Online Humanities Courses and Degrees

What do humanities courses entail? What is Humanities? Humanities are also referred to as social sciences. Humanities degrees are liberal arts.

Humanities is defined as branches of learning with a primarily a cultural character. This includes courses in literature, languages, art, music, philosophy, and religion. Humanities degree programs also include: classical studies, art history, liberal arts, English, history, modern languages, philosophy, religious studies and creative writing. In the humanities degree program you study all aspects of society including past events, present events, and human behavior. The degree in humanities is also focused on helping students improve on communication skills, research skills, writing skills, critical thinking skills, reading skills, and analysis skills. Because humanities degrees are broad, your particular area of study should match your own personal characteristics and interests. Being open-minded and adaptable is important to succeeding in the study of humanities.

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Selected Online Humanities Degree Programs

University of Phoenix

• AA in Communications
• AA in General Studies

Strayer University - Campus and Strayer University Online

• AA - General Studies

Walden University

• B.S. in Communication
• B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies

Kaplan University

• B.S. in Liberal Studies

Grand Canyon University

• BA in History

Grantham University

• AS - General Studies
• BS - General Studies

Humanities Education and Training

More associate's degrees are earned in humanities than in any other area. Humanities courses are designed for students with broad interests. The courses can be completed by taking courses in art, drama, languages, literature, music and philosophy. The program is designed to prepare students to transfer college credits to bachelor’s degree programs in areas like literature, in communications, music and other areas

The bachelor of arts in humanities introduces students to perspectives on human behavior, thought, and values topics and courses in the humanities and arts. The goal is to develop students’ communication, writing, problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

The humanities degree is ideal for those who are looking to broaden their cultural awareness and critical thinking skills. In most humanities courses, students have the flexibility to develop their own program of study that best suits their career goals. Areas of study include: African-American studies, American studies, European studies, and Asian studies. A bachelor of arts in humanities usually leads to graduate studies and careers in business, medicine, law, and teaching.

Those with a master's degree in humanities can work in various positions including teaching at community colleges. A masters degree in humanities includes studies toward a Master of Arts and a Master of Fine Arts. The Doctoral Degree in Humanities is necessary for positions in research and teaching in higher education and area academic positions.

Careers in Humanities

What can you do with a Major in Humanities? Career options for graduates of with a humanities degree program are virtually limitless. Humanities careers are available in many areas for example policy, research, and marketing. In addition, many jobs in are a good option for those graduates who are well rounded in their studies and professional experiences.

Positions for those who have completed humanities courses include working in health and social welfare occupations, commercial, professional and managerial positions for example accounting, and marketing. Graduates also work in administration, information work, sales, teaching, and media relations.

Some popular choices for humanities majors include: Advertising, Foreign Service, Journalism, Law, Public administration, Publishing, Teaching, Languages, Museum curatorship, Public Relations, Library administration, and Religion. Specific positions may include: Author, Journalism, Grant Writing, Negotiation, Copywriter, Interpreter, Translator, Philologist, Conservator, and Archivist.

In all these positions, certain skills are necessary for succeeding in the career. These skills, learned in humanities courses, are:

• The ability to write and communicate well in a variety of styles
• The ability to be organized and being able to meet deadlines
• Being able to convey intended meaning precisely
• Being able to summarize, argue and debate
• The ability to research, select, analyze, organize and present information as required
• The ability to think logically
• Ability to view the world through a variety of perspectives
• Ability to have unique problem solving abilities
• Ability to quickly understand and analyze materials and information
• Flexibility and understanding of information technology
• Ability to adapt to a variety of situations and challenges
• A balanced point of view with an understanding of important issues
• Ability to view problems or subject from an objective perspective

Expected Salary and Projected Career Growth

The careers that are held by humanities degree holders vary in terms of income earned. Some entry-level business positions pay $25,000 to $30,000. More experienced professionals, depending on their field, can earn well over $100,000 per year. Most salaries, however, range from $40,000 to $75,000 a year.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), librarians at postsecondary earn a median salary of around $55,180 annually. Payscale.com reports that art, theatre and music teachers earn average salaries ranging between $29,277and $54,848 while college professors teaching in philosophy or theology earned between $40,000 and $70,000. Hence as you can see humanities courses offer broad options for academic and professional development.

Online humanities courses and liberal arts math degree programs