Sir, – Reading Tom Felle’s insightful article on the need to reshape arts degrees (“The traditional arts degree has had its day. It needs to be reinvented, not dumped,” Opinion, March 5th), I was struck by his articulate plea for a reshaped arts and humanities programme that acknowledges “numeracy, data literacy and digital fluency”, deepens understanding of “technology, the economics of platforms and the social consequences of data driven systems” and gives new graduates “clearer links to professional life, entrepreneurship and the creative industries” alongside the “traditional strengths of argument, interpretation and writing”.
This combination eerily reminded me of the groundbreaking, exhilarating and challenging programme run by the visionary faculty at DCU (then NIHE) in the 1980s where I was privileged to study communications alongside now internationally recognised alumni, of which Anne and Kevin Gildea, Ardal O’Hanlon, Barry Murphy, director Dearbhla Walsh and visual artist Alan Phelan, are only some of the names that come to mind.
Perhaps some leaves could be taken out of this impressive book? – Yours, etc
MIA GALLAGHER
READ MORE
Inchicore,
Dublin 8.
Sir, – Reports of the demise of the arts degree (“The Irish Times view on the future of the arts degree: not ornamental but essential,” Editorial, March 3rd) are greatly exaggerated.
In my first few months in this job, I’ve been struck by the consistent message from all I meet, not least business leaders, that the analytical and communication skills and the curiosity and critical thinking that such degrees encourage will be ever more integral to the society and economy of the future.
Irish universities and Research Ireland share a commitment to high-quality teaching and research in arts, humanities and social sciences. – Yours, etc,
PAUL JOHNSTON
Director general, Irish Universities Association,
(and MA Political Science, Glasgow, 1990),
Merrion Square,
Dublin 2.
Sir, – The erosion of arts and humanities in our third-level sector only serves to make society as a whole poorer. When these study pathways are viewed as lesser due to starting salaries and career opportunities then the situation builds that only those who can afford to can choose a third-level experience that provides the intellectual training offered by arts and humanities, and which will be increasingly valued as many subjects and professional areas are changed by AI.
Creative artists in all genres and platforms, teachers, academics, politicians, journalists, civil servants, activists and entrepreneurs are all people who directly shape our society.
The arts and humanities are fundamental to their intellectual development. If we do not respect and value these roles and areas of education, and support all those who are drawn to them, society as a whole will be influenced by either a very narrow and privileged selection of itself, or by the vagaries of AI and online commentary, and so inequality and instability will increase.
The attitude of our young people to taking arts and humanities courses at third level is directly influenced by their experiences of these subjects at primary and secondary level.
It is crucially important that that these areas are well supported throughout our school system, and that the arts in particular are promoted as foundational to learning, for their ability to shape the whole person and support intellectual development in all subject areas. – Yours, etc,
ELSPETH HAYES,
The Rower,
Co Kilkenny.
