Quick, make a choice between the two:
Option A: Reading, writing, sketching, debating, and learning…
Option B: Applying logic and solving problems.
Finding it hard to choose?
Are you in a situation where you feel that you would like to take up the humanities stream because it offers you subjects like History, Political Science, Psychology, Literature, Fine Arts, etc., but on the other hand, you cannot get over Mathematics and Economics? Fret not!
You can have the best of both worlds.
Mathematics is not only a science student’s game. As a humanities student, you too can benefit from the logical, analytical, and problem-solving skills that Maths helps to inculcate.
Students like you, can pick up a unique combination of humanities with Mathematics.
This combination will not only satisfy a need to explore contrasting fields, but will also open the gateway to a number of courses that are not possible without this combination (for instance, Economics Hons.)
A lot of students are intrigued by a Humanities with Maths combination, and wonder if it would benefit them or not.
The following are the major reasons to take up Humanities with Maths:
- A majority of entrance exams (both Indian and Foreign) test quantitative/analytical aptitude.
- A few career options cannot be pursued without Mathematics.
- There are many alternate/new-age career options where Mathematics proves useful.
Let’s look at these reasons in detail, one-by-one.
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1. Quantitative and Analytical Aptitudes are Tested in Many Major Exams
This holds true for exams conducted at both Indian and overseas universities. Let’s consider two different scenarios here.
Entrance Exams for Indian Universities
Let’s consider the most common careers that are pursued after choosing Humanities, such as Law, Mass Communication, Hotel Management, Design, etc. Now, here Maths is not a core part of the course syllabus nor is it an eligibility criterion to pursue these degrees. Yet, quantitative aptitude is an integral part to get through the top colleges offering these courses.
Examples of some common exams are: CLAT and AILET (Law entrance exams), NCHMCT JEE and IIHM eCHAT (Hotel Management exams), NID DAT and UCEED (Design exams).
While you can surely crack these entrance exams without studying Maths till class 12th, you will get an edge because you will stay in touch with Mathematics and numbers for a longer time.
Even when you apply for post graduation courses, many entrance exams will still test your quantitative aptitude (E.g. MBA entrance exams).
Standardized Exams for Overseas Universities
Overseas universities, unlike Indian universities, don’t rely on separate entrance exams, but they do place a lot of emphasis on standardized exams like SAT, ACT (undergraduate), GRE, and GMAT (postgraduate). Quantitative aptitude is yet again a game changer in these exams.
Another startling fact: A few countries, such as Canada, make it mandatory for students to have Mathematics to be eligible to apply to their country for higher studies for several courses.
Keeping these points in mind, it becomes easy to understand that even if Maths is not mandatory, it does give you an edge in cracking several entrance exams.
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2. A Few Careers/Courses Cannot Be Pursued Without Maths
That’s where the beauty of Humanities with Maths lies. Even if you are studying subjects like Fine Arts, Political Science, Psychology, History, Music, Economics, etc., adding Mathematics to the mix makes you eligible to explore courses and career options like:
Management
There are a lot of students who eventually land up in a management field even after taking Humanities. While there are no constraints vis-à-vis Maths for an MBA, if you intend on pursuing Management for your undergraduation (BBA, BBM, BBE, etc.), then you may need Maths.
Prestigious institutes like Delhi University, NMIMS, etc. make Maths compulsory to even sit for their entrance exams. Even Management institutes that don’t make maths compulsory (such as Christ University, St. Xavier’s, Symbiosis etc.) do assess your quantitative and data interpretation skills.
If Management is on your target careers list, opting for Humanities with Math is a good idea.
Economics
If you are looking to pursue Economics Honors after your class 12th, you can still skip Economics in classes 11th and 12th, but not Maths. Not only has Maths been made compulsory by most colleges for Economics, but there is also an ample amount of Mathematical and Statistical applications involved in the field of Economics.
A lot of students are unaware of this fact, and end up losing out on their dream course due to a lack of awareness. So do not miss out, and take up Humanities with Maths if you want to pursue a career in Economics.
Computers-Related Fields
If you have a love for coding and software development, you do not have to go the typical science route followed by a B.Tech in Computer Science. You can alternatively look at a Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) course too. Having maths helps you in the BCA degree, and opens up doors for careers like Website Design, Game Development, UI/UX Design, App Development, Ethical Hacking, etc.
Math-Related Fields
If you want to explore numbers-heavy fields like Data Analytics, Actuarial Science, Finance, etc., you would again need Mathematics.
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3. Maths can Prove Useful for Many Career Options
There are a lot of promising career options where a combination of the elements of Humanities and Maths can be significant. Let’s consider a few examples:
Experimental Psychology
It is a branch of Psychology where standardized theories are built and tested on the basis of research and experiments. This process comprises of a collection of data, analysis, and interpretation of the data to confirm and understand Psychological phenomena. Thus, this field requires analytical, statistical and quantitative skills, and Humanities with Maths can be the perfect combination to pursue it.
Design
Gone is the time when design only demanded creative skill. Today, with the advent of fields like Product Design, UI/UX Design, Animation and Multimedia, Graphic Design, Game Design, etc., Humanities with Maths can prove to be a game changer.
Corporate Law
Law is again one of the careers most pursued by Humanities students. Even though it does not require one to have Maths, Humanities with Maths can help you excel in sub-fields like Corporate Law and Taxation Law. This is because mergers, acquisitions, implications of taxation, etc. require analytical and quantitative skills in addition to logical and verbal reasoning.
Finance
Careers in Investment Banking, Portfolio Management, Investment Banking, Crypto Currency, and Stock Broking are all promising careers in Finance. In order to prove your mettle in these fields, it is once again important to be able to play around with numbers.
Policy Making
A policymaker addresses public problems by using a balanced approach of social science, humanities, management, research methods and quantitative skills. With such a comprehensive approach, a Public Policy becomes adept at handling policy-related jobs in consultancy firms, government and non-governmental organizations, private companies, the media, and funding agencies.
Corporate Journalism
In addition to researching new stories and communicating them to the public, Corporate Journalism also tracks, analyzes and interprets business, finance and economics-related news. For example, channels like Economic Times, CNBC TV18 and NDTV Profit call for graduates who have extensive knowledge in these domains, in addition to a degree in Journalism/ Mass Communication. Humanities with Maths can be a stepping-stone to these platforms.
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So, what are the career options for a Humanities with Maths student?
The career options for Humanities with Maths students are countless. In addition to the ones that take advantage of the Humanities with Maths combination, you can explore many other career options in Humanities.
Read More: Career Options for Humanities Students
Thus, you are lucky if both your left and right brain keep up with each other. The right-brain powers up your creativity and language skills, while the left-brain works hard to make you good at analysis and logical reasoning. Humanities with Maths will enable you to explore the best of both these worlds!
Are you considering taking Maths with Humanities? Share your reasons with us in the comments section below!
