Liberal Arts in the News

Liberal Arts In The News

A collection of recent news and opinion pieces on the importance of liberal arts education for workplace success. Check back regularly for new entries!

Liberal Arts in the News

A collection of recent news and opinion pieces on the importance of liberal arts education for workplace success. Check back regularly for new entries!

How to Make a Decision When There’s No ‘Right’ One
The New York Times | July 21, 2022

You’re Never Going to Be “Caught Up” at Work. Stop Feeling Guilty About It.
Harvard Business Review | July 19, 2022 (Dr. Art Markman, HDO Founding Director)

Is empathy something you can learn?
Fast Company | July 18, 2022 (Dr. Art Markman, HDO Founding Director)

Meet the psychological needs of your people—all your people
McKinsey Quarterly | June 28, 2022

Here’s where I look for inspiration when I’m feeling unmotivated at work
Fast Company | October 27, 2021 (Dr. Art Markman, HDO Founding Director)

A Profession Is Not a Personality
The Atlantic | September 30, 2021

The potential pitfalls of crafting a mission statement for your organization
Fast Company | September 28, 2021

This is When Goal-Setting Gets in the Way of Happiness
HDO Blog | September 7, 2021

Plagues and classical history – what the humanities will tell us about COVID in years to come
The Conversation | August 11, 2021

On The Value of Jerks
HDO Blog | July 29, 2021

Love, Freedom, and Leadership: A Source of Pride
HDO Blog | July 07, 2021

Art as Expression & Understanding
HDO Blog | June 28, 2021

Juneteenth and Pride Month: An HDO Perspective
HDO Blog | June 22, 2021

STEM + humanities = a framework for understanding the world
MIT News | June 9, 2021

Data Is Not the Enemy of the Humanities
The Chronicle of Higher Education | April 29, 2021

The Arts And Humanities Deliver Untapped Value For The Future Of Work
Forbes | April 6, 2021

The Future of Digital Work Depends On More Than Tech Skills
MIT Sloan Management Review | February 25, 2021

The CEOs of YouTube, Slack and Whole Foods All Have Liberal Arts Degrees. Here’s Why That Matters
Entrepreneur | January 13, 2021 

The Liberal Arts Inspire the Spirit and Enrich the Soul
Wall Street Journal | January 12, 2021 

The HDO bachelor’s program focuses on understanding organizational dynamics and behaviors—how organizations work—which is an essential skill in today’s rapidly changing work environment. To succeed, leaders need more than good functional skills; they need to communicate well across silos, understand complex organizational interdependencies, and adapt to ambiguous and rapidly changing business environments.

Bjorn Billhardt, CEO, Abilitie; HDO External Advisor

HDO’s Founding Director and Psychology Professor Art Markman provides an overview of the HDO Bachelor’s Degree.

“Most employers look for people who are human-oriented and can later learn the skills needed for a specific job. HDO fosters personal development and creates well-rounded individuals.”

Emma Steiner

“HDO students stand out because they are equipped to change the world.”

Sydeney Veatch

“HDO doesn’t limit you to just one area of education, it empowers you to learn about many topics. I like to do a lot of things, and this major allows me to do that.”

Ellen Finke

Students with a deep knowledge of these areas of study are well-suited to address the problems that factors like globalization, regulation and linguistic and cultural differences can cause.

The HDO Bachelor’s Degree provides a broad-based exploration of liberal arts as applied to organizations. It allows students to:

• Develop effective, persuasive oral and written communication skills;

• Understand ethical behavior in the workplace;

• Broaden their knowledge of the types of cultures that influence organizations;

• Measure human behavior to inform decision-making, and

• Consider how key lessons from the humanities and the social/behavioral sciences can be applied in organizational settings.

It is this last learning outcome that distinguishes HDO from the traditional disciplines that make up UT Austin’s College of Liberal Arts.

Putting Liberal Arts to Work