Choosing a degree can be an anxiety-inducing and confusing process. This is understandable, considering the degree you decide to pursue will ultimately require a huge investment of time, money, and effort. The value of Arts degrees has been debated over the years, but there are several reasons this could be the best choice of education to pursue.
From bountiful opportunities in the workforce to a greater capacity for adaptation and critical thinking, we’ll explore the top three benefits of an arts degree.
Employers Love Arts Degrees
Many warnings those choosing to pursue a degree in the arts will hear is the fable that they won’t be able to get a job with an Arts Degree. This is not accurate, especially when it comes to industries like technology, marketing, finance, and communications.
According to a LinkedIn study, the most in-demand skills for 2020 included; creativity, persuasion, collaboration, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. These are all defined as soft skills and are skills that students stand to develop from an arts degree. According to the Harvard Business Review, 80% of employers agree that all students need a strong foundation in arts and sciences.
This is because the skills taught from arts programs are universal human skills. Contrary to popular belief, many employers believe that industry-specific knowledge and technological literacy are not high priorities when seeking candidates.
Instead, strong social and communication skills, collaboration and teamwork, and critical thinking are much higher priorities for potential employers when considering candidates for entry-level positions.
According to another report, beyond entry-level positions, those with degrees in social sciences and humanities make up more than half of the leadership positions in 30 countries and all sectors and industries.
Less Impact from Automation
Another benefit of an Arts Degree is that once you do find a job that you love, you are at less of a risk of losing it. Experts have said the jobs least likely to be made redundant are those with a background in the arts. While there are many things we expect to see artificial intelligence and technology make obsolete, the jobs that require a complex understanding of human behavior are more stable.
The skills held by those with an education in the arts are highly sought after and necessary. Especially for companies in the technological sector and all avenues of marketing and advertising as creativity, leadership, humor, writing skills, and adaptability are crucial and can’t be replicated by a machine.
Long Term Career Growth
Finally, an arts degree will benefit you at all stages of your career and allow more opportunities for advancement in your field.
One of the basic tenants of an arts degree is to prepare students to be able to research, learn quickly, and digest and understand new ideas and information. This makes adapting to problems easier and gives Arts degree holders more transferable skills.
A recent study from the Association of American Colleges and Universities showed that graduates with an arts degree earn more money during typical peak earning ages compared to others with professional degrees.
More Benefits of an Arts Degree
At the end of the day, the studies are clear that those who have a background in the arts are as necessary for the workplace as those who hold other degrees. If you are passionate about a field in the Arts, there is very little reason not to pursue it. Even if you do not end up working in your chosen field, your capacity for learning and learned transferable skills will still provide many great opportunities.
Art degrees also have added career benefits in terms of education as virtually any degree in the arts can provide the foundation for a masters in art education and offer even more career opportunities.
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