“What are you going to do with that?”

It’s the dreaded question every liberal arts student knows all too well.

As an English major, I have a script I repeat any time someone asks me what I am studying. I feel pressure to make it known that I have a plan, that I am not going to end up as some starving artist.

The truth is, I chose my major because it is what I love — and I don’t think there should be any shame in that.

In the age of technology, many feel liberal arts degrees are worthless, a waste of time and money, compared with a degree in STEM that seemingly offers a more direct pathway to a lucrative career.

It’s exhausting constantly having to defend my choice to pursue my passion.

The value of liberal arts degrees has been heavily debated on online platforms like Reddit, with people making the argument that it’s harder to get a job with a liberal arts degree.                                                                             

Michele Morano, an English professor at DePaul, says that’s not true. She contends that people with liberal arts degrees are actually extremely employable.  

“The liberal arts teach communication and critical thinking — skills that are always needed,” Morano said.

Ella McCoy, a DePaul junior studying sociology, agrees that liberal arts degrees teach important reasoning skills. 

“I have learned to never take what I see at face value and ask questions,” she said.

I can confidently say that my degree has already taught me invaluable skills. My English classes have taught me how to read between the lines and notice subtext in art. I have learned effective communication through workshopping my writing with peers. College has broadened my worldview and introduced me to many topics I never would have learned about otherwise.

Morano said she sees some liberal arts students struggling to find jobs right out of college, but noted that they eventually catch up.

More than anything, she feels it is important for students to pursue what they love and surround themselves with the things that make them happy.

“If you don’t do what you love, you are setting yourself up for an unhappy life,” she said.

I have certainly stressed about finding a job once I graduate. But I know I would rather struggle doing what I love than find myself stuck in a job I hate. 

While there may not be a set path, I find it exciting knowing there are many different fields I could potentially go into with my degree. An article published by Indeed highlights common jobs people with English degrees pursue, which include roles like teacher, editor, technical writer and paralegal.

The skills a liberal arts degree can grant you seem even more important right now as concerns grow about media and digital literacy in the age of AI. A 2022 study by Media Literacy Now reports that only 38% of participants were taught how to analyze media messaging in high school.

The decline of media literacy skills means it is more important than ever that people take classes where they engage with different forms of media and learn to analyze them critically.  

Morano said that, although her students are good critical readers, she is “very concerned about the population at large right now.” She worries that they’re not reading enough, especially literature.

“Reading builds empathy in a way that other art forms don’t,” Morano said. “The decline in reading in this country is a very concerning sign for empathy and compassion.”

McCoy, the DePaul student, also works as a peer writing tutor at DePaul’s Writing Center. As a tutor, she has noticed that the increase in the use of AI has harmed students’ writing and media literacy skills.

“One of the larger gaps we have noticed is reading comprehension,” she said. “People will come into the Writing Center not really knowing much about what they have been asked to write about.”

Beyond the decline in important skills, doing what you’re passionate about means you will be motivated and perform better at work. 

Writing and literature fills me with such joy. I have loved writing for as long as I can remember. From the time I learned to write, I have been scribbling little stories for my family and creating characters in my head. I honestly can’t imagine doing anything else. 

So, I think you should do what you love. We will always need artists and thinkers. 

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