97 percent of recent Arts and Letters graduates land full-time jobs, enroll in graduate school, enter service programs, join the military, or launch independent projects within six months of graduation.
By asking big questions, studying classic texts, and exploring languages and cultures, you’ll develop the skills that are in-demand in the professional and academic worlds. You’ll learn to read deeply. Think about issues critically. Discuss topics thoughtfully. Write arguments persuasively. Contribute to projects creatively.
The world is constantly evolving. With a foundational education in the liberal arts, you're not only prepared to keep up with changing times—you're prepared to thrive in them.
Why Arts and Letters?
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93% of employers care more about critical-thinking, communication, and complex problem-solving abilities than undergraduate major.*
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96% want employees with ethical judgment, integrity, and intercultural skills.*
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74% of employers say a modern liberal arts education is the best way to prepare for success in the global economy.*
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55% of public and private sector leaders have degrees in the social sciences or humanities.+
"Because of their broad skill set, we've seen Arts and Letters students from Notre Dame be successful regardless of the major that they came from.”
– Nick LoManto, finance leadership development program manager, Vanguard
Where Arts and Letters majors are six months after graduation:
Arts and Letters In Demand
Notre Dame liberal arts students graduate knowing how to conduct research. They’ve developed strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills. And they’re prepared to apply their learning in real-world settings. That’s why they find such immediate success—they’re ready to contribute to the world.
Emmie Mediate ’15
Major: Africana Studies, Arts and Letters Pre-Health
After ND: Rhodes Scholar, University of Oxford
"The most important thing Notre Dame instilled in me is a sense of concern for others. My future goals come from a concern for the common good, and a sense that there is something bigger out there to fight for — and I want to be a part of that."
Emmie Mediate ’15
Major: Africana Studies, Arts and Letters Pre-Health
After ND: Rhodes Scholar, University of Oxford
"The most important thing Notre Dame instilled in me is a sense of concern for others. My future goals come from a concern for the common good, and a sense that there is something bigger out there to fight for — and I want to be a part of that."
Daniel DeToro ’17
Majors: Economics and History
After ND: Financial analyst in Chicago
“You have tremendous resources available to you during your four years at Notre Dame, and you’ll develop great skills. With the liberal arts, what you’re really learning is to think critically — and that’s something that’s hard to teach in the real world. It’s something you want to start out with when you get your first job, and Notre Dame is the best place to develop that ability.”
Sean Cotter ’15
Major: Art History
After ND: Master's degree program, University of London Courtauld Institute of Art
“I’ve learned how to creatively approach so many different issues through sociology, through political science, through archaeology. Every class, I learned something new about how to approach a different problem. And it’s made me such an aware person.”
Ray'Von Jones ’16
Majors: Spanish and Sociology
After ND: Education master's degree, Stanford University
“I was really dedicated to doing something that mattered, and that really led to my decision to major in the College of Arts and Letters. Through a liberal arts education, you develop skills that you can apply to any field.”
Sara Abdel-Rahim ’17
Majors: Political science and Arabic
After ND: Fulbright grant to study and research in Greece
“The College of Arts and Letters has given me the opportunity to develop my voice in so many different ways — academically, socially, and personally. Studying the liberal arts teaches you to ask questions, to engage with issues, and to be part of conversations that you might not otherwise. I don’t think I would have this inquisitive nature — or the ability to act on it — if I hadn’t been here.”
Erin Rice ’17
Major: Design
After ND: Walt Disney Imagineering Design Team intern
“My position requires daily collaboration amongst people from a range of backgrounds and disciplines. Without my liberal arts education, I do not think I would be prepared or qualified to work in a setting like this. Notre Dame’s liberal arts education truly paved the way to my future.”
First Destinations of Recent Graduates
In the Workforce
- Ad solutions research analyst Nielsen Company
- Associate consultant Ernst & Young
- Assistant marketing manager Condé Nast
- Brand specialist Amazon
- Business analyst Target
- Communications consultant Fidelity Benefits Consulting
- Content developer NerdWallet
- Digital marketing analyst Acquity Group
- Editorial assistant HarperCollins Publishers
- Events coordinator Chicago History Museum
- Global risk associate Bank of America
- Leadership analyst Central Intelligence Agency
- Legislative correspondent U.S. Senate
- Recruiting coordinator Google
- Research associate National Institutes of Health
- Storyboard artist Visual Storyline
- Trader Black River Asset Management
- Word wizard Epic Systems
In Graduate School
- Cognitive neuroscience University of Arizona
- Economics Columbia University
- History University of Pennsylvania
- Human evolutionary studies Cambridge University
- Law University of Chicago
- Literature University of Oxford
- Math University of California, Berkeley
- Medicine Johns Hopkins University
- Music New York University
- Political science Princeton University
- Public health Dartmouth University
- Theology Yale University
In Service Programs
- Peace Corps
- AmeriCorps
- Teach for America
- Alliance for Catholic Education
- City Year
- Jesuit Volunteer Corps
Arts and Letters in the World
Patrick Vassel ’07
Associate director, Hamilton: An American Musical
“My experience at Notre Dame taught me to think of the world as a bigger place than wherever you’re standing and to think about where you can do the most good and where you’re most needed. That was fundamental to my experience and continues to shape the way I live and work.”
Bill Kennedy ’90
Portfolio manager, Fidelity Investments, London
Economics major
My career grew right out of my Arts and Letters degree. I spend time talking, researching, and going to untraditional sources--because you need an edge. You have to have an inquisitive nature.
Katie Beirne Fallon ’98
Senior vice president and global head of corporate affairs, Hilton Worldwide
Former director of legislative affairs, The White House
Government and international affairs major
“The value of a liberal arts education to me is the ability to critically judge my own opinions and my own determination of the world around me. It's a skill set that I think you can only develop in classes that really press you to check your own boundaries and look outside your own viewpoints for answers. That skill set is increasingly valuable across many, many parts of our professional and political universe today.”
The value of an Arts and Letters education
Hear from Arts and Letters alumni on how studying the liberal arts provided a strong foundation for success.
