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    Top 10 Career Options In Humanities

    By Yashodhra Arora
    10 Mar'22  10 min read
    Top 10 Career Options In Humanities
    Synopsis

    Humanities and Social Sciences are the bedrock of civilisation. Because of their invaluable contribution to society, there is never a dearth of career options for humanities students. Be it a career in design, the different types of art and visual art forms, psychology, marketing, law, international relations, journalism, writing, hotel management, or travel, our current generation is spoilt for choice in the field of arts and humanities. Read this article to get an insight into some of the best career options after 12th humanities available to students.

    Top 10 Career Options In Humanities
    Synopsis

    Humanities and Social Sciences are the bedrock of civilisation. Because of their invaluable contribution to society, there is never a dearth of career options for humanities students. Be it a career in design, the different types of art and visual art forms, psychology, marketing, law, international relations, journalism, writing, hotel management, or travel, our current generation is spoilt for choice in the field of arts and humanities. Read this article to get an insight into some of the best career options after 12th humanities available to students.

    The Humanities refer to a group of academic disciplines that study human culture. As opposed to the purely empirical approaches found in the natural sciences, the humanities primarily use critical, or speculative methods that are intertwined with history. Humanities include philosophy, ancient and modern languages, literature, mythology, religion, history, and the visual and performing arts such as music and theatre. Some subjects Humanities and Social Sciences constitute include History, Anthropology, Archaeology, Communication Studies, Classical Studies, Law, International Relations, and Linguistics. The humanities and social sciences teach us how people create their worlds and how they are continually shaped by them.

    Why Should You Choose Humanities?

    Here are some advantages to studying humanities:

    • Cultivate Your Creativity | By learning about the literary, performing and visual arts, you are likely to find more opportunities to express yourself creatively, through various art forms such as poetry, drawing, painting, theatre, and music.
    • Foster Sensitivity | Studying subjects like Political Science And History can help you develop and appreciate civility, charity, values, and traditions.
    • Strengthen Your Communication | You are likely to be able to communicate with people of various classes, castes, and cultures more easily.
    • More Political Awareness | You are likely to be better informed about the world political environment, as well as concepts such as democracy, human rights, equality, and social justice.
    • Enhance Critical Thinking | Humanities subjects can assist you in understanding human behaviour, and enable you to think not only creatively but logically as well.

    Top Humanities Stream Subjects

    Let us now look at some of the subjects one may opt for in the Humanities stream.

    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Economics
    • Education
    • Environmental Studies
    • Foreign Languages such as English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, and others.
    • Geography
    • History
    • Home Sciences
    • Indian Languages such as Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi Punjabi, Kannada, Maithili, Urdu, Sanskrit, etc.
    • International Relations
    • Liberal Arts
    • Linguistics
    • Media Studies
    • Philosophy
    • Political Science
    • Politics
    • Psychology
    • Social Sciences
    • Social Work
    • Sociology
    • Women’s Studies and Gender Studies

    Top Career Options After Humanities

    Let’s take a look at some of the most-opted career options for humanities students:

    Psychology

    Do you think it would be interesting to find out how the human mind works, or why we behave the way we do? Welcome to the world of psychology! This multifaceted discipline focuses on topics such as how our brains work, how our memories work, or how groups interact. Following a psychology foundation, students can specialise in a range of fields like clinical psychology, counselling psychology, industrial/organisational psychology, developmental psychology, behavioural neuroscience, sports psychology, etc. Such career options for humanities students are becoming quite popular, as the demand for psychologists is steadily increasing.

    Courses of study

    BA + MA Psychology

    Career options

    Counsellors, Clinical Psychologists, Child Psychologists, Human Resource Specialists, Substance Abuse Counsellors Lecturer/Professors, Life Coaches, School Psychologists, Family Therapists, etc.

    Premier Institutes

    Delhi University (Indraprastha College for Women, Lady Sri Ram College for Women, Gargi College, etc.), Ambedkar University, New Delhi, Fergusson College, Pune, Christ University, Bangalore, etc.

    Average starting salary

    Rs. 3-4 lakh per annum

    Top recruiters

    Hospitals, Schools, Mental Health Organisations, and so on.


    Law

    All you budding lawyers out there: How strong is your critical thinking and problem-solving ability? Because a career in law demands these skills. The legal profession is amongst the most sought-after career options after 12th humanities. Lawyers are aware of the legal structure of a country and can advise clients on a variety of legal issues on a personal or professional level. As a lawyer, you will have to conduct extensive research, and build strong arguments for each legal case you handle. Lawyers provide legal counsel to individuals, organisations, non-profits, governments, etc., and keep them from being involved in legal disputes.

    Courses of study

    BA LLB (5 years) or BA (any subject) + LLB (3 years)

    Career options

    Corporate Lawyers, Litigators, Paralegals, Public Prosecutors, Judicial Services, Solicitors, Legal Analysts, Legal Journalists, Judges, etc.

    Premier institutes

    National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, National Law University, New Delhi, NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, etc.

    Average starting salary

    Rs. 7-8 lakh per annum

    Top recruiters

    AZB & Partners, Khaitan & Co., Luthra & Luthra Law Offices, Economic Laws Practice, and so on.


    Design

    It is worth pursuing a career in design if you are adept at creatively communicating ideas to others. The process of design involves envisioning, developing, and communicating ideas through images, drawings, sketches, and layouts. One can pursue such career options in humanities without maths as well. There are a variety of specialisations, like graphic design & animation, interior design, textiles design, fashion design, product design, furniture design, jewellery design, etc. The types of design jobs that you will find, will vary depending on your field of study. As a fashion designer, you may work with textile production houses, garment export houses, boutiques, marketing and media departments of fashion brands, etc. Furthermore, you also have the option of exploring careers options after humanities in interior design, leather design, jewellery design, UI/UX design, graphic design, cartoon design, and product design.

