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Debates about the role of liberal arts education in finding employment highlight both its benefits and the challenges of finding work after graduation – debates that are now well-documented and outlined in this paper. Adding to these debates, the purpose of this paper is to bring in the voices of recent graduates from social sciences and humanities programs who have firsthand and recent experience as they enter the professional job market. Their experiences guide our understanding of the nature of liberal arts programs and shed light on areas of improvement in line with improved career paths and employment outcomes.

The methodology involved a quantitative data study using an online survey completed by 1,901 graduates.

A survey completed by 1,901 graduates of IDS programs in Canada provided rich data about the challenges and opportunities of their education in relation to professional employment. Additional follow-up qualitative data provided by survey participants was also analyzed.

From these findings, several implications for curriculum design are highlighted to strengthen (not replace or alter) existing program offerings. Implications for curriculum design: The quantitative data and narrative responses from the survey of IDS graduates on their career paths highlight several important considerations for IDS and other liberal arts programs that are grappling with questions about whether and how to redesign curricula to better address concerns about the employability of students.

The central lesson from this research is that the perspectives of university graduates can provide valuable insights for debates about the roles of universities and the design of university curricula. While the voices of university administrators, professors, politicians, industry leaders and media pundits are all prominent in these debates, the perspectives of graduates are often left out, despite their firsthand experience in making the transition from campus to career.

This research project offers one model that other fields of study could follow to learn more from their graduates about the competencies and skills which they most value in navigating complex career paths and overcoming barriers to professional employment.

The purpose of this paper is to find the most important factors to the Index that explains gender gaps in education, health, politics, and economic outcomes worldwide.

World Economic Forum (WEF) data are analyzed using hedonic regression analysis to estimate which factors affect a country’s Global Gender Gap Index. Standardized β coefficients reveal the top five factors influencing the Index, just as key components of the US Consumer Price Index are teased out using this method.

Women in public sector management, administration, and politics explain a substantial portion of gender inequality. Policies to increase women’s representation in parliaments, as heads of state, in ministerial positions, and in public sector management mitigate inequality as gauged by the Gender Gap Index. Economic indicators are also among the leading components of the Gender Gap Index.

Although comprehensive and drawn from several sources including the World Health Organization, the International Labour Organization, and the United Nations Development Programme, WEF data do not capture the full experience of women worldwide. Subsequent qualitative research is recommended.

This analysis reveals policy recommendations for advocates working to close gender gaps, particularly in politics and economic outcomes. Increasing proportions of women in public sector management can mitigate inequality. This supports electoral quotas and human resource management initiatives to diversify management ranks.

Increasing women’s share of public sector managerial positions fosters gender equity, as does increasing women’s share of elected and appointed positions.

This study provides quantitative evidence of the important role of women’s representation to guide subsequent fieldwork. This evidence supports efforts to increase women in elective office and public sector management.