College of Arts & Sciences - Career Resources for Liberal Arts Majors

For more information about the many careers available to Liberal Arts majors, visit JobWeb's Road to Career Success For Liberal Arts Majors.

One of the first challenges in determining the ideal career for the Liberal Arts major is defining what it is you want to do. What are your favorite things? What do you enjoy? What are your special strengths? What do you want to contribute to society?

Make a list of your desired career traits, and also list your marketable skills. Compare these lists to job postings to find the careers that are most suitable for you.

Niagara University’s General Education goals help prepare all majors for entry-level careers by providing skills in (1) critical thinking, (2) information literacy, including the ability to access, evaluate and use information, (3) communication, including the ability to work with diverse groups of people, and (4) ethics.

Many Liberal Arts majors also pursue additional education in graduate school. Visit Niagara University's Graduate Studies Website for more information. For more information regarding career planning, visit Niagara University's Career Development Website.

_____________________________________________________

HUMANITIES

Because they provide the communication, research and interpersonal skills employers are looking for, degrees in a humanities field are good background for a variety of entry-level positions. Business, government, non-profit, and entertainment industries all hire graduates with humanities degrees.

Individuals with degrees in the Humanities will have diverse skills in the fields of Literature and Language Arts, Foreign Languages, Art and Culture, and History and/or Social Studies.

The study of foreign languages prepares students for many interesting careers. Even those individuals who do not major in a foreign language would be well advised to minor in a language. Employers are continually seeking individuals who speak a foreign language, especially in the education, social sciences, and law enforcement fields. The Modern Language Association, founded in 1883 by teachers and scholars, promote the study and teaching of language and literature and can provide additional information.

The American Historical Association (AHA) is a nonprofit membership organization founded in 1884 and incorporated by Congress in 1889 for the promotion of historical studies, the collection and preservation of historical documents and artifacts, and the dissemination of historical research. The AHA online provides a multitude of resources in this field, including searchable job listings.

Selected career titles in the humanities field include:

Communication Studies

For more information on pursuing a career in a humanities field, visit the Official Job Site of the Humanities and Social Sciences Online website, The H-Net Job Guide.

Niagara University has several websites dedicated to the study of humanities, including History, English, Modern and Classical Languages, Communication Studies, Theatre & Fine Arts, Philosophy, and Religious Studies.

_____________________________________________________

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING & MATH (STEM)

Majors in the STEM fields continue to be in high demand. According to the National Industry-Occupation Employment Matrix, published by the US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers in computer and mathematical science occupations are expected to grow by nearly 35% between 2002 and 2012 and chemistry careers are slated for nearly 13% growth. Careers for life scientists are expected to grow by over 17% and engineering fields are also slated for growth.

Scientists with multidisciplinary skills are in particularly high demand, especially scientists with a computer background and a high level of mathematical and computational ability. Majors interested in browsing United States and International careers in science, technology, engineering and math should visit the searchable online job listings at Science Careers. Liberal arts skills, such as writing, communications, problem solving, ethics and languages are particularly important for people pursuing STEM careers.

What would be more exciting than employment in our nation’s space program? Employment opportunities at NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) can be found at NASA Jobs.

Resources specifically designed for STEM careers for People of Color can be found at The Multicultural Advantage website.

_____________________________________________________

NATURAL SCIENCES

Entry level jobs in the natural sciences require good grades, knowledge of computers and related scientific fields. Managerial and research positions often require advanced degrees. Selected career titles in the natural sciences include:

· Physician, veterinarian, dentist, chiropractor (require advanced degrees)

· Research scientist (may require advanced degree, generally the Ph. D.)

· College professor (requires the Ph. D.)

· Pharmaceutical salesperson

· Medical illustrator

· Marine biologist/chemist

· Forensic chemist/scientist

· Bio-informatics specialist (combines biology and/or chemistry with computers)

Niagara University’s department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics can provide more information in this specialty area. Prospective students should also visit NU’s Life Sciences and Biology Website.

Individuals wishing to pursue advanced degrees in medicine, dentistry, veterinary science or one of the other health professions should consider a pre-medical and pre-professional program, as offered by Niagara University.

