Many high school students in the United States of America prepare a lot for a slot at Ivy League or other prestigious American universities. It is because even though some famous and successful entrepreneurs and company CEOs didn’t necessarily have a college diploma that helped them achieve success, a university degree in the US is almost always a ticket to a stable, well-paying job.
Although many people nowadays take up degrees that would help them land lucrative jobs in the future, courses under Humanities and Liberal Arts still make it to the five most popular degree programs in the US. These programs are best for those who want to pursue a career in research or the academe.
Education in the US is relatively expensive, so people might think that a degree in Humanities may not be the best path if you want to pay off your student loans sooner than later. On the contrary, the discipline provides massive opportunities for graduates competent and adventurous enough to take on various careers, such as journalist, historian, art curator, language coach, and more. Let’s take a look at the best schools for humanities in the United States!
Top Humanities Universities in the United States
1. New York University
New York University (NYU) was founded in 1831 and has since become the largest private university in the US. In addition to the New York campus, prospective students may also earn an NYU degree at the network’s Abu Dhabi and Shanghai campuses. Currently, New York University is an excellent school for humanities in the USA that hosts almost 54,000 students—a quarter of which are international students.
The university offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities, where students may select among three study concentrations: Art History & Visual Culture, Literature, and Creative Writing. The degree provides the necessary qualifications to secure a promising career in the field or a solid background to pursue graduate studies.
NYU also has two Master of Science programs under Humanities held online: MS in Professional Writing and MS in Translation & Interpreting. University surveys show that graduates of these programs have a 100% employability rate less than a year after graduation.
2. Stanford University
The idea of constructing Stanford University started in 1885 in memory of the late Leland Stanford Jr., who passed away due to typhoid fever the year before. The university was established primarily because his parents wanted to help other children. It officially opened in 1891 as an unorthodox university that, from the get-go, valued personal success and equal opportunities for people, regardless of religion or gender.
National and global rankings put the university among the five best universities worldwide. Today, Stanford University is one of the best universities for humanities in the US and is home to some of the most outstanding students who were admitted through its highly selective admission process. Its population consists of over 17,000 students and roughly 2,300 teaching staff—19 of whom are Nobel laureates.
Stanford University’s School of Humanities and Sciences has numerous and diverse undergraduate, Master’s, and Ph.D. programs, including Art, History, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Linguistics, Music, and more. Stanford graduates are highly valued and usually have good career prospects upon graduation.
3. University of California – Berkeley
The University of California – Berkeley (UC Berkeley) is a public university established in 1868. It currently holds the top spot among public universities worldwide and is also an excellent institution for humanities in the USA. This outstanding institution had hosted 32 Nobel Prize and four Pulitzer Prize winners among its faculty members. At present, nine Nobel Prize awardees are active members of the UC faculty.
The University’s Arts and Humanities department offers 30 majors grouped into four categories: Arts & Art-Making, Global Civilizations, Language, Literature, & Culture, and Philosophy, Rhetoric, & Religion. Prospective students may select from a list of majors and minors, and undergraduate programs from this page.
Graduates of the department can benefit from the interdisciplinary nature of the programs and find career opportunities in many areas, such as business, education, law, media, and more. Meanwhile, almost half of Humanities Major graduates were found to proceed to postgraduate school. UC Berkeley also offers students the opportunity and assistance they need to pursue a postgraduate program at the university.
4. Princeton University
Princeton University is another Ivy League School that exudes excellence just by its name. It was established in 1746, making it one of the oldest learning institutions in the US. It has since produced numerous alumni who went on to win the prestigious Nobel Prize or take active roles in politics or private and public industries locally and abroad.
Today, Princeton University is one of the best schools for humanities in the USA that has carefully selected and accommodated a little over 8,000 students enrolled under more than a hundred-degree programs. This number makes it suitable for the university to maintain an efficient 5:1 student-teacher ratio. In addition, more than half of the student population.
The Humanities Department has plenty of degree programs for prospective students to choose from, including Philosophy, History, Architecture, Music, and more. Most of the courses have undergraduate, Master’s, and Ph.D. degree offerings, allowing students to gain a more structured and higher level of education.
5. Yale University
Yale University’s long history dates back to the mid-17th century. It opened as the Collegiate School in 1701 and adopted its current name in 1718. Yale University is a member of the Ivy League and is among the most prestigious universities with a 7% acceptance rate. A fifth of its carefully selected student population comes from over 120 countries.
The university’s Humanities department delivers an exceptional humanities program in the USA and has undergraduate and postgraduate programs that utilize traditional and generation-appropriate approaches in providing basic or in-depth understanding and analysis of humanities fields, such as arts, music, literature, and philosophy. It covers areas ranging from Asian to Western and periods from ancient to contemporary.
Prospective students may select from a long list of Humanities programs offered by Yale. The university also offers students the opportunity to spend a summer in Rome, a city rich in history and culture, an ideal destination for any student majoring in Humanities.
We hope that this article on Best Universities for Humanities in the USA was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Available Programs for International Students to learn more about studying abroad!
