Majors within the College of Arts and Letters might not be the top choice for many students, but according to professors in the college, skills learned in the college are just as important as skills taught in more popular majors.

According to professional writing professor Danielle DeVoss, there is a stigma that majors related to humanities won’t help students obtain jobs after graduation. She also believes for that reason, students tend to stay clear of the College of Arts and Letters.

“The humanities ways of thinking are still needed and valued at the work place,” she said. “What we don’t do well is help students understand how they can put their humanities skills to use in the workplace.”

DeVoss said the college has recently adjusted its focus to better suit the current workforce.

“What do these traditionally important humanities-based concepts mean, and what do they mean in a 21st century-connected global world?” she said. “Critical thinking is going to matter, whether it’s the 16th century or the 21st.”

Despite the retooling of the program, the number of students enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters has declined during the past decade.

“Humanities aren’t particularly sexy right now,” DeVoss said. “We’re at a moment where a heck of a lot of kids are coming to college and their parents are out of work. Their parents are unemployed, where as even 10 years ago, generalizing a bit, there were a lot of parents that said ‘follow your passion, do what you want to do.’”

In fall 2012, 4.7 percent of MSU students were enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters, compared to 7.7 percent in fall 2002. By comparison 13.4 percent of MSU students were enrolled in the College of Business in fall 2002. In fall 2012, that number was 14.9 percent.

“I see parents that encourage getting a degree that pays money,” DeVoss said.

Jeff Grabill, chair of the Department of Writing, Rhetoric & American Cultures, said the expertise gained in the College of Arts and Letters is valuable for succeeding in the workforce.

“For students to have success, to move up in their careers, to move up in leadership positions, the skills that they really need are the … leadership skills, and the people that can do those things move up, and those that can’t do those things don’t move up,” Grabill said.

DeVoss added students who can think smartly and clearly are more valuable to employers since it is difficult to embed those traits into people.

Foster said regardless of the stigma related to the College of Arts and Letters, she believes students should major in what they feel most comfortable with.

“If you’re passionate about writing or literature or art or anything that applies to humanities, you’ll do well in life,” Foster said. “If it’s something that you’re not good at or something that you don’t enjoy, you won’t do as well.”