Indian parents often caution their children from pursuing an education in the Humanities field because they believe that this field is not financially viable. The Arts/Humanities field is riddled with misconceptions, such as – “Art’s students draw and paint all day”, “Humanities stream is for students who are not very academically bright” and so on. Let’s decode what the Arts/Humanities field is all about and the various career options available to students and working professionals.
Humanities stream at School Level 10+2 commonly offered subjects:
Main Subjects: History, Political Science, Economics, Geography, Psychology.
Elective Subjects: Home Science, Fashion Studies, Media Studies.
(Please note, subjects change depending upon the board of studies. The above mentioned is an example of subjects offered in the CBSE Board).
After completing 12th in the Arts/Humanities Stream students have the option to choose from various degree courses and a large pool of creative careers to choose from.
Financially viable Career Options for Humanities Students in different fields:
Media/ Marketing Field:
Advertising – Copywriter, Social Media Manager, Art Director, Brand Strategist
Public Relations Officer – Content Writer, Lobbyist, Account Manager
Journalist
Film Making
Stand Up Comedian
Design Arts:
Graphic Designer
Fashion Designer
Product Designer
Interior Designer
Animator
Psychology:
Clinical Psychologist
Counselor
Hospitality & Tourism:
Hotel Management
Event Management
Chef
Cabin Crew
Lawyer, Teaching, Government Services, Library Science, Economist.
Lastly, the technological revolution taking place in our lives, artificial intelligence is replacing jobs. Creative fields will gain increasing prominence because fields such as philosophy, ethics, psychology, and arts cannot be effectively performed by artificial intelligence. Humanities subjects emphasize teaching students to think, critique, and persuade. The skills developed from the humanities subjects will play a vital role in being able to creatively manage and develop AI software.
The interplay between STEM and humanities is what makes most services/products holistic. For example, Steve Jobs founder of Apple, the MAC Book font and typography design was inspired by the principles of calligraphy skills he learnt in University. Revolutionizing the computer interface, Apple products rule the market for their minimalism and attention to detail. In conclusion, as much as the world needs engineers and doctors we also need thinkers and artists to create a balanced world.
Not sure which stream to pursue? Reach out to Serene Hour for career guidance.