Bucking a national trend in declining undergraduate humanities enrollment, the University of Arizona College of Humanities is increasing enrollment, crossing the threshold of 1,000 majors, a 28 percent growth over the last two years.
With its new bachelor’s degree in Applied Humanities and a roster of forward-thinking faculty and department heads, the college is combining 21st century teaching and research tools with a career-readiness strategy and an outward-facing approach to study and work that clearly resonates with students.
Throughout the college—from Africana Studies, Applied Humanities and Religious Studies to majors in world languages, literatures and cultures—an emphasis on skills like interdisciplinary communication, intercultural competence, critical thinking and adaptability is proving both compelling and productive on the job market.
“Employers are seeking out graduates with multidisciplinary educations and the ability to demonstrate a wide range of skills,” says College of Humanities Dean Alain-Philippe Durand. “We are reimagining the humanities for a changing future and giving our students an education that combines the traditional strengths of humanities disciplines with an understanding of how emerging tools and problem-solving approaches alter one’s sense of the possible.”
Several students declared majors in the College of Humanities on the same day, collectively pushing the enrolled student count beyond 1,000.
Elle Nangia, from Overland Park, Kansas, is an Honors College student majoring in French and Physiology. A freshman, Nangia has studied French since first grade and considered a minor, but decided to double major because it will require only a few more classes and she wants to be completely fluent.
Nangia’s career goals include attending medical school and becoming a physician, working abroad with an organization like Doctors Without Borders, in Northern Africa.
Samantha Moran is a sophomore from Connecticut double majoring in Applied Humanities, with an emphasis in Spatial Organization and Design Thinking, and Psychology.
Moran was interested in architecture, but didn’t necessarily want to major in it, choosing instead Applied Humanities to expand her career opportunities. She is interested in sustainability in design, with applications such as office space organization, and implementing creative solutions to new problems.
Madalyn Hensel, a freshman from Louisiana, started the year undecided and enjoyed testing the waters through general education courses.
She enjoyed her classes on Buddhism and Chinese language so much that she declared a double major in East Asian Studies, with a Chinese language emphasis, and Information Science and Technology. She hopes to work abroad.