Westhem: I'm a humanities major. Don't judge me

Dean Shaw admitted that it’s a “fact of life that humanities majors have to deal with a lack of understanding” regarding their major choice and future career path since it might not be “tied to a vocational practice.”

            I believe that your undergraduate major doesn’t have to dictate your career. Humanities students actually get admitted in higher percentages in some cases to graduate schools than a more defined, straight shot major. A humanities major has skill sets that a CS major or engineering major have: a greater appreciation for philosophical knowledge and learning, and better writing and interpretive skills in many cases. Now, I am a bit biased because I am an American Studies major and if I don’t include that I’m following it up with law school, people look at me like I’m crazy. But who cares if I’m going to graduate school or not with a humanities major?

            Your major doesn’t affect your job acceptance always. In many cases, it’s hands on experience and research that matter the most. I have very interested in sports media and sports law. Well, there’s no straight shot major for that. What’s going to help me get a job is that internship or job at a sports law firm or newspaper that is going to be most impressive (and of course just any degree from Stanford makes a huge difference as well).

            Dean Saller started his first year at UCLA in engineering before switching to Classics and now he wants to work to bridge the gap between the “fuzzies” and “techies” and increase the diversity of interests on campus. IHum was created to do this but in the end it just created animosity towards the humanities. That’s when they switched to requirement to Thinking Matters. I think it has been widely accepted since it allows students more freedom in developing their own humanities curriculum. And let’s me honest, in the end, students hate being told what to do.