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A Pseudo-Manifesto for Liberal Arts Students: your Degree + the Digital

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Little freshman me, coordinating a virtual / in-person meeting in my dorm hall.
I graduate this upcoming August. Maybe it's because my looming graduation has made me sentimental or reality is hitting me that I am entering a new phase--either way, I am feeling nostalgic, reflecting on my liberal arts education and how it has prepared me for the "real world". 

I am an English major. When I first began my university education, I applied for the English program because:
  • I love reading novels 
  • I love writing poetry
  • I love talking philosophy
My reasons look an awful lot like hobbies, and for the most part, they are. The professional world does not give you a job because you like to read books or you can write a sonnet. So what can an English degree offer someone looking to enter the professional world? *cue me questioning the past 3 years of my life*

I contemplated switching majors plenty of times, but I stuck with my English major because:
  • It taught me how to be a critical thinker
  • It taught me how to better communicate
  • It taught me how to understand "otherness"
These skills are crucial to success in the professional world where we constantly engage in analysis, collaboration, and novelty. I honestly believe I am a better person because of my liberal arts education in addition to feeling prepared for the "real world". My only complaint about my English major experience and liberal arts education is the lack of exposure to the digital world and its relevance to any future professions.

Let me give an example. In order to graduate with an English degree from Brigham Young University, you must complete something called English+, defined by the BYU English department as "an initiative to help English students discover how their academic skills can translate to life beyond the academy." Here is the department’s list of competencies taught by the English+ program:

·       Presenting yourself professionally
·       Managing projects
·       Building cultural competence
·       Cultivating successful professional relationships (networking)
·       Working collaboratively
·       Communicating effectively
·       Harnessing and synthesizing evidence

Important stuff, sure! Now let’s take a look at the English department’s internship page. The following lists of qualifications and/or responsibilities come from internships listed on the department’s internship page within the past month. 


Now look back at the list of professional competencies listed on the BYU English+ page. Notice something missing? There is no digital competency included yet many if not most of the internships listed on BYU's English internship page call for digital application of English competencies and familiarity with web content platforms. 

Sure, English majors can write and research well, but do they know how to publish writing online? How to format blog posts versus podcasts? How to analyze digital resources and compile data using web analytics?

I think the English+ program needs to add another competency to their list (and to the English curriculum as a whole). Mastering the digital workspace.

Selective Focus Photography of Woman Using Macbook Pro
Back to my looming graduation and collegiate reminiscing. I count myself lucky to have interned early on as a blog writer, learning some of the nuances for online content versus academic writing. I also got the random job of teaching computer programs to senior citizens which gave me a leg up in the technology realm. And I've had a few classes and professors that have emphasized the need for digital competency, teaching me how to research effectively and engage with the digital                                                                   world.

Honestly though? I don't think it was enough, and I'm realizing now there is a lot I need to learn about the digital world in order to be successful with my degree in the professional world. Thankfully, we can learn so much about applied digital communications like content writing and social media marketing by just googling questions or watching YouTube videos. 

All liberal arts students should at least be aware of the digital competencies necessary for finding a job after graduation. I would have said "except teaching majors or academia students" but with everything going on with COVID-19, social distancing, and virtual school, I think it's easy to say we ALL could benefit from greater digital competency.

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