The Importance of Humanities in Universities

In requiring students to take courses in the humanities, Robert Morris University has made a courageous stand. In times of economic crisis like the one we face today; humanities can be viewed as extraneous. But as one scholar recently put it, humanities explore, “what it means to be a human being” (Cohen). Focusing on intellectual development alone doesn't always translate to using learned skills in real-life applications.

Studying humanities also teaches us how to be independent, and function without the aid of teachers, lectures, books, and notes. Stanford University's website argues that humanities help us to "think creatively and critically, to reason, and to ask questions." This, in turn, helps us to make sense of the world around us, be more productive members of society, offer humanitarian assistance to improve the lives of others, and even consider how to make history ourselves. For example, if we consider how a work of literature was created, we might take into account what was going on historically at that time, what the artist went through in his/her personal life, and how their culture shaped their view of the world. I can easily see myself being transformed emotionally and mentally as a result and have been in the past.

Humanities teach us to understand our lives as humans, to tolerate those we don't immediately know or understand, and to build a better world. Universities requiring humanities courses clearly intend for that tradition to continue, and for our minds to not just be used for practical purposes. Sometimes, it's balancing the practical with the creative that yields the best solutions to real-life issues. Just ask Steve Jobs.

Works Cited

Cohen, Patricia. "In Tough Times, Humanities Must Justify Their Worth." The New York Times, 24 Feb. 2009. Accessed 3 Mar. 2014.

"Humanities at Stanford." Why Are the Humanities Important? N.d. Accessed 3 Mar. 2014.