• Admissions
• BRANDEIS HOME

Where Do I Go From Here?

Deborah Bial '87

Either singly or in combination with another major or with a minor, humanities students can take their skills in critical thinking, skillful analysis and written and oral expression into any arena and be of service to others and to their communities.

Brandeis graduates in the humanities have traditionally gone in many directions, from Wall Street to China, from scenes of American poverty to the developing world, from business to academia, journalism, law and public service. In doing so, they have applied and continued to develop and refine critical competencies carried away from study at Brandeis. These are competencies necessary for navigating the new and rapidly changing global world, making morally charged decisions, innovating and integrating diverse yet interconnected systems of knowledge.

The standards of literacy, imagination and flexibility embodied in the Brandeis humanities graduate is in demand today by virtually any major corporation, service organization, government agency, civil institution or university.

These competencies include:

Insight into historical change and cultural diversity
The ability to think historically about the development of human interaction enables one to comprehend moments of injustice, enlightenment and conflict between ideals.

Cultural Literacy and Language
Increasingly the ability to thrive in the modern world is predicated not only on the ability to express oneself with clarity, self-confidence and persuasive force but to do so in more than one language.

The humanities, with its rich opportunities to study foreign languages, literatures and cultures, offers special insights into a global framework that is not always English-speaking.

Practical Judgment
The modern mind, in order to be effective, must operate critically, examining issues and ideas from a multiplicity of informed perspectives. Now more than ever before, adaptability has become an essential component of effective leadership and decision-making.

Knowledge of language and literature, philosophy and religion, art and culture has become crucial to making informed judgments in the global world. This aptitude for solving problems using diverse resources is an essential skill of the 21st century.

Leadership
Students who engage in international experiences are better prepared for life, especially when knowledge of different languages and ways of life are involved.

Studies in the humanities at Brandeis are interlinked with opportunities for internships and study abroad. These experiences create supple, lively minds and they prepare Brandeis graduates to develop the skills and habits of adaptability that are essential qualities of leadership. Significantly, Barack Obama's experience in Jakarta and his knowledge of the Indonesian language — along with the global experiences of his top advisers and cabinet members — have had a profound influence on his ability to adapt, understand and lead.