Choosing a college major can be one of the most difficult and frustrating decisions if you don’t already know what you want to do in the future. Even when I thought I knew what I wanted to major in, I found that I wasn’t satisfied with continuing my theatre major once my freshman year had ended. Considering I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do in the future, I felt that one specific major was too rigid. I wanted to explore more than one option. It took a lot of academic research over the summer before I stumbled upon something different: the Humanities major.
People will be confused when you tell them about it, and you won’t find it on many “Your Favorite [Blank] Based on Your College Major” posts. But rest assured, if you’re interested in the arts, the Humanities major offers more than even I expected. In fact, its rare appearance on a fellow HCFSU article assigning a popular artist to each major is what inspired me to write about it (I highly recommend it!)! There isn’t enough awareness about this incredible and interesting field of study. I feel that it’s about time the Humanities major got some love, too.
What is the Humanities Major?
As stated in the Florida State University Academic Program Guide, “The purpose of the Humanities major is to provide the opportunity for broad experience in the Humanities departments with enough study in one field to prepare for graduate work and to ensure against superficiality … The program not only gives the student a thorough Liberal Arts background but also provides a valuable foundation for a variety of professional fields, such as teaching, journalism, law, librarianship, foreign service, the religious professions, music, arts administration, and government service.”
In this major, you must complete at least one core Humanities course as well as Digital Literacy and Oral Communication Competency. Then, you can choose primary (15 hours), secondary (12 hours), and tertiary (12 hours) concentrations from the list provided. All the topics exist along the lines of the arts and humanities, allowing you to broaden your studies further than what a general major might offer. In fact, I was able to use all my theatre credits towards a concentration once I switched majors, since the courses were filed under the Humanities concentration. There are 16 concentrations, including African-American Studies, Art History, Modern Languages and Linguistics, and Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies.
After choosing your concentrations, you can take whatever courses you wish under that area of study, so long as they aren’t reserved spots for specific majors. I personally chose Humanities (Theatre), Film Studies, and Communications as my concentrations and was able to take classes in different subjects such as foreign films, writing, public relations, advertising, and more!
So, What Makes This Major So Special?
If you want to expand your mind and broaden your studies during your college experience, I have found that in completing the Humanities major. It’s perfect for anyone with an interest in the arts, and it’s a good major to try out if your heart isn’t set on any specific field of study.
I’ve gotten a lot out of college through the varying courses I was able to take. I went from being so unsure about studying in just one area to feeling relief in being able to reach so many others. Because there are 16 concentrations, I don’t see as many Humanities majors in classes at the same frequency as other majors usually see each other, considering they are often taking the same courses. However, this major has allowed me to meet so many different people and engage in the arts in a way that brings us all together.
Though it’s not the most well-known major, and it will be exhausting trying to explain to your family what exactly you’re getting a degree in, Humanities has so much to offer to students with a desire to learn more about the arts! I truly believe there is something for everyone in this major, and it offers more freedom than most. If you want more information, check out the academic program guide and the projected course map, and contact the (absolute best) advisor to gain some first-hand knowledge.
Overall, I just want to see some more love for the Humanities! I haven’t met many other Humanities majors or heard it talked about very often, but it’s a truly valuable area of study that offers a different perspective on the world of the arts.
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