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Life

Liberal Arts Majors: Breaking the Stigma

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Caleigh Briley
TAMU Contributor
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TAMU chapter.

There is a stigma that needs to be broken on college campuses around the globe; the idea that certain degrees are more valuable than others.  More specifically, the idea that STEM degrees equate to more success than degrees in Liberal Arts. I’m sure that this attitude exists at many (if not all) college campuses, however it can seem especially present and annoying at a school like TAMU that is so well known for producing top notch engineers, doctors, and veterinarians.

The study of “Liberal Arts” began in ancient Greece when the Greeks used the term to describe a set of skills that were considered essential to an individual’s success in society.  These skills were different from the typical “Mechanical Arts” knowledge that was standard at the time. A Liberal Arts skill set is something that is still SOO valuable in our evolving world.  Many Liberal Arts subjects are required for other departments because they are seen as crucial. At TAMU, courses such as COMM 203 (Public Speaking) are required because being able to communicate effectively is necessary despite a student’s major.  

As for the belief that a degree in Liberal Arts somehow is of lesser value than other departments… it’s just simply not true.  An individual’s success is based on their drive, determination, and the effort they put in… not their area of study. To further prove my point that Liberal Arts majors are super awesome and deserve the same respect as our STEM peers, I have compiled a list of some amazing people that have changed the world with their Liberal Arts degrees.  

 

  1. Howard Schultz- CEO of Starbucks   

  • Schultz earned a BA in Communications from Northern Michigan University in 1975.  

 

  1. Oprah Winfrey 

  • Winfrey dropped out for a brief period to launch her career in 1976, but later graduated in 1987.  She earned a BA in Communications from Tennessee State University.  

 

  1. Michael Eisner- Former CEO of the Walt Disney Company

  • Eisner earned a BA in English Literature and Theater from Denison University in 1964.  

 

  1. Richard Plepler- CEO of HBO     

  • Plepler earned a BA in Government from Franklin & Marshall University in 1981. 

 

  1. Ruth Bader Ginsburg- Supreme Court Justice (& my personal fave!!) 

  • RBG earned a BA in Government from Cornell University in 1954.

 

I hope this list goes to show that it isn’t the degree you get… it’s what you do with it that determines your success.  So next time somebody talks down on you for being a Liberal Arts major… remember, you are in good company. So whatever your area of study, love what you do and change the world with it. ♡  

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar
Howdy! I'm Caleigh Briley, a freshman Communication major from Kenedy, TX. You can find me crying in Evans Library while gripping a venti vanilla sweet cream cold brew.
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