What Can I do With a Degree in Liberal Studies?

The Career Center Library has a variety of resources to help students explore potential career fields. These resources include information about typical responsibilities, qualifications, career paths, job outlook, salary, and related careers.

Books for Liberal Studies Majors

• Best Jobs for the 21st Century
• Careers in Business
• Careers in Communications
• Careers in Government
• Careers in High Tech
• Careers in International Business
• Careers in Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality
• Exploring Health Care Careers
• Great Jobs for Liberal Arts Majors
• Guide to Careers in the FBI
• Jobs and Careers with Nonprofit Organizations
• Opportunities in Psychology Careers
• Opportunities in Social Science
• Planning Your Career in Alternative Medicine
• Real People Working in Entertainment
• Real People Working in Sales and Marketing
• Real People Working in Science
• Real People Working in the Helping Professions
• The 50 Coolest Jobs in Sports

Vocational Biographies
Vocational Biographies (http://www.vocbiosonline.com/login.php) describes the career success stories of 1001 real people. Search by career title, keyword, topic, and career cluster. Username: portland su and pass code: 3w9n

Internet Sites with Career-Related Information for Liberal Studies Majors

• Frequently Asked Questions about Majors and Careers — Responds to the question Will I be able to get a job with a degree in the liberal arts? — From the PSU Career Center.
• Occupational Possibilities: Humanities — Lists potential job titles, places of employment, and skills for humanities majors. From University Career and Employment Services at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.
• Liberal Arts — Lists "job titles and career fields in which many liberal arts graduates are employed." From the University of Texas Career Center, Austin, Texas.

Internet Sites with Job Search Information for Liberal Studies Majors

For job-search related internet sites, please go to the Jobs Databases section on our Great Sites! page. Also refer to our series, Career Center and Internet Resources by Major or Certificate, for internet job search information by area of interest.

Places of Employment

Students who major in liberal studies develop transferable skills that are valued by employers. These skills include: research, analysis, writing, oral presentation, critical thinking, synthesis, and problem solving. Liberal studies majors may find employment in business, government, nonprofits, social services, and educational institutions depending on their skills and experience. Internships or relevant part-time jobs may be a prerequisite to finding employment.

The following list of employers and job titles was derived from the Career Center's jobs database where the employer specifically requested liberal studies majors. This list does not reflect all potential places of employment or kinds of jobs for liberal studies majors. This list does not reflect current openings.

• Ameriprise Financial — Financial Advisor
• Avon — District Sales Manager Trainee
  
• Bi-Mart — Associate Manager
• Buckle, The — Management Development Program
• Camp Adventure Youth Services — Youth Services Counselor
• CH2M Hill — Senior Management Consultant
  
• Child Aid — Administrative/Fiscal Assistant
• City of Portland — Community Service Aide II
  
• City of Seattle — Sound Transit - Regional Express Department
• Comcast Corporation — Marketing Coordinator
  
• Cowlitz County — Probation Officer
  
• CTL Management, Inc. — Management Trainee
• D'Ambrosio & Associates — Real Estate Executive Assistant
  
• Danka Office Imaging Company, Inc. — Account Executive
• Dirkse Counseling & Consulting — Vocational Consultant
  
• Dow Columbia, Inc. — Marketing Representative
• E3: Employers for Education Excellence — Administrative Coordinator
  
• EFG Companies — Business Manager/Sales Representative
• Enterprise Rent-a-Car — Sales/Management Trainee
  
• Environmental Services Laboratory — Sample Receiving
  
• Farmers Insurance Group — Insurance Agent, Financial Service Agent
• First Investors Corporation — Financial Services Representative
  
• Fund for Public Interest Research, The — Canvass Director
  
• GMSC Recruiting — ESL Teachers
• Hartman Group, The — Qualitative Research Associate
  
• Hershey Foods — Sales Representative
• Hertz Corporation — Manager Trainee
  
• Human Services Council — Planner/Program Coordinator II, Case Manager
  
• Inspiration Software, Inc. — Curriculum Designer
  
• i-OP, Inc. — Project Manager
• IKON Office Solutions — Associate Sales Representative
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS) — Internal Revenue Officer
• Jeld-Wen — Management Trainee
  
• John Hancock Financial Network — Financial Sales Associate
• KATU Channel 2 Portland — News Reporter
  
