“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere”
-Albert Einstein
Most degree programs in liberal arts and humanities cover a gamut of subject matters related to social sciences, literature and writing, languages, world cultures, social issues, and philosophy in general but it is important to know that both Liberal Arts and Humanities are different terms and includes a variety of subjects under them.
So how are they different?
Liberal Arts can include a variety of subjects: Biology, Anthropology, Literary Studies, World History, Psychology, Statistics, and Physics.
Liberal arts studies are focuses to expand the capacity of the mind of an individual to think critically and analyze the details effectively. It also nourishes the mind to think within and across all disciplines so that it may serve the individual forever with a creative approach.
Humanities is primarily the study of the human condition–the “what makes one human”; the importance of essence such as emotions, feelings, love admiration, thoughts, etc. It includes subjects like Literature, History, Theology, Music, Art, Speech, Theatre, Speech, Journalism, Foreign Languages, Film, and Communication. Humanities teach two important things that are usually missing from more technical schools of study: critical thinking skills and the power of good communication. Those “meandering” through life as students of Humanities learn to engage themselves with the material, think about it from several angles, problem-solve creative approach, and adapt to different situations easily. These are highly required skills in the business world.
Who are these subjects of studies meant for?
In short- everyone who has passion and perseverance and courage!
The sunshade of liberal arts and humanities is broad from a career perspective. However, it encompasses the study of humanity and human relations. The individuals while learning in this field should enjoy understanding and discovering the many facets of human behavior. A desire within them to influence others in a positive or inspirational manner helps individuals succeed in liberal arts and humanities careers. A humanities degree also broadens your perspective. You may be able to use your critical and creative thinking skills to bifurcate the steps it took to create a beautiful sculpture or a piece of art. In this context, this degree is less about your personality and more about your genuine approach to appreciate another person’s efforts. Both in your professional and your personal life, being able to appreciate good work is a genuine gesture.
Steve Jobs, for instance, is well known to have been very passionate about design elements. He learned calligraphy in school and gained an appreciation for typography. Such things make you a rational individual and you can know the worth of art and could appreciate the efforts one had put in it.
So now that I have chosen the study… what’s the next step?
Now choosing a good university for such an innovative thing is worth looking at while investing. If you are looking for a college in North India, then Graphic Era is absolutely the only way to go. It offers a variety of courses in Humanities and Liberal Arts including, BA Economics (Hons) and BA Psychology (Hons) and BA Political Science( Hons), BA English (Hons), Visual Arts, Integrated law Course, Fashion Designing, etc.
The mission of the Graphic Era, the best private University with international standards of teaching and creative thought, is to produce professionals who possess critical thinking skills, knowledge of political, economical, societal, and across cultural forces and events that shape our world. They have created an open environment where students see themselves as active learners and understand how societies function in local and global settings.
The ambiance maintained within the campus is, in fact, worth mentioning because the environment plays an important role in uplifting an individual’s personality as a whole. They never differentiate between students, irrespective of their courses, technical or not, students are given an equal opportunity to showcase their skills and to excel in their fields of choice.
Given the current scenario, should I even consider a career in Humanities and Liberal as a lucrative career?
Considering, the current scenario, where Covid-19 is creating great destruction and economic turmoil, creative courses are at power because such graduates know how to analyze the current scenarios and come up with apt schemes necessary for the betterment of the nation in the form of Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Government Advisors, etc. The question isn’t whether technology will rule the other or vice versa but it is important to note that all the disciplines are equally important that too in a developing nation like India.
If we want to prepare students to solve large-scale human problems, a researcher argues, we must push students to widen, not narrow, their education and interests, Of course, we need technical experts, Hartley says, but we also need people who adapt the whys and what’s of human behavior. A well-rounded learning experience, he says, opens people up to new opportunities and helps them develop products that respond to real human needs in today’s world. Therefore, Humanities and Liberal Arts form the basis of society, the basic foundation and if you know how to free flow with the changing world and have the power to think out of the box and to widen your horizons, make an investment in an art or humanity course and explore your life like nothing else.
Author- Shagun Aggarwal (BA English Hons Student)
