5 MASTER'S DEGREES YOU CAN EARN AT A LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE

5 Master's Degrees You Can Earn at a Liberal Arts College

• Humanities
• Social Sciences
• Creative Arts
• Sciences
• Religious Studies

Liberal arts colleges are great for students who are not sure what career path they want to embark on, as well as those who wish to design their own career path. Liberal arts degrees bestow upon students a wide variety of skills rather than a specific set of skills geared towards one specific job or field. These are five categories of master's degrees students can earn at a liberal arts college and specific areas within each.

1. Humanities

Humanities refers to how people study and record the experience of being human. Students can earn master's of humanities degrees in literature, language, history, and philosophy. Liberal arts colleges offer broad humanities and philosophy degrees, as well as degrees in specific types of literature, languages, and historical periods. Students with master's degrees in humanities might go on to teach at any level of education, write, provide speech therapy, or work in museums and historical societies.

2. Social Sciences

The field of social sciences refers to the study of how humans interact with each other and their various social systems and environments. Social sciences students might earn masters's degrees in anthropology, psychology, sociology, political science, or economics. Anthropology is the study of human cultures and societies over time, while sociology is concerned with current human societies, cultures, and problems. Psychology is the study of human mind and behaviors. These areas overlap, so master's degree programs in any of them include coursework from the others. Political sciences and economics are great for students who wish to apply the other three areas to the realms of politics and economy.

Ranking: 30 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in the West, Ranked by Return on Investment (ROI)

3. Creative Arts

Liberal arts colleges are great for students whose passions lie in the creativity and performance. Students can earn master's degrees in visual arts such as painting, drawing, sculpting; theater and film; writing; and speech. These degrees can lead students down paths of performance, production, teaching, editing and writing, politics, public and motivational speaking, art gallery and museum curation and management, art dealing, and many other creative careers. Students have options to study these topics in general or focus on specific styles and periods.

4. Sciences

Liberal arts colleges also offer master's degrees for the more scientifically minded. Whether it be biology, astronomy, physics, or chemistry, science enthusiasts will find an educational path at any liberal arts college. These degree programs open up opportunities for students to become teachers at any level of education, researchers, scientists in a wide variety of settings, inventors. They might also find themselves working in a variety of roles at top science institutions and museums.

5. Religious Studies

Finally, liberal arts colleges are ideal for students who are interested in studying religion but are either not interested in or not yet ready to become religious leaders. Students can earn master's degrees in the study of one particular religion or in the understanding and comparison of multiple current and ancient world religions. In today's sensitive and controversial global social climate, the Huffington Post offers insight into the benefits of keeping religious studies alive.

The world of liberal arts is broad and dynamic. Pursuing master's degrees in this area provides students flexibility, exploration, and the opportunity to design their own unique career paths. Liberal arts colleges offer educational opportunities for students of every personality and learning style.