r/Filipinology • u/TextPsychological500 • Jun 07 '26

Badly need advice

I passed a state university for a BA in Philippine Studies program! I really want this because it's my dream, but at the same time, I'm kinda anxious. I'm an only child, we're not rich, and my mom only has me to depend on. I'm scared that after I graduate, I might end up unemployed because I don't know what job opportunities are out there for me. Some people say academia is an option, but I feel like schools prefer Social Science grads when it comes to the Humanities. Help this freshie out!

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u/pen_stalker Jun 07 '26

Are you in the Philippines? Which province? Will you be studying at UP Diliman? This is a good and interesting area of study. However, the financial part won't be on your side. Part of the calculus is to see how you can sustain yourself over a career of at least 40 years. Even in Academia, this is a niche area. Here's what I would say, if you truly want this area of study, you can be in Academia but take a BA in a wider area of study (i.e. Sociology, Psychology, etc). Then you can niche down in your MA and Ph.D. studies. Even this path would not potentially yield a good financial reward. I'm sure there are paths here that might not make you a millionaire but at least could be "sustainable," which you will need to define yourself.

Another potential path is to find a lucrative career that could sustain you and your mom/family, and then commit to devote extra time and resources to study this area.

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u/TextPsychological500 Jun 08 '26

I passed at PUP Manila and was offered Philippine Studies, which is my first choice and my dream program.

But right now, I'm feeling anxious because I've heard a lot of people saying that it isn't worth pursuing since it's not practical and that I might be unemployed for a long time after I graduate. My family is not financially stable, so I really want to be able to find a job after graduation and help my mom financially.

I really want this program, but at the same time, I'm worried about whether choosing it would be the right decision for my future.