Illustrate the Modern Value of Humanities

The headlines narrate a difficult road for the humanities in higher education. From 2012 to 2022, the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded in the humanities dropped by 24%, while STEM graduates rose.1, 2 As technology becomes central to the workforce, many students are moving away from humanities studies in an effort to increase their employability and earnings. However, data from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences reveals today’s humanities graduates have favorable employment and compensation rates, comparable with most other college majors.3, 4 In fact, many employers are seeking precisely the skills that are trademarks of the humanities, including data and information literacy and critical thinking, because they stand out from technical skills that can be taught on the job.5

By fostering these in-demand skills, librarians and faculty can play a critical role in not just keeping the humanities relevant on campus but also ensuring the workforce readiness of humanities graduates. Discover how digital humanities tools like archives, databases, and Gale Digital Scholar Lab enrich student learning in the humanities and social sciences while building the skills that modern workplaces urgently need.

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The Skill-Building Playbook for Humanities Students

Humanities graduates excel in many of today’s top industries, including legal, finance, marketing, sales, and education, as well as in a variety of management positions.6 These students have the potential to fit into a sweet spot when it comes to today’s job market: they develop skills employers need in today’s digital economy like creativity and problem-solving as well as a deeper understanding of human behavior from historical and social knowledge.

Curious how you can help humanities students reach this sweet spot on your campus? Download our actionable guide for building workforce-ready skills with digital resources from Gale.

Support Data Literacy & Analysis

Make digital scholarship accessible to everyone on your campus with Gale Digital Scholar Lab. With a guided workflow and built-in Learning Center, student researchers at any level can mine historical data and master transferrable skills in data literacy and statistical analysis. Running textual analysis within the Lab helps students focus on their research and develop a greater understanding of how digital tools like generative AI improve research outcomes.

 

 

Prepare Graduates to Make Informed Decisions

Help students build the critical-thinking skills they need to make informed decisions in the ​workplace. With Gale Research Complete, your library can offer a powerful cross-search experience that lets student researchers explore information across Gale’s core databases. As students sift through various sources and build datasets, they learn to contextualize information, understand topics from multiple perspectives, and reach informed conclusions through rich, layered research.

Strengthen Social & Information Literacy

Connect students to rich primary source archives that can help increase information literacy, shed light on various perspectives, and foster cultural empathy. The Gale Accelerate program allows you to build your Gale Primary Sources collections wish list with a flexible acquisition model tailored to fit your library’s budget. Gale Accelerate also includes access to Gale Digital Scholar Lab, providing users with even more potential to develop data literacy and analysis skills.

Ready to help humanities students shine in the workforce?

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Our Research Fellow in the Field

“Digital humanities is giving us new perspectives and understandings of society and cultures from the past. It is not only opening exciting new opportunities for academic research but is also capable of engaging the public in new ways.”

—Dr. Xiurong Zhao, Renmin University of China, and 2nd-Year Cohort of the Gale-Oxford DH Fellowship.

 

  1. “Bachelor’s Degrees in the Humanities,” Humanities Indicators, American Academy of Arts & Sciences, 2023.
  2. “Humanities Indicators: STEM Fields Growing among Four-Year College Degree Recipients,” Humanities Indicators, American Academy of Arts & Sciences, Summer 2017.
  3. “The Employment Status of Humanities Majors,” Humanities Indicators, American Academy of Arts & Sciences, 2018.
  4. “Earnings of Humanities Majors with a Terminal Bachelor’s Degree,” Humanities Indicators, American Academy of Arts & Sciences, 2021.
  5. Marvin Krislov, “Why The Humanities Matter More Than Ever—Even When You Keep Hearing Otherwise,” Forbes.com, November 10, 2023.
  6. “Occupational Outlook Handbook, Field of degree: History,” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, September 6, 2023.