_____________________________________________________

COMPUTERS & MATHEMATICS

Good communication and interpersonal skills are a must in the computer and math fields. CIS majors are encouraged to take a math minor and/or a business minor. A minor or double major in biology or chemistry would also be a good background for this field. Math majors should take computer and science courses. Selected career titles include:

Computer & Information Science

· Banker/investment banker

· Statistician

· Artificial intelligence programmer

· Demographer

· Math teacher (requires the M. Ed)

· Auditor

· Production manager

· Financial consultant

More information regarding studies and careers in computer & information science can be found at Niagara University’s CIS Website. Those interested in more information regarding engineering should visit NU’s Pre-Engineering Website.

Many mathematics majors pursue minors or double majors in actuarial science and statistics. Even if an individual does not major in math, a strong math education will be helpful in many other fields, particularly the STEM fields. More information regarding the study of mathematics and career planning can be found on Niagara University’s Department of Mathematics website.

_____________________________________________________

SOCIAL SCIENCES

Because they provide the communication, research and interpersonal skills employers are looking for, degrees in a social science field are good background for a variety of entry-level positions. According to the National Industry-Occupation Employment Matrix, published by the US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers in social science, including researchers, analysts, psychologists, and sociologists, are expected to grow by over 20% between 2002 and 2012. Careers in social services, such as counselors and social workers, are projected to grow by 26% over the same period.

Business, government and social service agencies all hire graduates with social science degrees. Managerial positions often require advanced degrees. Selected career titles in the social sciences include:

Criminal Justice

Information regarding careers in Psychology and Mental Health can be found at PsychologyInfo. The American Sociological Association lists websites to assist social science graduates, including sociologists, with job and fellowship searches. Careers in social services can be searched at The Social Service Job Site.

Individuals may also choose to pursue an Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Program, such as that offered by Niagara University, which provides students with a broad interest in the social sciences to design a curriculum that addresses their interests and career goals. In conjunction with the program Director students choose one disciplinary concentration, and three minor fields of concentration. Students also pursue training in an appropriate, field-specific, methodology course.

Niagara University also offers the Liberal Arts major that gives students the opportunity to create personalized majors, tailored to fit their own individual goals or interests. Selecting two or three disciplines from among all the fields, students can create a major that best suits their career interests.

The American Society of Association Executives website defines the nonprofit sector as “the collective name used to describe institutions and organizations in American society that are neither government nor business.”

These groups are dedicated to a specific mission. The nonprofit sector in the United States is vast and diverse and touches all our lives. It includes more than a million organizations that spend more than $500 billion each year — more than the gross domestic product of Brazil, Russia, or Australia. About 6 percent of all organizations in the U.S. are nonprofits, and one in 15 Americans works for a nonprofit.

Major subcategories of nonprofit organizations include charities, foundations, hospitals, public colleges, social welfare organizations, and professional and trade associations.

Text Box: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has."
--Margaret Mead, Anthropologist

The idea of the nonprofit sector may be abstract and poorly understood, but the sector's role in our society is tangible and easily recognized. Freed from the profit motive that dominates business and from the constraints of government, the nonprofit sector serves as a forum for the creation and dissemination of new ideas, an efficient vehicle for delivering social services, and a guardian of our environment, values, and heritage.

Local, state and federal government agencies have a continual demand for skilled workers in all fields and majors. Government careers can be especially rewarding for those individuals who have a desire to help people, contribute to society and improve international relations.

Students with varied academic backgrounds often pursue careers in government. Niagara University’s Pre-Law Website offers an abundance of information regarding the study of law, ABA-approved law schools, LSAT prep, research links, career information, and more.

For federal government job opportunities in the United States, visit USAJOBS, the official job site of the United States Government. For more information on local and state government career opportunities in the United States, visit CareersInGovernment and GovernmentJobSearch.

Niagara University has joined the Partnership for Public Service, a non-profit organization that “works to make the government an employer of choice for talented, dedicated Americans through educational outreach, research, legislative advocacy, and hands-on partnerships with agencies on workforce management issues.” Individuals interested in the Partnership for Public Service and the many rewarding career opportunities available in public service should visit Partnership for Public Service - Work For USA.

Niagara University also offers an International Studies Major that includes advanced courses for specialization in a variety of issue areas. Courses include a variety of political science, history, communications, religion, and business choices such as International Organization, Terrorism, Political Geography, and Economic Development.

Students are strongly encouraged to study abroad (see the Niagara University Study Abroad Program's website), and internships are available so that students may apply their academic lessons to real world opportunities.

Those individuals interested in pursuing careers in Canada should visit JobFutures in Canada, a comprehensive government jobs site that includes estimated wages, future outlook and unemployment rates for hundreds of career fields.