STEM superiority complex: I'm studying A Levels and it is time to end academic snobbery towards humanities, arts and music

When I tell people the A Levels I study (History, Politics and English Literature), I rarely receive a notable reaction. When overhearing my STEM friends answer the same question, they often receive a ‘wow’ or grimaces due to the subjects’ difficulty.

The benefits of studying humanities subjects go unnoticed, perhaps explaining the dramatic difference in the number of students taking humanities vs STEM subjects recently. According to finder.com, 101,230 studied Mathematics A Level in 2024 compared to 36,650 English Literature students. Music is one of the least popular A Levels with only 5,005 studying it.

It’s time that we challenge outdated stereotypes about the humanities and instead encourage people to study these fascinating subjects.

A study in 2023 by Oxford University highlights the value of humanities. It claimed interviewers found transferrable traits in humanities’ graduates including critical thinking, creative problem solving and an ability to synthesise and present complex information. Professor Dan Grimley, Head of Humanities at Oxford University, said this report showed ‘’that the skills and experiences conferred by studying a humanities subject can transform their working life, their life as a whole and the world around them’’.

In fact, a humanities degree can be the pathway to a range of different career options. 21% of Oxford humanities graduates entered the business sector and 13% in the creative sector. Clearly many successful individuals recognise the value of humanities. Former Avon CEO and longest-serving female chief executive in the Fortune 500, Andrea Jung, received a BA in English at Princeton University. Recognising their importance, Steve Jobs, Apple co-founder said: ‘’It is in Apples’ DNA that technology alone is not enough – it’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the results that make our heart sing’’.

In addition to their benefits being overlooked, these subjects are also highly underestimated and simplified. Let’s take history, since that is what I hope to study at university. It is far more than being stuck in the past – it lays foundations for understanding our modern day world. Essentially it underpins our knowledge of everything: our government, the music we listen to, books we read, scientific developments – the list goes on.

Skipton Girls’ High School Humanities scholar Mrs Fox sums it up nicely: “The studying of humanities for me, a lifelong arts and humanities champion, is a means by which the students I teach can understand their place as political, confident and opinionated citizens of the world. I cannot underestimate the joy it is to teach students who read copiously, challenge dominant voices and think considerably and considerately.” My own advice to those who are wondering what they are going to continue studying is to do what you enjoy. Students shouldn’t make decisions based on outdated clichés about subjects or statistics on potential future salaries. In the end it’s about embracing the subject you’re passionate about and sticking to it. We need to destigmatise taking humanities subjects and instead, appreciate their value that is too often overlooked.