- critical thinking
- communication
- creativity
- decision making
- problem solving.
According to the Government, these are the just the kinds of ‘survival skills for the 21st century’ that students need to develop.
Our students in the Liberal Arts and Humanities excel at working independently and adapting to new situations, meaning they can adapt to change more easily.
Ok, but what can I do with a degree in History, English, Creative Writing or Liberal Arts?
The short answer is, almost anything. Most graduate level jobs don’t specify a degree title, they just want to see that you have the skills and experience that a degree can help you develop. Some of our students do go on to roles specifically related to their degrees, sometimes after more specialised postgraduate study, such as:
- teaching
- museums and historic houses
- publishing
- libraries and archives.
But students often work in related fields where their skills are valued such as:
- media and communications
- administration and management
- law.
What jobs have St Mary’s Humanities graduates gone on to do?
Careers at St Mary’s
As a student at St Mary’s you will have many opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge you need to build a successful career. All of our programmes embrace the ‘applied’ nature of their disciplines. This means you will develop not just a deep academic understandings of your subject, but also different ways in which the subject is important to today’s world. You will also think about ways to communicate with different audiences and apply your knowledge creatively- through podcasts, videos, exhibitions and other projects.
We also offer a wide range of placement options, so you can develop experience and contacts in sectors of your choice.
All this means that you can use the skills you develop on your programme to pursue a fulfilling future career.
