Whether it be journalists, artists, activists, teachers or filmmakers, each position holds the value of making sure our society does not lose its humanity.
“So you’ve chosen to study the humanities… Why?” The dreaded question, followed by insurmountable doubt. In today’s world, there is no simple answer. With the lack of support given to the liberal arts and their decreasing value, it’s easy for one to overlook the importance of being an arts student. Unfortunately, this has become a worldwide phenomenon, fuelled by a fear of instability and ignorance of the benefits of an arts degree. However, as an English, Film, and Drama student myself, let me tell you why I think studying the humanities is the best use of 3 to 4 years of your life, now more than ever.
In a world full of economic uncertainty, the pressure to climb up the corporate ladder has been crushing. A study conducted by The Guardian notes a 22% decline in GCSE students who took a humanities course between 2003 and 2022. Lower enrollment often leads to lower funding, leaving some students to bear with fewer educational resources than their peers. Arts programs and language degrees are facing significant budget cuts. In Canada, as noted by The McGill Daily, a $45 million (CAD) budget cut will be made from the university’s 2025/2026 budget, with most of these cuts being allocated to the humanities.
The lack of credit given to humanities degrees has made them susceptible to attack, much like the dismantling of the National Endowment for the Arts, a funding program for education in the arts, by Trump’s administration. In Ireland, specifically, the housing crisis, cost of living crisis, and dangers of a recession have students quick to reject their passions, talents, and interests in the arts to opt for a safer and more stable educational route.
The budget cuts and statistics may seem scary, but you’ve come to the right place. While UCD may stick us in the dark and morbid halls of Newman, they have not given up on us, humanities students. The Creative Futures Academy is a revolutionary € 10 million project, funded by the Higher Education Authority, to support and nurture the imaginative thinkers of some of Dublin’s most creative institutions: IADT, NCAD, and our very own UCD. It is through government recognition and funding that the arts will last and become more accessible.
However, the decline in appeal for the humanities is not just financial. There is a growing sense of shame among arts students, who often feel as though their degree is less impactful or essential in the world. However, in this current war on the arts and pushback towards the media, it is our field of study and the creatives these degrees produce that hold the key to finding solutions to these problems.
For example, while AI may be an “easy replacement” for artists and writers, there has been a revolt against the dull, impersonal and dispassionate media generated, a fear of the formulaic. It is the duty of creative thinkers and talented youth to become the ruthless soldiers combating unoriginal and dissociative content production.
Another example of this is the media crisis that is taking over the world, whether it be censorship, misinformation, or a general lack of media literacy. Expression and the ability to express are crucial in the way society functions. It is once again the job of artists, writers, and the media to keep creating and voicing opinions and judgments.
So why study the liberal arts? Our degrees equip us with the ability to think critically about humanity and how we choose to represent it. Whether it be the journalists, the artists, the activists, the teachers or the filmmakers, each position holds the value of making sure our society does not lose its humanity. While some study the how and why of our existence, the arts and humanities are what we exist for. So please, I urge you to let go of the sense of shame, the fear of unemployment, and the strange looks your parents give you when you tell them you are proud to be an arts and humanities student, in a time when you are needed more than ever!
Sophie Gliott – Arts and Lifestyle Editor