Building a Thriving Humanities Program

The gloomy news about the humanities is no secret: The field has been struggling since long before President Trump's administration put higher education on the defensive.

What is less well known is the array of initiatives that many colleges are undertaking to woo students to the humanities – and the success those colleges have had.  Innovative institutions are demonstrating the value of the field for student wellbeing, persistence to graduation, and flourishing careers. That's the kind of success that can help colleges showcase the value of what they do.

This report examines robust and growing humanities programs at both four-year and two-year colleges and describes how they've achieved their success.

Readers will be able to:

• Better interpret and explain the data on humanities enrollments.
• Communicate how successful humanities programs have built student interest.
• Describe how humanities study contributes to student success.
• Translate skills learned in humanities courses into attributes employers seek.
• Understand the obstacles to expanding the humanities and envision solutions.

Date: April 2025
Pages: 64
Digital file size:  15.0 MB

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