Bachelor of
Liberal Studies

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Employment Opportunities

Though not designed as a vocational program (see Liberal Studies and the Liberal Arts), Liberal  Studies provides mature students with opportunities for professional advancement as well as personal enrichment. Employers and graduate schools are generally more concerned with the appropriateness of the courses completed and a student's performance in those courses than with a particular degree label.  In other words, most employers hire individuals based upon their skills and experiences, not their particular majors.

Employers often seek broadly educated individuals (particularly those who already have extensive work experience) for managerial or administrative positions.   Liberal Studies graduates are employed in practically all fields, including business, education, public administration, public relations, sales, and social service.   A significant number of graduates continue in graduate programs in such diverse fields as business, counseling, education, law, medicine, ministry, and social work.

Although they possess many of the skills that employers are looking for, Liberal Studies students often need guidance in how to market those skills effectively to gain the attention of potential employers.  Indeed, the value of a liberal arts degree depends, in part, on how much its holder is willing to work to make it marketable.   Good jobs are out there, but liberal arts graduates must usually work a little harder than technical majors to find them.  

AASU's Office of Career Services (in the Division of Student Affairs, located on the second floor of the Memorial Student Center) can help you develop a personal marketing plan.  In addition, you may want to investigate some of the additional resources recommended below.

What jobs and careers are available for
General Studies graduates?

Advice for Liberal Arts Graduates
Jobs & Careers in Liberal Arts
Jobs and/or Careers for Liberal Arts Majors
Jobs for Liberal Arts Graduates (commercial site)
"A Liberal Arts Education in the Business World"
"Liberal Arts Education More Important Than Ever"
Liberal Arts Graduates and School Teaching
"Liberal Arts Is Slang for Job Skills"
"Liberal Arts: Pathway to Brilliant Careers"
"Selling Your Liberal Arts Degree to Employers"
What You Can Do with a General Studies Degree




What books might help me to find a
rewarding job and chart a career plan?

    
"Written especially for students who major in the liberal arts, Great Jobs for the Liberal Arts Major (1997) provides the reader with the statistics, sources, inside information, networking techniques, sample resumes, and job descriptions they need to execute a targeted and effective search. All of the most common career paths for liberal arts majors are discussed, including teaching, corporate communications, media, advertising, marketing and sales, the helping professions, and the law."   Available from Barnes & Noble online.


"Graduating in liberal arts? You're better prepared for the job market than you may realize.  Corporations today are looking for employees who can see the big picture, whose broad field of study has trained them to understand and think critically about people, cultures and society. In short, liberal arts majors!  . . .  The Liberal Arts Advantage (1998), by Gregory Giangrande, gives you an insiders' look at specific opportunities for liberal arts graduates in publishing, broadcasting, journalism, advertising, and other industries and shows you how to target your job search for the exact career that's right for you.  What kinds of positions are available in a particular business?  What can you expect to earn? What about the corporate culture, the typical work week, the prospects for advancement?  Get all the answers, learn all the strategies, and much much more."  Available from Amazon.com.


Peterson's Liberal Arts Jobs : The Guide That Turns Learning into Earning (3rd ed, 1998), by Burton Jay Nadler, "speaks directly to those with liberal arts degrees, presenting both the vast career and job options that their background allows them to pursue and the tools necessary to focus their search. Over 300 jobs are reviewed and described."
Available from Amazon.com.

Other job and career guides:

150 Best Companies for Liberal Arts Graduates: Where to Get a Winning Job in Tough Times (1992), Cheryl Woodruff and Greg Ptacek.

What Color Is Your Parachute: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers (2000), by Richard Bolles




Where can I find more information about graduate
programs for General Studies majors?

Association of Graduate Liberal Studies Programs

Gradschools.com

Jobweb: Graduate & Professional Schools

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e-mail: richard_nordquist@armstrong.edu  03 Jul 2008