Students prefer to choose a degree course that they enjoy rather than pursue a programme with a career in mind, says Sunanda Rao
The top performance of Humanities students — Hansika Shukla and Karishma Arora in Class XII CBSE results 2019 (499/500) caught attention of all. It clearly indicates that Humanities students are motivated more by love of subject than money or future careers.
Though, Science and Engineering are often presented as better career choices for students than the Arts or Humanities, that’s why it is found that during the career mentoring sessions both parents and children try to show their inclination towards Science.
There are multiple factors including ability, personality, motivation as well as family and educational background, which influences the stream student, chooses for their ongoing career success. A new research has shown that the importance of the different types of motivation varies depending on the subject a student chooses.
This focus on an external goal like financial success, is an extrinsic motivation, while enjoyment is intrinsic motivation. Both are very important for career success but in different ways. Extrinsic motivation leads to better performance, while intrinsic motivation to a deeper, more thorough way of learning.
In a recent survey, it shows that students studying for different degrees differ in their level of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. We asked a sample of 500 prospective students and 800 current students at few degree and engineering colleges the reasons for their degree choice. They were asked to rate how true statements: ‘I have chosen this degree because I was always interested in this subject’ or ‘I have chosen this degree because it provides good career options’ were for them.
It is found that differences in the reasons that students of certain subject’s chosen, current and prospective engineering students rated career options as a very important reason for their choice of degree, while interest in the subject was a low one. Yet Commerce and Humanities students have shown the opposite: Students reported enjoyment factor as important in their degree choice, while career was not as important on the agenda.
Both types of motivation are important to success on the career path, both in a person’s degree and their future job. Therefore, it is necessary to have a goal to be successful in your career. It is also important to provide students with an opportunity to follow their intrinsic motivation to enjoy their studies because they will perform better at what they enjoy.
Careers are often judged by financial success - and not without a reason. In addition, graduates from arts and humanities degrees seem to make less money initially than their STEM peers. In order to make more money, one needs to strive for that — it doesn’t just come by itself.
In certain cases, external rewards like open appreciation for being on top of your class actually undermine intrinsic motivation. This might lead to a surface type of learning where students are focusing on reproducing material accurately for a test without necessarily understanding it. If people start the degree because it is enjoyable and then they tend to focus too much on external achievements, it might paradoxically make them enjoy the process of study less.
Moreover, if people are not that keen on what they are doing and just do it for the pay, they may be less likely to do a good job or they might drop out if better-paid work opportunities arise. So the key is to let people choose what they enjoy and then help them to make it into a career.
Today the employers value creativity and critical thinking as much as technical skills or training. If you have both, you are a winner.
Industries have awesome job openings for the students after getting Humanities degree.
Content Strategist: One will need a Bachelor's in Journalism to put great strategies for editorial and marketing content.
Communications Director or Manager: A Bachelor’s in Communication will prepare a student to lead the communication policy of companies and institutions.
Content Marketing Manager: Communication and Marketing go hand in hand students will need to plan the marketing content that helps companies grow.
Technical Writer or Editor: All those nights students tried to understand Shakespeare for the English Language and literature studies will pay off when students will be hired to find creative ways to make technical terms understandable. The study of Journalism, might find a job where one will not only edit, but also manage an editorial team. Following the degree in English Language & Literature, one can apply for a job where the creativity and good writing skills are used to obtain funds and financing for different projects.
International Relations: If the studies focused on a particular culture, one will have a great chance of landing jobs at embassies in other countries as a cultures specialist to understand that country’s culture and represent one's own country specialising in International Relations.
Advertising: Advertising is all about creative thinking and making people react too positively to ads. As a Humanities graduate one can bring both to the table, thanks to the study of society, culture and literature.
Teaching: If one is passionate about the subject, pass it on to others. The skills they learn in the own degree program can be taught to the next generation while one gains an academic prestige. Even more so if add a philosophical touch to the teaching style.
The writer is Founder-Director, Conccept