Careers

Increasingly, employers are seeking graduates who can be flexible in their outlook, have some context in the environment in which they work, and who are capable of reasoned and critical anaysis.

Liberal Arts graduates are able to research, have superior writing skills and can think and speak on their feet. They are trained in logical and analytical thought and have superior commuinication and group work skills.

According to Rice University in the United States, here are the Top 21 careers for Liberal Arts Majors (in alphabetical order)

Advertising

Consulting

Environment

Film and Television

Government

Human resources

Human Services/Non profit management

International Business

Investment banking

Journalism

Legal/Paralegal

Library and Information Science

Marketing and Sales

Museums

Physical Sciences

Public Policy

Publishing

Research/ Health Care

Sports Management and Recreation

Teaching

Technical Writing

Typical careers based on a Liberal Arts in Australia are in communication and media, teaching in schools, TAFE and University when combined with a postgraduate teaching qualification, church and faith-based work, politics, government and administrative work, social services, writing, editing and publishing, advertising, public relations, research and policy writing both in the public service and in industry. Click here for suggested pathways to these careers.

Many, many people have followed this path to a career and in many cases have become leaders of their communities. They chose to do something they love and in so doing, rose to the top of their profession.

Look at this list of graduates from the Liberal Arts:

• John Paul ll, Pontiff, Philosophy and Theology
• Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia, History and Languages, Australian National University
• John Anderson, Former Leader of the National Party and Deputy PM, B Arts and M Arts, University of Sydney
• Al Gore, Climate Change campaigner, Religion and Philosophy, Harvard College
• Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize winning author, B Arts, Sydney University
• Martin Luther King, Reformer, Theology, Morehouse College
• Bob Carr, ex-Premier of NSW, B Arts (Hons) University of New South Wales
• Jana Wendt, Journalist, Philosophy and Languages, University of Melbourne
• Charles Merrill, Merrill Lynch and Company, Amherst College
• Goh Chok Tong, ex-Prime Minister of Singapore, Williams College
• Edson Spence, Chairman, Honeywell, Williams College
• Edward Prescott, Nobel Laureate (2005), Mathematics, Swathmore College
• Jerome Kohlberg, Billionaire, Founder, Kohlberg, Kravis and Roberts, Swathmore Colege
• Mary Schroeder, Chief Judge, US Court of Appeal, Swathmore College
• Lisa Kudrow, Actress, Vasser College
• Geraldine Langbourne, CEO Oxygen Media, Vasser College
• Barbara Cassini, Leader, London Olympic Bid 2012, Holyoake College
• Jonathan Gay, Creator, Flash Software, Bowdoin College
• Sally Dundan, VP of Finance, JP Morgan, Holyoake College

Campion has compiled at list of companies who regularly seek Arts graduates to employ. Click here for a list of firms who attend the Sydney University Graduate Careers days to seek graduates in the Arts.

Big business is also seeking people who have Liberal Arts qualifications. Click here to read David Murray's recent comments about the type of person needed by the Commonwealth Bank. David Murray is the former head of the Commonwealth Bank.

Students who are not yet ready to commit to a particular career should consider the Liberal Arts as a foundation degree which will allow them to reflect on what they really wish to pursue in life before then heading into the workforce or undertaking post-graduate vocational training. Campion College will be investigating the provision of such training in education, business and communication in the future.