Sciences or Humanities: which field to choose for college?
There's no single formula for deciding between STEM and Humanities, but you can arrive at a clear answer by considering three things: your current interests, the results of a vocational test, and how you react to the curriculum of courses that appeal to you. Those who identify with numbers and logic tend towards STEM. Those who identify with reading and reflecting on society tend towards Humanities.
If you are preparing for to enter Higher Education, You've probably already been torn between choosing a degree in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) or Humanities. Although this decision usually happens during high school, when students begin to identify more with the subjects in a particular area, it's very common for questions to persist. With that in mind, we've prepared this post to help you understand each area, as well as give you 3 tips for choosing between STEM and Humanities. Check it out!
Differences between STEM and Human Sciences
The field of Exact Sciences is related to quantitative expressions and methods of testing hypotheses. It involves calculations, mathematical expressions, and measurements. In the field of Exact Sciences, as the name suggests, the answer to a question is as precise as possible, and may even be unique.
On the other hand, the Humanities are related to the study of human beings and their relationship with society. This area takes into account aspects such as behavior, history, culture and social organization. In the field of Humanities, a question can have multiple answers.
It is worth remembering that specializations are not limited to Exact Sciences or Humanities. According to the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CapesThere are eight areas: Agricultural Sciences, Biological Sciences, Health Sciences, Exact and Earth Sciences, Engineering, Humanities, Applied Social Sciences, and Linguistics, Literature and Arts.
O Economics course, For example, it falls within the field of Applied Social Sciences, a middle ground between the Humanities and the Sciences.
Profile of STEM students
Students in the STEM fields have an affinity for numbers, logical reasoning, and an analytical profile. They also demonstrate an interest in technology and love to take apart devices to understand how they work internally. At school, they are more interested in subjects such as Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry.
Profile of Humanities students
Humanities students enjoy reading, are reflective, and are always researching a wide variety of topics. This profile tends to analyze society broadly and has good communication skills. At school, Humanities students are usually interested in subjects such as History, Geography, Portuguese, Literature, Philosophy, and Sociology.
How to choose between STEM fields or Humanities?
If you're still undecided between pursuing a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) or a Humanities degree, check out these 3 simple tips that can help you decide.
Do a self-analysis.
When choosing a field of study, it's important to consider your preferences and aptitudes. Therefore, remember your experiences in high school and answer the following questions.
- Are you interested in reading?
- Do you often reflect on societal issues?
- Do you enjoy writing and expressing your opinion?
- Are you interested in topics related to History?
- Do you enjoy learning new things and are you always questioning the answers?
If you answered “yes” to most of the questions above, your profile leans towards the Humanities field. Now, reflect on the following questions:
- Do you like math?
- Are you interested in technology?
- Do you enjoy solving problems that involve numbers and formulas?
- Are you always opening devices and fixing things?
- Do you prefer questions with precise and unique answers?
If you answered "yes" to most of the questions above, your profile leans towards the STEM field.
Take a vocational test.
Another tip for deciding between STEM fields and Humanities is to take an online vocational test. This type of test allows students to get to know themselves better through questionnaires about their preferences, aptitudes, expectations, and skills.
The vocational test relates the collected answers to the vocational structures that comprise the professions, and can suggest which area best suits the student and which careers to pursue.
Research the curriculum structure of undergraduate courses.
An excellent exercise to clarify your ideas and decide which area to pursue is... analyze the curricula of the courses Consider your undergraduate degree. Check out the subjects taught during the course and imagine what it would be like to study them. Reflect on each one. Would you like to learn about these topics? Would you have difficulty with any of the content?
Therefore, it's possible to understand the courses broadly and better visualize the career paths. This will help in choosing between a STEM or Humanities course.
Now that you know how to choose between STEM fields and Humanities, take the opportunity to also read our article about... How to choose the ideal course.
| Analysis | Exact Sciences | Humans |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Calculation, logic, measurement | Behavior, culture, society |
| Response type | Needs, usually only | Open-ended, it allows for multiple interpretations. |
| Subjects of interest | Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry | History, Geography, Portuguese, Philosophy, Sociology |
| Common profile | Analytical, curious about technology. | Reflective, enjoys researching and writing. |
Quick summary
- Exact sciences deal with calculations and precise answers; Humanities deal with social behavior and multiple-choice answers.
- Those with a background in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) enjoy logic and technology; those with a background in Humanities enjoy reading and reflection.
- Self-analysis, vocational testing, and reading the curriculum are the three most direct paths to deciding.
- The choice between Exact Sciences and Humanities does not eliminate six other areas recognized by CAPES, including hybrid fields such as Applied Social Sciences.
After mapping your affinity between STEM fields and Humanities, the next step is to look at specific courses within your chosen field.
Yes, it's possible, and more common than it seems. This often indicates an affinity for hybrid fields, such as Applied Social Sciences, which combines courses like Economics and Business Administration. In these cases, it's worth trying both before deciding, with a vocational test or by reading the curriculum of the courses.
There are free online options, but the result works better as a starting point than as a definitive answer. Ideally, the test should be combined with self-analysis and research into the curriculum of the courses, the three criteria that appear at the beginning of this article.
Consider three criteria: the interests you already demonstrate in high school, the results of a vocational test, and how you react to the curriculum of courses that attract you. Those who identify with numbers and logic tend towards STEM fields; those who identify with reading and social reflection tend towards Humanities.
Exact sciences deal with quantitative expressions and hypothesis testing: calculation, formulas, measurement. The correct answer is usually unique and verifiable. Humanities deal with human beings and their relationship with society: behavior, history, culture, social organization. Here, the same question can support several valid answers at the same time.
