Filosophy and Happiness

We don't believe there is such a thing as a "former humanist" or even a "recovering humanist." The collection of passions, talents, interests and skills that are the trademark of a humanities graduate are usually a life-long affliction, but that's not to say that one can't build a happy career away from the arts. A great example is this  reflection  by Michael Zimm as he made his way from a humanities PhD to a digital media firm (and not without some letdowns along the way). 

Some positive  news  over on Inside Higher Ed shows that humanities majors aren't so unemployable after all. We already knew that, though it's always nice to have more data. The trick for humanities majors is that their career paths tend to be less straightforward than, say, accounting or architecture. With a creative approach, we believe there are opportunities for humanists everywhere, and this forum is dedicated in part to helping readers make those connections they may have never considered.

An article in the  Washington Post  out yesterday outlines some of the challenges in creating an affordable higher education system. We feel, of course, that institutions and government have largely failed in their obligations to keep education affordable for students. But students can help their own cause by keeping high grades and studying for the ACT/SAT in high school, and then by choosing more affordable in-state public schools, where tuition is likely to be lowest. The catch for humanists is that liberal arts degrees from the local school are less likely to have the cachet of a more expensive institution, so we recommend that humanities students supplement their studies with a second major, minor or an internship in another field. We also recommend that students keep costs down by continuing to apply for scholarships throughout their time in school (within their major or within their academic college, for example). Many campuses will also have job opportunities with flexible time