Humanities & Literature
Area of Study

Humanities & Literature

Studying literature can assist careers in writing, storytelling, TV and film, advertising, public relations, and digital humanities.

Tilt at a windmill like Don Quixote! Ride down the Mississippi with Huck Finn and Jim! Feel the emotions of heartbreak and love with the men and women in Pride and Prejudice. Sense the horrors of a slave ship, and learn caring without having to be there.

Stories can take you rare places. They can create wonder in the mind. Thinking and writing about literature—stories, poetry, drama, and film--is also a high level thinking skill. Reading tales boosts creativity.

Studying literature can assist careers in writing, storytelling, TV and film, advertising, public relations, and digital humanities. A student earning a Degree with a Designation in Literature will take such courses as Intro to Lit, Creative Writing, Children’s Literature, Ethnic Literature, Introduction to Film Art, Introduction to Theater, World Myths, and courses in art, social science, music, drama, and philosophy.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of postsecondary teachers is projected to grow 15 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. Both part-time and full-time postsecondary teachers are included in this projection.

The number of people attending postsecondary institutions is expected to grow in the next decade. Students will continue to seek higher education to gain the additional education and skills necessary to meet their career goals. As more people enter colleges and universities, more postsecondary teachers will be needed to serve these additional students. Colleges and universities are likely to hire more part-time teachers to meet this demand. In all disciplines, there is expected to be a limited number of full-time nontenure and full-time tenure positions.

However, despite expected increases in enrollment, employment growth in public colleges and universities will depend on state and local government budgets. If budgets for higher education are reduced, employment growth may be limited.

Overall employment of postsecondary teachers is projected to increase, but it will vary by field. For example, employment of health specialties teachers is projected to grow 26 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. As an aging population increasingly demands healthcare services, additional postsecondary teachers are expected to be needed to help educate the workers who will provide these services.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of high school teachers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as average for all occupations. Rising student enrollment should increase demand for high school teachers, but employment growth will vary by region.

Employment growth for public high school teachers may depend on state and local government budgets. If state and local governments experience budget deficits, school boards may lay off employees, including teachers. As a result, employment growth of high school teachers may be reduced by state and local government budget deficits. Conversely, budget surpluses at the state and local level could lead to additional employment growth for high school teachers.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the median annual wage for postsecondary teachers was $79,640 in May 2021.The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the median annual wage for high school teachers was $61,820 in May 2021.