What Can I Do with a Degree in Humanities and Arts?

Did you know that the top four skills employers look for when evaluating candidates — communication, critical thinking, professionalism and teamwork — are developed and honed in the humanities and arts at Rice?

“The rapidly changing nature of work, especially with increasing use of artificial intelligence, demands adaptability, creativity and the ability to think critically,” according to Phillip Brian Harper, a program officer at the Mellon Foundation. “These are precisely the qualities and skills the humanities instill in students, which will serve them well not just in their first job out of college, but for the rest of their professional and personal lives.”

In the School of Humanities and Arts, our innovative curriculum and rich resources support meaningful research, creative expression and immersive global experiences. Whether you’re learning a new language, exploring different cultures, interpreting and comparing evidence, or critiquing and debating the crucial issues facing us today, you’ll develop durable skills to think critically, communicate effectively and lead thoughtfully.

Please visit the Rice University Center for Career Development for more information about the career outcomes of our students.


Hear alumni describe the impact that studying the humanities and arts at Rice has had on their careers


Areas of continued study for School of Humanities and Arts graduates:
 

Medicine
Law
Graduate School

- Fine Arts
- Creative Writing
- Film Directing and Production
- History
- International Studies
- Philosophy

- Playwriting
- Religion
- Spanish Literature

Business
Engineering

Select employers of School of Humanities and Arts graduates:


Boston Consulting Group
Christie's
Deloitte
Goldman Sachs
Harlem Arts Foundation
Oliver Wyman
Rice University
Teach for America
Texas Children's Hospital

Skills and characteristics valued most by employers who recruit at Rice University:


1) Communication
2) Critical thinking
3) Professionalism
4) Teamwork
5) Leadership
6) Technology
7) Related work experience
8) GPA
9) Unrelated work experience
10) Double or triple major
 

Source: Rice University Center for Career Development