One of our biggest misconceptions when it comes to degrees is the idea that humanities degrees - Philosophy, English, History - are relevant for nothing but entering that subject area as a teacher. Across the UK, university governors are deciding that courses built for critical thinking, creativity, and analysis are worthless in the times of A.I. But rest assured, the increased reliance on lifeless, auto-generated essays provides a very useful entryway to positions that require the kind of objective learning these courses provide.
In 2025, third year journalism student Brenden Pap told the BBC that Kent University’s plan to save £20 million from its budget has directly led to job cuts in his department, vividly describing completion of the course, as “running into a brick wall.” As well as Journalism, Kent University announced that they are cutting six courses; Art History, Anthropology, Health and Social Care, Music and Advanced Technology, Philosophy and Religious Studies. Now, I won’t run you through the handy skills you develop from the courses because I trust that your brain thinks wider than that of a computer. What I will do is draw your attention to the fact Kent University is one of several undertaking course cuts, others including Bristol (UWE), UCL and Warwick.
I can only guess that these decisions have come about from the recent cultural shift that values more scientific, objective courses as means of not only better employment but also as symbols of intelligence. Or perhaps it's influenced more by artificial intelligence replacing the need for intellectuals who can ramble on for paragraphs but somehow never bore you.
Neither are actually true.
UCL’s Andrew Williams investigated AI competency in generating degree level essays, concluding that while it is capable, it lacks the ‘analytical rigour’ that is key in representing an in-depth understanding of the subject. As for society, an increased emphasis on STEM and mathematical degrees whilst important, don't provide the training on to approach a question or problem quite like humanities.
As worrying as it is to see companies like Amazon and Duolingo cutting jobs to use AI, along with CEOs like Alan Karp, head of software firm Palantir, harping on about how ‘AI will destroy humanities jobs’, the reality is a lot less bleak. The creative and intuitive methods you will learn on a humanities course are vital now more than ever in providing a fresh approach to the job market. My recommendation: don’t panic, forget practicality and choose a degree that interests you.