What can I do with a humanities degree?

If you're studying for a humanities degree (such as English Literature, Geography or Philosophy), you probably chose your course because you enjoy the subject. Unlike vocational degrees (like Engineering or Nursing), there’s no set career path for after your studies. For some, that’s scary. But for others, it’s exciting. Your degree will give you the skills that employers in all kinds of sectors are looking for. It’s up to you which route you take!

Having a humanities degree shows that you’re hard-working, creative and enthusiastic. So, what employer wouldn’t want a humanities grad? Arguably, the hardest part is narrowing down your options.

To help you work out what to do with your humanities degree, we’ll outline the skills you’ll have and the jobs that suit them.

We’ll cover:

• Humanities degree skills
• Humanities degree jobs in:
  • Banking and finance
  • Consulting
  • Law
  • Marketing, media and PR
  • Publishing and journalism
  • Public sector and charity
  • Consumer, FMCG and retail
  • Education and teaching
  • Entrepreneurship

You learn so much more at university than your subject. Sure, if you’ve studied Art History, you’ll know your Dalí from your Duchamp. But you’ll also have learned skills employers value – whether you realise it or not. So, it doesn’t matter if you don’t curate galleries, you’ll still use your degree.

Take a second to think through the employability skills we’ve listed below. You’ll be able to tick off several (if not all).

Valuable skills you’ll gain as a humanities student include:

• Reading well and digesting information
• Writing quickly and succinctly
• Being able to summarise, debate and express a point of view
• Critical thinking
• Independent working and self-motivation
• Problem-solving
• Creativity and lateral thinking
• Organisation
• Working to deadlines
• Developing your opinions
• Being confident in proposing your ideas and theories
• Research
• Presentation skills

Employers value transferable skills like these. So don't underestimate yourself when applying for roles even if the job doesn’t obviously relate to your degree.

Want to discover what you’re good at? Read our guide on how to recognise and develop your skills.

Lots of graduate opportunities don’t require a specific degree. A big chunk of grad schemes and jobs welcome humanities students. If you show an interest in a particular career (usually through work experience or extra-curricular activities), you'll have an advantage – but studying something sector-specific isn’t essential.

There are some jobs you won't be able to apply for – specifically those that require a particular degree, such as medicine, dentistry and engineering. But it's never too late to change paths. If you've had an epiphany and want to train as a vet, there's nothing to stop you from doing that. For now, though, we'll look at the humanities career options to follow in the more immediate term.

We’ll cover the following sectors:

• Banking and finance
• Consulting
• Law
• Marketing, media and PR
• Publishing and journalism
• Public sector and charity
• Consumer, FMCG and retail
• Education and teaching
• Entrepreneurship

To excel in this sector, you'll need an interest in finance – but your humanities degree won’t hold you back.

If you're ambitious and analytical, it’s worth considering the banking and finance sector. The industry has a wealth of roles, including client management, investor relations, trading and accounting. You'll find something to suit your strengths.

Find out more about the different areas with our career path guides to:

• Investment banking and assessment management
• Financial services

Want to see what jobs are out there? Browse our listings for grad jobs and schemes in financial services and investment banking and assessment management opportunities.

Lots of humanities graduates go for a career in consulting. The one thing that grads in this sector have in common? They enjoy tackling intellectual challenges – and as a consultant, that's at the heart of your role.

Find out more about consulting grad schemes and what skills employers are looking for in future consultants.

As a humanities student, you’ll be highly trained in doing your research and getting key ideas down into a simple message. That’s a skill that’s important in law, too. It’s just one of the reasons many grads consider a career in law.

Law is a humanities subject so if you’ve got a law degree, you’re already well on your way. However, you don’t need a law degree to work in the field – as long as you’re prepared for extra study. Some entry routes require a conversion course, and you’ll also need to pass professional exams to be fully qualified. But there are opportunities to gain relevant experience. So, look out for training contracts and schemes that welcome non-law students.

Legal sector employers want people with a keen intellect, a thirst for knowledge and the ability to understand the bigger picture.

Marketing, media and PR is a popular sector for humanities graduates. It offers the chance to be creative. Plus, your writing skills will come in handy.

What's more, with ever-changing technology and the digital landscape, new roles are popping up all the time. As a bright graduate, you’ve got the potential to excel here.

Another traditional career route for humanities graduates is the publishing and journalism sector. Again, you’ll use your writing abilities. Plus, employers will value your proven research and analysis skills.

If you're looking for a rewarding career, consider working in the public sector or for a charity.

As a humanities grad, you’ll have the qualities needed to excel – good teamwork, excellent communication, organisational skills and the ability to work under pressure. There’s a diverse range of roles available.

Curious about what opportunities there are? Visit our listings to scroll through roles in charity and social enterprise and grad jobs and schemes in public sector and government.

Consumer, FMCG and retail jobs let you combine your creative thinking and problem-solving skillsets. That’s one of the reasons why humanities grads are drawn to this sector – and why employers in this industry will love to see a humanities degree on an applicant’s CV.

Many humanities students picked their degree because they enjoy learning about the subject. If that was your reason, one way of keeping that passion going is to teach it. That way, you’ll inspire the next generation of writers and history buffs.

If you’re serious about becoming a teacher, look into studying for a PGCE (or PGDE in Scotland). It’s possible to get into teaching through other routes but it’s the most common way for graduates to start their education career.

Your humanities degree will impress employers. But you don’t even need an employer to succeed in your career. How? By being your own boss.

With your skills and ability to work independently, you’d be well suited to starting your own business if that’s what you want. Of course, it’s not easy. But if you’ve got an idea, now might be the right time to give it a go. If it doesn’t work out, you’ve got the option of applying for next year’s grad schemes.

As a humanities student, you’ve got a broad scope of career options open to you. Your degree provides a perfect springboard into a successful career. There are so many jobs you can do with a humanities degree. And don’t let our list limit you. Think big. Nothing is stopping you from going into a sector that you’ll love.