• KHM Environmental Management, Inc. — Environmental Technician
• Kinko's, Inc. — Leadership Development Program
  
• K Mart Corporation — Management Development Program
  
• LaCie Limited — Buyer
• Lattice Semiconductor Corporation — Sales Analyst I
• League of Oregon Cities — Staff Associate
  
• Lutheran Brotherhood — Financial Services Representative
• Lutheran Community Services Northwest — SUN Site Manager
  
• MassMutual — Financial Services Representative
  
• Meier & Frank — Executive Training Program
  
• Melvin Mark Companies — Development Associate
  
• Mercer Delta Company/Executive Learning Center — Program Administrator, Fulfillment Coordinator
  
• Mervyn's California — Executive in Training-Assests Protection
• Metropolitan Family Services — Program Coordinator
  
• Multnomah Athletic Club (The MAC) — Outdoor Activites Program Coordinator
• Multnomah County Sheriff's Office — Deputy Sheriff
• Northwestern Mutual Financial Network — Financial Representative
  
• NPC Research (Northwest Professional Consortium, Inc.) — Data Collector/Interviewer (Community Research Project)
  
• OakTree Digital — Web Production Assistant
  
• One Economy Corporation — Web Content Writer/Editor
  
• Oregon Community Foundation, The — Program and Outreach Coordinator
• Oregon Judicial Department, Oregon Courts — Juvenile Court Programs Analyst
  
• Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) — Research Associate
  
• Outside In — Youth Specialist, Clinic Assistant Manager, Employment Resource Center Coordinator
  
• Pacific Crest Securities — Research Editor
• Pacific Interpreters, Inc. — In-house Scheduler/Spanish Quality Assurance Specicialist
  
• Pacific Pulmonary Services — General Manager
• Pacific Recreational Products, Inc. — Marketing/Business Development Coordinator
  
• Pacific University — Internship Coordinator
• Patterson Dental — Territory Sales Representative
  
• Payless ShoeSource — Store Manager Trainee
• Pella Corporation — Department Manager
  
• Portland Business Alliance — Membership Coordinator
  
• Portland Community College (PCC) — Academic Advisor
• Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) — Operations and Pilicy Analyst 2
  
• Quantec, LLC — Marketing Coordinator
  
• Raphael House of Portland — Project Coordinator
• Rose City Software — High Tech Administrative Assistant
• SAIF Corporation — Claims Adjuster Trainee, Claims Supervisor
  
• Salvation Army, The — Youth Advocate
• St. Paul Travelers — Workers Compensation Claim Representative, Casualty Claim Representative
  
• Sterling Jewelers Inc./Kay Jewelers — Manager-In-Training
  
• SuperFloors, Inc. — Project Manager
• T-Mobile — Account Executive
• Target Stores — Executive Team Leader, Assests Protection Team Leader, DC Operations Team Leader
• Teach for America — Recruitment Fellows
  
• Tillamook Bay Community College — Community Education Director, Skills Development Center Director
• Tongue Point Job Corps Center — Residential Living Supervisor
  
• TravelCenters of America — Assistant Profit Center Manager, Professional Development Program
  
• Turnstone Environmental Consultants, Inc. — Field Surveyors, Crew Leaders, Field Coordinator
• Universal Forest Products — Production Manager Trainee
  
• University of Oregon — Development Assistant-UO Libraries
  
• US Department of Agriculture (USDA) — Agricultural Marketing Specialist, Plant Protection and Quarantine Officer
  
• US Department of Labor — Equal Opportunity Specialist (SCEP)
• US Department of Veterans Affairs — Management Analyst
  
• US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) — Student Career Experience Program (SCEP)
  
• US Fish and Wildlife Service — Biological Technician
• US Forest Service — Student Career Experience Program (SCEP), Office Automation Assistant
• US Social Security Administration — Case Technicians
  
• Volunteers of America of Oregon, Inc. — Infant Interventionist, Early Childhood Teacher, Child Care Supervisor
  
• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. — Management Trainee
  
• Wausau Insurance — Claims Case Manager I
  
• Wells Fargo Bank — Leadership Development Program
  
• Westside Family YMCA — Youth Counselor
  
• Woodbury Financial — Branch Manager Trainee
  
• YMCA of Greater Portland — Program Manager