    Courses of study

    BDes, or graduation in any stream + specialised courses in Design

    Career options

    Fashion Designer, Graphic Designer, UI/UX designer, Furniture Designers, etc.

    Premier Institutes

    National Institute of Fashion Technology, multiple locations, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore, Symbiosis Institute of Design, Pune, etc.

    Average starting Salary

    Rs. 5-6 lakh per annum

    Top recruiters

    Madura Garments, Homelane, Universal Designovation, Zatun, etc.


    career options for humanities students,career options after 12th humanities,career options after humanities,career options in humanities without maths,psychology,lawyersThe Humanities Have A World Of Career Options To Offer

    Journalism And Mass Communication

    Do you have a strong desire to stay on top of what is going on around you and the world, and tell other people about it as well? Then, perhaps, this is the career for you! Communication via mass media, such as tv, radio, newspapers, magazines, journals, and now social media involves the dissemination of relevant information to a large number of people. As a subset of mass communication, journalism involves gathering, assessing, developing, and presenting news and facts to the public. With a degree in mass communication, you can pursue journalism jobs, as well as jobs such as content writing and editing, public relations, advertising, event management, broadcasting and production, copywriting, etc. Also, you can work with media production houses for creating videos, documentaries, or short clips, which may cover an interview, social issue, or simply for entertainment purposes.

    Courses of study

    BJMC, or graduation in any stream + PG Diploma in Mass Communication (or any relevant field)

    Career options

    Journalist, Content Writer, Editor, Filmmaker, Actor, Musician, etc.

    Premier Institutes

    Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Christ University, Bangalore, Xavier Institute of Communication - Mumbai, etc.

    Average starting Salary

    Rs. 4-5 lakh per annum

    Top recruiters

    Hindustan Times, Times Group, Star India, All India Radio (AIR), and so on.


    Hotel Management, Travel And Tourism

    There is something special about staying at one of these hotels: Taj Hotel, The Lalit, Le Meridien, and The Leela. But have you ever thought about how much hard work goes into making them the best in class? As part of a career in hotel management, you will understand and manage all aspects of a hotel, beginning with the front desk, to food service and housekeeping. The tourist industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors, with a lot of career options for humanities students to explore. You can work in the hospitality and travel industry in hotels, restaurants, cruise ships, railroads, resorts, airlines, etc. The new graduates in this field usually start off as management trainees, and can move into different departments such as front desk operation, food and beverage production, meeting and event operations management, and restaurant operations.

    Courses of study

    BHM, BBA Hospitality, Travel & Tourism, BHMCT

    Career options

    Event Manager, PR Manager, Tour Guide & Agent, Hotel Manager, Chef

    Premier Institutes

    Christ University, Bangalore, Ecole Lavasa - Lavasa, Welcome Group Graduate School, Manipal, Institute of Hotel Management, Aurangabad, Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development, New Delhi, etc.

    Average starting salary

    Rs. 3-4 lakh per annum

    Top recruiters

    Thomas Cook, Mahindra Holidays, Spice Jet, Taj Group of Hotels, Leela Group, and so on.


    Humanities Careers To Look Forward To In The Future

    It is always a good idea to look into the future before investing time, effort, and money into obtaining a humanities college degree, and ensure your choice is the right one. Nowadays, you have an almost endless range of career options after humanities to explore, as long as you stay abreast of new advancements.

    Engineering Psychologist

    Engineering psychologists make use of their knowledge of the human mind and psychology to understand and analyse how people interact with, and use machines, computers, and other technologies. Most engineering psychologists are employed by private companies and corporations. These professionals are primarily responsible for designing and improving products, work environments, and technology to maximise efficiency, usability, and convenience.

    Technical Writer

    Technical writers are primarily responsible for writing instruction manuals, guides, and website support sections. They explain complex maths, science, and engineering concepts in simple, easy-to-understand language. Additionally, they coordinate with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to create operation guides, that provide clear instructions to consumers and support staff.

    Genealogist

    Genealogists help people discover more about their family history by looking back at birth and marriage certificates, immigration records, and census records. For students looking for career options in humanities without maths, this is an excellent role to put their anthropology, archaeology, and history degrees into practice. Anyone with a passion for family history would also enjoy the job.

    Social Media Director

    A social media director's job is one that has gained popularity in recent years, and is here to stay. Social media directors develop social media strategies and devise ways to engage with customers on social media channels, in order to maximise engagement, keeping track of the amount of interaction the posts receive through metrics and analytics.

    Lobbyist

    Lobbyists represent specific individuals or organisations, and influence political decisions. Lobbyists play a crucial role in the creation and implementation of new laws, negotiating with legislators, and seeking their support for various causes. Working as a lobbyist requires extensive use of good communication skills, and knowledge of politics, history, and people.

    One of the broadest academic disciplines at the university is Humanities, which includes a wide range of subject areas concerning human behaviour and our relationship with social institutions. Aside from the careers options for Humanities students listed above, there are also many other interesting and exciting fields in Humanities, such as museology, habitat policy and practice, archaeology, gerontology, rural studies and development, etc. The career options after Humanities are endless. We are sure you won't ever say, “Humanities has a very limited scope in the future" again!

    Yashodhra Arora is a Counselling Psychologist. She holds more than 10 years of hands-on experience in HR, and behavioural and career counselling of high school students, in India and the USA.

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