As a college student, you are in the thick of figuring out what you want for yourself in the future. You are looking to develop skills and a resume that can get you that dream job.

Many degrees lead you on a direct path towards a career, such as a teaching or nursing degree, but what about the degrees that don’t prepare you for a specific career path, but many different careers? 

Anyone who has decided to major in a humanities degree such as English, philosophy, history, religious studies or a forgein language is probably familiar with answering the question, “what are you going to do with that degree?”

The truth is, you can do a lot with it. In fact, one area that humanities students thrive is in law. 

Law schools look for students who are well-rounded, especially those that can think critically, communicate well and understand how to approach an analysis. Humanities degrees are fitting for developing these skills.

“Understanding and applying the law requires rigorous thinking and good writing skills are hallmarks of a humanities degree,” said Adam Chodorow, co-interim dean of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. “Whether it is the rigor and precision of a degree in philosophy, religion or the need to assimilate and clearly explain in writing disparate facts as a history major, these are precisely the skills that law students need.”

While degrees outside of the humanities also prepare students for law school, humanities students have consistently been among students who score the highest on their Law School Admission Test, and have some of the highest admission rates.

History, English and philosophy undergraduate students have about an 80 percent acceptance rate to law schools. They also go in prepared for rigorous thinking, reading and writing, which law schools aim to teach aspiring lawyers.

“SHPRS offers specialized majors, like the philosophy bachelor’s in morality, politics and law, that offer pathways to law school, but all humanities majors provide valuable training and are prized by law schools,” said the Director of the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies (SHPRS) Richard Amesbury.

For Arizona State University alumna Alexa Kissinger, her humanities background helped her get through school and into her career. She graduated in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the SHPRS, political science from the School of Political and Global Studies and women and gender studies from the School of Social Transformation. 

“I definitely think my philosophy degree helped me in law school,” said Kissinger. “I felt prepared for the application of theories and discussions we had in classes.”

Kissinger attended Harvard Law School after graduating and currently works at Kirkland & Ellis in New York as an associate. 

“I feel like all the writing and reading we did in the program gave me a leg up in my applications to jobs and school,” said Kissinger.

Beyond the practical skills you develop as a humanities student, another benefit is the ability to understand the world we live in, specifically the people and cultures within it and how they interact. 

“Law is one of the ways we structure our lives together, and the study of law thus raises fundamental philosophical questions about who we are and how we treat one another,” said Amesbury. “These questions are also central to humanities subjects like history, philosophy and religious studies.”

“Humanities encompasses a broad range of subjects, most of which focus on the human condition,” said Chodorow. “As it so happens, law is all about the human condition as well.”

The law shapes many things in our society and it often reacts to the changes happening around us. Laws have adapted to social change, technology, ease of traveling and so much more.

“As the culture changes, so does the law,” said Chodorow. “One commentator has noted that law is where life and logic meet, and anyone interested in life in all its complexities, i.e. humanities majors, should also be interested in the law.”

As law schools continue to see an influx of applicants and as more people are becoming interested in pursuing a career in the legal field, it’s important to note that you can be a strong candidate with any undergraduate degree. A humanities degree, though, is a great option for both getting into law school and succeeding in it.