When I was in college, there was a joke that “There are only two degrees at the University of the Philippines: Engineering and others!” The point of the jibe is that STEM degrees are more worthwhile than the liberal arts, with engineering being the most rigorous. So is it worth it to major in the humanities and social sciences (HUMSS)?
Filipino high school students ought to weigh their career decisions in light of the following realities:
# 1 The liberal arts are as important as STEM.
The HUMSS are mankind’s critical thinking tools. They give us content to memorize, analyze, critique, and recreate. Moreover, they help us stay attuned to virtues that will preserve civilization. Nick Joaquin wrote in the play, A Portrait of the Artist As Filipino, that the arts should not be dismissed as disciplines that present highfalutin yet irrelevant ideals. Rather, the HUMSS reflect to us the kind of people that we are and what we must be.
# 2 A lot of HUMSS subjects are taught in an overly politicized manner.
Portrait correctly predicted that intellectuals will destroy culture by degrading the arts, which they’ve been entrusted to preserve. Far too many educators pump their liberal arts classes with their biased views without equipping their students with the skills to critique their arguments. A lot of HUMSS majors consequently graduate from universities parroting postmodernist nonsense. Worse, many don’t know how to apply much of their knowledge in creating high-quality goods and services.
# 3 Technological advancements have changed the way people learn the liberal arts.
One can now self-study HUMSS subjects for free, thanks to online courses. Some educational platforms even offer credentials in these disciplines at affordable prices. There are also many libraries that lend books about the arts for free.
# 4 STEM jobs are significantly more in-demand than careers in the HUMSS.
Fewer students major in STEM because of their rigor, especially in the Philippines where STEM education in high school is embarrassingly weak. As a result, STEM roles are not filled while too many graduates compete for HUMSS-related jobs.
# 5 Local employers heavily favor graduates of the Big 4 Universities.
There are many intelligent, conscientious Filipinos who did not graduate from the University of the Philippines, Ateneo De Manila University, De La Salle University, and the University of Santo Tomas. Nevertheless, these Big 4 universities have the strictest admission policies because they have the most rigorous academic programs. So a diploma from one of them assures employers that you have: a) at least above average intellectual ability and b) decent work ethic.
Big 4 alumni are also are well-connected to establishments that offer the best career opportunities. Going to a Big 4 university will give you access to these professional networks.
Because of the prestige, a liberal arts degree from the Big 4 will make you stand out in a sea of graduates, thus increasing your chances of landing a good job. You might even be looked on more favorably than STEM graduates if you finished your Bachelor of Arts with honors from a first-tier institution. But if you’re a gender studies major from the Babuyan Islands State University, you’re at risk of living a life of poverty.
On the other hand, there are so many good STEM jobs that you don’t need a Big 4 diploma to be hired for one. In fact, there are many non-Big 4 STEM graduates who are doing better financially than Big 4 alumni. A lot of them even get to study in foreign graduate schools that rank way higher than the top Philippine universities.
# 6 When the HUMSS are utilized to create something that fulfills latent needs and desires, the incomes of liberal arts majors can skyrocket past STEM professionals’ salaries. They also become more famous.
My cousin Giselle is a Mass Communications graduate. Yet she’s infinitely wealthier than me, a healthcare worker, because she used her degree to become a comedienne. And I’ll never be as popular as she is!
Besides, the HUMSS equip us with soft skills that are as important as technical skills. No one can climb the career ladder without knowing how to socialize, influence, and think outside of the box.
I honed those skills not in neuroanatomy class but in my high school theater group! Acting and organizing stage plays equipped me with the creativity, assertiveness, diplomacy, and empathy that are crucial in my STEM job. Without those abilities, I would’ve been fired a long time ago.
In light of all these, what should Filipino students declare as their college majors?
(Photo by Kent Ogares)
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