Disciplinary Distribution of Bachelor’s Degrees in the Humanities
- In 2018, communication degrees (excluding those of a professional character) constituted the largest share of humanities bachelor’s degrees, accounting for more than a quarter of the humanities degrees at this level (Indicator II-05a). The next largest share of degrees, 22%, was conferred in general humanities/liberal studies.
- After 1987, the trends for two of the disciplines granting a substantial share of humanities degrees in that year—communication and English language and literature (ELL)—diverged sharply (Indicator II-05b). The share of communication degrees increased by over half from 1987 to 2018 (growing from 17% to 26% of all humanities bachelor’s degrees), while ELL’s share shrunk by approximately a third (from just under 30% of the degrees conferred in the field in 1987 to slightly less than 20% in 2018). Despite the discipline’s sharp decline in share, the number of ELL bachelor’s degrees awarded in 2018 was still above the 1987 level. The discipline’s loss of share largely reflects the substantial growth in communication and general humanities degree completions.
- Area studies, comparative literature, history, languages and literatures other than English, and religion also experienced declines in share ranging from 18% to 36% over the 1987–2018 period. General humanities’ share of humanities degrees increased 11%, while the remaining disciplines, which grant far fewer degrees, saw relatively small numerical increases in degrees that represented sizable percentage increases in share; for example, the share of humanities degrees in cultural, ethnic, and gender studies grew fivefold, from 0.4% of all humanities degrees (524 degrees) to 2.2% (4,408 degrees).
* Excludes humanities degrees earned as “second majors.” For data on such degrees, see
** Values for the disciplines included in this category are provided in a supporting table.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Integrated Postsecondary Data System. Data analyzed and presented by the American Ƶ of Arts and Sciences’ Humanities Indicators ().
See the Note on the Data Used to Calculate Humanities Degree Counts and Shares.
For an inventory of the specific degree programs that compose each of the humanities disciplines as they are conceptualized by the Humanities Indicators, see the Degree Program Code Catalog.
* Excludes humanities degrees earned as “second majors.” For data on such degrees, see
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Integrated Postsecondary Data System. Data analyzed and presented by the American Ƶ of Arts and Sciences’ Humanities Indicators ().
See the Note on the Data Used to Calculate Humanities Degree Counts and Shares.
For an inventory of the specific degree programs that compose each of the humanities disciplines as they are conceptualized by the Humanities Indicators, see the Degree Program Code Catalog.
