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Start the adventure of a lifetime. Gain the strengths you need to succeed at anything – even jobs that have not been invented yet.

When you study writing, world languages, history, philosophy, religious studies, film and media, literature, narrative studies, creative writing, fine arts, linguistics and more, you prepare yourself to thrive no matter what the future holds.

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Two students sit at the fountain in front of Old Maine on ASU's Tempe campus.

At the forefront of humanities studies.

Faculty and students in ASU Humanities are leading the way with compassion, creativity and connectedness.

No. 15 in humanities

according to the National Science Foundation Higher Education Research and Development survey.

MA in World War II studies,

the only program built in partnership with the National World War II Museum.

Home of RaceB4Race,

recognized for its unprecedented, field-changing scholarship on issues of race in premodern literature, history and culture.

A cross-humanities degree

in culture, technology and environment.

Award-winning faculty

including Pulitzer, Guggenheim, MacArthur and British and American Academy honors.

Over 20 language programs,

more than any other public university in Arizona and a leader among competitors across the country.

Humanities myths, busted.

Through the humanities, you'll gain everything you need to build a rewarding career, a satisfying life and a better world. We’ve disproven some common humanities myths to show just what you can do with a degree from ASU Humanities.

Myth 1: Humanities majors can't get a job in today’s job market.

Not only do humanities graduates succeed in a variety of professions, including technology, business, health care and policy, but humanities graduates are employed at rates comparable to other majors. The unemployment rate for humanities majors is 2.13%, while the average for other degree types is 2.17%.

Myth 2: Humanities courses do not provide the technical skills I need for a career.

In your courses, you will hone skills that are highly sought after by hiring managers and employers. According to the Association of American Colleges and Universities, 90% of hiring managers prioritize oral communication, 87% prioritize ethical judgment, 84% prioritize critical thinking and analytic reasoning and 78% prioritize written communication.

Myth 3: You can only become a professor or writer with a humanities degree.

The opportunities are endless. ASU Humanities alumni have gone on to work in various career fields:

Hannah J. is a policy advisor.
Phillip P. is a venture capitalist.
Amanda V. is a public affairs manager at Waymo.
Thomas S. is a NASA employee.

Myth 4: Technology will replace humanities jobs.

According to Cisco and Oxford Economics, there will be a 38% predicted net increase in proficiencies needed for critical thinking and creative tasks by 2027. Human skills such as empathy, communication, problem-solving and strategic decision-making prepare job seekers for a future of rapid change.

“The question to ask is, 'What kind of training can make it so that I’m capable of going from job to job?' And I think humanities are really well situated to enable anyone to get the skills they need for a shifting career landscape,” said Jeffrey Cohen, dean of humanities at The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

“The humanities are at the core of what we do. Who are we? Where did we come from? How do we create? These are all questions the humanities ask. …

What we have tried to do at ASU is to empower our humanists to be maximally creative. And there’s a lot of things I’m hopeful we’ll still be able to do, new areas of philosophy and new areas of religious studies and new areas of historical studies and new ways of communicating about all of the complexities of the human spirit.”

Michael M. Crow
President, Arizona State University

More ASU Humanities in the news.

The human adventure across time, culture and place