As a student pursuing a degree in journalism and communication arts, I’ve constantly had statements hurled at me like “You could be doing so much more with your college education,” “Why not major in engineering or biology?” and the ever-so-patronizing “that must be such a fun and easy major.”
I get the feeling that many people think majoring in fields such as journalism, communication and fine arts just isn’t valuable. There is an assumption that these types of degrees hold no weight after graduation and didn’t take much effort to obtain. I usually ascribe this sort of thinking to the pretentious nature of people wanting to believe the effort they contribute is more valuable than the effort of others. Yet, upon heavy reflection and observation, I realize the root of this assumption can be chalked up to innocent ignorance.
Like most of these people, before I entered college, I had no idea just how vital people majoring in these fields were. I had been taught that science, technology, engineering and mathematics were the fields most crucial for the functioning of our society. Things like theater, English, communication and art were left out of the conversation. Don’t get me wrong — an education in any of the STEM-related fields is indeed critical to society. It’s hard to imagine a world without all the scientific discoveries and technological advances from those with STEM educations. However, this doesn’t mean obtaining a degree in another field is worth any less. They are simply different.
While STEM majors are teaching people how to make an impact through science, technology and medicine, majors like communication and fine arts are teaching people how to make an impact through language, art, film, social work and education. You may create new software and technology, but how beneficial would it be without any content? Imagine a working television without any good actors, or if Steve Jobs only knew the technical aspect of creating Apple products, but had absolutely no marketing expertise. There would probably be no Apple to begin with.
Yet, the impact of an education in these fields seems to go unnoticed for a reason beyond me. Look at the contributions of people like Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, Malcolm X, Oprah Winfrey, Pablo Picasso, Leonardo Da Vinci, Robert De Niro and Quentin Tarantino. These people have either influenced us, entertained us, inspired us or changed the way we think and interact with each other. The knowledge and skills they possess are extremely valuable. Pursuing an education to gain their skill sets is just as crucial as pursuing an education to gain knowledge and skills possessed by people like Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin and Isaac Newton.
In addition to these fields being valuable to society, they also require just as much hard work and effort as other majors. Whether or not one finds the subject matter difficult, it’s all about the amount of dedication you put into it. As someone pursuing journalism and communication arts, I put long hours into writing papers, reading, completing projects and researching. A chemistry major, on the other hand, may put long hours into solving chemistry problems, online quizzes and studying for the next test. If we are both dedicated to getting the most out of our education, who’s to say which one of us is working harder?
On top of this, people with degrees in fields such as communication arts go out into a variety of careers, such as advertising, politics and law. This proves their education is applicable in many respects. So before devaluing someone’s major choice because you assume there aren’t a lot of numbers and formulas involved, consider what they are actually being educated on, and what the world would be like without it.
Pamanisha Gross ([email protected]) is a sophomore majoring in journalism and communication arts.
