STEM and the Humanities

(written by Lori McCormick)

Last week I attended a college counseling conference. Over the course of the week, I visited college campuses and attended a variety of informative presentations. One presentation that stood out to me was on the topic of STEM and the Humanities. The presenters represented colleges that offer STEM majors blended with a Humanities approach.

The University of Chicago, for example, blends its core curriculum to include courses in Humanities, the Arts, Natural Sciences, Math, and Social Sciences. Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut is another college that piqued my interest. There, students pursuing Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees in Engineering also participate in the liberal arts curriculum.

Why is it important to blend STEM and Humanities? Knowing the demand for well-rounded employees in today’s workforce, colleges strive to educate students to think logically and freely on all subjects, not just their intended major. Blending soft skills into a STEM degree educates students as a whole. On the job training is common; however, being able to effectively communicate orally and in writing, and possess empathy and reasoning are skills that transfer from the classroom to the real world.

Another added perk of applying into STEM majors at liberal arts colleges is that they are sometimes, not always, direct admits, meaning there are no prerequisites nor secondary application processes to get into the STEM major of choice. With the rising demand for STEM employees and the competitive nature of acceptances into STEM-only majors, these blended degrees are worth serious consideration.