The Humanities@Work program connects CWRU humanities students with corporate, government, nonprofit, and other partners through community discussions, networking events, and internship, practicum, and co-op career placements for junior- and senior-level undergraduate students majoring in the humanities. Case Western Reserve is one of the country’s leading private research institutions. Our undergraduate humanities students are seeking opportunities to explore non-academic career paths and gain hands-on experience in career placement positions across a wide range of organizations. In the course of their academic studies, humanities students develop superior skills in written and verbal communications, research and analysis of information and data, and short and long-term project management that prepares them to work in a variety of positions across every field and sector, locally and globally.

Career paths for humanities students, including students in humanities-based interdisciplinary programs, are not always as clear because their employment opportunities are so vast and often do not directly correlate to a specific major. Due to the broad and interdisciplinary nature of their studies, humanities students are not limited to positions related to the content of their academic major. A humanities education hones a student’s communication, research, and analytical skills; employers consistently list such skills when describing their ideal job candidates. Studying the humanities takes students to other times, places, and sensibilities, so they can react to a customer, an employer, or a member of the community with insight and empathy. They can imagine themselves in another person’s condition and understand a perspective different from their own. They can engage in effective dialogue and collaboration, because they are well practiced in seminar discussion, working with others, and managing projects and deadlines.

The ultimate purpose of Humanities@Work is to create opportunities for CWRU humanities students to explore non-academic career paths and gain hands-on experience in career placement positions across a wide range of fields and sectors. All Humanities@Work career placements are administered through the CWRU Career Center’s Practicum Program. Humanities@Work career placements are mutually beneficial opportunities for humanities students and community employers to collaborate.