Careers in Humanities and Social Sciences
Career Readiness Begins in Class
At UNC career readiness begins in the class and extends into the workforce experiences that build student skills and applied knowledge. The College of Humanities and Social Sciences embeds career education into course instruction, offering students relevant learning experiences that translate into meaningful careers after college.
Career Relevant Courses
Classes are taught by expert instructors, like Professor of Geography and GIS Jim Doerner, PhD. Professor Doerner instructs Introduction to Drones, which exposes students to the fundamental concepts and geo-spatial use of drones.
In addition to learning the content needed to pass the FAA test to become certified as a commercial drone pilot, students gain skills for a variety of industries — Doerner quotes a projection that by 2025, there will be 100,000 new jobs in the unmanned aircraft industry.
Learning Outcomes
Students across Humanities and Social Sciences graduate having accomplished concrete learning outcomes that are transferrable across professions and industries. In addition to discipline-specific learning outcomes in your area of study, you will gain:
Effective written and verbal communication skills for a variety of contexts and using a variety of technologies
The ability to research, appropriately contextualize, and analyze complex problems and data sets
Project planning and management as well as team-working skills
A mindset that is solutions-driven and culturally sensitive
Empathetic and ethical decision-making skills
The ability to adapt your skills to new circumstances and environments
Instructional and Industry Leaders
Humanities and Social Sciences courses are taught by leaders in their instructional fields. Faculty like Jonathan Alcantar, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Chair of Chicana/o and Latinx Studies. Professor Alcantar’s expertise includes Latin American Literature, Cultural Studies and language proficiency in English, Portuguese and Spanish.
Complementing faculty instruction, students have exposure to industry, community and business leaders who frequently guest lecture in classes. Often, guest speakers are program alumni who help students see the career applications of course work and college experiences.
A Strong Career Outlook
Connect with the Center for Career Readiness to explore growing and emerging career pathways that utilize your Humanities and Social Sciences education. You will find growing demand for graduates in our fields of study and professional opportunities of interest.
Anthropology
Career Focus: Anthropologist
19% regional job growth through 2030
17.58% national job growth through 2030
Criminology and Criminal Justice
Career Focus: Law Enforcement Officers
21.3% regional job growth through 2030
20.5% national job growth through 2030
Economics
Career Focus: Economist
28.3% regional job growth through 2030
27.3% national job growth through 2030
Geography
Career Focus: Urban Planner
19% regional job growth through 2030
17.5% national job growth through 2030
Journalism and Media Studies
Career Focus: Producers and Directors
25% regional job growth through 2030
24.2% national job growth through 2030
Political Science
Career Focus: Political Strategist
20.1% regional job growth through 2030
19.4% national job growth through 2030
*Employment projects based on Emsi labor market reports.
