STEM vs Humanities: Why you need them all
For such a long time, students have classified themselves either as STEM-based, with a greater affinity for analytical thinking, problem-solving and principles over theories, or humanities and arts-centred, preferring long pieces of writing and discussion. To say that these categorisations are wrong and outdated is false because everyone has their preferences, particularly when it comes to education. However, these classes shouldn’t be as rigid as they once were. This article will show why you should consider learning more about interdisciplinarity and how STEM and humanities subjects come together in the real world.
STEM and humanities subjects are integral parts of a well-rounded education and an understanding of the methodologies of both show different approaches and perspectives to one problem. Students who prefer STEM subjects, either through passion or ease, often view problems as having a singular correct answer with a logical and decisive way of getting there. Speaking from experience, we prefer when there’s a definite answer. But being able to move across from numeric analysis to verbal reasoning dilemmas helps to cultivate critical thinking and social awareness gained from humanities-based methodologies.
It may be difficult to move outside of the academic box you find yourself in during GCSEs or A-Levels due to the feeling that your course/subject combination will dictate your choices of university degrees. You might often hear that you need A-Levels in maths and physics, or English and geography to pursue a particular career, but the world of education is changing and new opportunities are emerging. There are courses like History and Economics, Physics and Philosophy and Liberal Arts and Sciences that combine disciplines to show a holistic approach to education and societal impacts. The academic curriculum is not perfect and because of this might be harder to see that there are so many possibilities that can suit all of your interests.
We’re now in an evolving job market where some would argue that it’s better to be a generalist as opposed to a specialist. A generalist still has the knowledge and expertise to give their input on a subject matter, but they are also able to communicate across different fields and disciplines and bridge the gaps between individual specialists. Career considerations often play a big role when choosing what subjects to study. Sometimes when you are dead-set on a career path, you might find yourself shutting out opportunities that could expand your reach. For example, some students who are intent on pursuing a law career will often be told that they need English and history, but there is also a route to Law through the Sciences, Economics and more. Pfizer and Apple need lawyers too! Employers are looking for individuals with a range of talents and the ability to contribute across the required spectrum because it’s more economically viable to hire one individual who can provide multiple services. The emphasis is on how you utilise the hard skills from your favoured subjects and make them applicable to different situations so that you are able to tackle complex scenarios and adapt to evolving industries.
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Written by O. Okolo