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THE ARGUMENTS OVER THE HUMANITIES ((The humanities improve communication…

- - - - Liberal Arts nurtures innovative thinking more than science and engineering classes. They can also offer lessons on artistic expression and deep reflection. Further, having these skills can help an individual advance and surpass others in their respective fields. (Edelstein).
      - Liberal Arts degrees can arm a student with an overrated power: mutual understanding. Students can understand perspectives of others, even if they don't agree with them. STEM subjects are only a part of the big picture, and Liberal Arts degrees are just as important. Our understanding of the world depends on how we interpret it, and LA is a large part of that. (Dix)
        
        COMMON ARGUMENT: VAST OPPORTUNITIES. A big argument among those in favor of Liberal Arts degrees is that the graduate isn't limited to one specific job. For example, an English degree can give a graduate the opportunity to pursue teaching, journalism, copywriting, editing, among many other options. STEM degrees, along with other specific majors, are limited to opportunities that can be pursued.
    - - Career options available to Liberal Arts graduates are vaster than those of a specific major. Although professor careers are ample, the jobs available to Liberal Arts graduates are much more widespread than one would assume because of the skills these students gain during their studies. Job postings tell a different story against those who claim that STEM jobs are a priority. (Sentz)
      - COMMON ARGUMENT: INNOVATIVE THINKING IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS. Liberal Arts help students learn how to use their thoughts in a less rigorous way, as oppose to STEM students. Creativity is encouraged, and by default, so is innovation.
      - 3/4 employers want skills that Liberal Arts degrees teach, such as "critical thinking, complex problem solving, and written and oral communications". Unemployment rates for Liberal Arts students decline over time, compared to other degrees. STEM alone cannot sustain the economy...Liberal Arts are necessary for national success. (UNC Greeley)
- - - - Because Liberal Arts degrees focus on soft skills, there is no development of technical skills and real-world experience. It is wiser to get no degree than to spend hundreds of thousands on a liberal arts degree that will not make a huge difference in getting a student employed. (Anonymous)
    - - Liberal Arts degrees widen the chasm between the student and the jobs that actually exist within the economy. Students are not given the skills they need to succeed in today's job market. Liberal Arts is for "hippies" that want to follow their dreams, but this is not practical. Students can gain "soft" skills in liberal arts, but they can also gain them in other disciplines. (Waechter)
      - COMMON ARGUMENT: **LA GRADUATES LACK NECESSARY SKILLS FOR TODAYS JOB MARKET**....A common argument amongst anti-Liberal Arts debators is that Liberal Arts does not teach the skills necessary for a student to thrive in the job market. It is said that soft skills learned under these majors is not enough to ensure success.
- - - - WORKS CITED
        Anderson, Zac. “Rick Scott wants to shift university funding away from some degrees.” October 10, 2011 | Zac Anderson | HT Politics, HT Politics, 13 Oct. 2011, politics.heraldtribune.com/2011/10/10/rick-scott-wants-to-shift-university-funding-away-from-some-majors/.
        Anonymous. “Disadvantages of a Liberal Arts Degree.” Powered by Sites at Penn State - WordPress, 17 Mar. 2017, sites.psu.edu/civicissueswithsm/2017/03/19/disadvantages-of-a-liberal-arts-degree/.
        Churchwell, Sarah. “Sarah Churchwell: why the humanities matter.” Times Higher Education (THE), 27 Jan. 2017, www.timeshighereducation.com/comment/opinion/sarah-churchwell-why-the-humanities-matter/2016909.article.
        Cohan, Peter. “To Boost Post-College Prospects, Cut Humanities Departments.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 11 July 2012, www.forbes.com/sites/petercohan/2012/05/29/to-boost-post-college-prospects-cut-humanities-departments/#263fd3ee55bf.
        Dix, Willard. “A Liberal Arts Degree Is More Important Than Ever.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 16 Nov. 2016, www.forbes.com/sites/willarddix/2016/11/16/a-liberal-arts-degree-is-more-important-than-ever/#5cdb4d5339f2.
        Edelstein, Dan. “'Iphigenia' and the iPhone.” Inside Higher Ed, 13 Aug. 2009, www.insidehighered.com/views/2009/08/13/iphigenia-and-iphone.
        Harriman, David, et al. “The Pros and Cons of a Liberal Arts Degree.” SchoolMoney.org, 1 June 2015, www.schoolmoney.org/pros-and-cons-of-liberal-arts-degrees/.
        Sentz, Rob. “What Can You Do With That (Useless) Liberal Arts Degree? A Lot More Than You Think.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 21 Oct. 2016, www.forbes.com/sites/emsi/2016/10/19/what-can-you-do-with-that-useless-liberal-arts-degree/#28ff633941b8.
        UNC, Greeley. “Importance of Liberal Arts | College of Humanities & Social Sciences | University of Northern Colorado.” College of Humanities and Social Sciences, www.unco.edu/humanities-social-sciences/academics/why-study-humanities-social-sciences.aspx.
        Waechter, Steven. “Why Liberal Arts Degrees Are Worthless.” Linkedin, 4 Dec. 2016, www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-liberal-arts-degrees-worthless-steven-waechter/.