The need to prepare students for college or career has become a mantra, but I maintain that empirical evidence reveals nuances given short shrift.
According to a new report, Harvard University, long considered the most prestigious of this country's institutions of higher learning, is attracting fewer undergraduates for its humanities division because the value of a degree in the field is questionable in today's job market ("Humanities Fall From Favor," The Wall Street Journal, Jun. 6). Humanities majors there have fallen from 36 percent in 1954 to 20 percent in 2012.
Harvard is not alone. Across the country, 7 percent of college graduates majored in the humanities in 2010, compared with 14 percent in 1966. The unemployment rate broken down by majors is most likely responsible. For example, nationwide it was 9.8 percent for English majors, compared with 5.8 percent for chemistry majors.
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