Starting EC Activities in non-STEM Fields

Today, we are posting for those who are wondering how to start EC activities in non-STEM fields.

STEM fields like math and science have well-known EC activities. However, you may find that there are relatively fewer well-known EC activities for students targeting non-STEM majors. Today, we will explain how to prepare EC activities for students who choose majors based on history in non-STEM fields.

For well-known EC preparations like AMC for math and Olympiad for science, you can attend academies or study using commercial textbooks. However, students who want to major in Humanities or Social Studies often find it difficult to know what activities to start and how to prepare for them. Today, we will focus on where to start preparing for basic activities.

First, it is important to select a book. Choose one from US History or World History and search for it online or using AI. Just as math is the foundation in science, history is the foundation in social science subjects (accounting, economics, government, etc.). After selecting a history-related book, I recommend skimming through each chapter and the storyline.

Once you have skimmed through it, it is enough to read only the topics that interest you in detail. Even if you read a specific topic, the book already covers a wide range of eras and topics, so it is okay to read just one chapter in depth.

For example, let’s assume you want to study more about President Roosevelt’s New Deal policy during the Great Depression from a US History book. There will be many book recommendations about the New Deal policy online. Select about three books from those recommendations and read them. Once you know the details of various events from the first book, the subsequent books will be easier to read. By reading three books in depth on a specific topic, you will know much more than high school teachers in that field.

Once the student has become well-acquainted with the field or topic of interest, they are somewhat prepared for activities. If you like debates, you can participate in debate competitions organized by the National Speech & Debate Association. You can also participate in The Concord Review and write about the topic you are interested in. You can link your topic of interest to the overall theme of NHD and participate, or you can join SAR or John Locke.

If a student becomes interested in the New Deal policy, let me explain how many topics can expand from that subject. During the Great Depression, President Roosevelt’s New Deal policy marked the beginning of the US government, which advocated classical liberalism, actively intervening in the market. You will also learn that the US, which adhered to a free market economy, began to actively intervene in the market during the difficulties of the Great Depression, aligning with Keynesian Economics. You will explore historical events of government intervention, which may lead to an interest in government and further into politics. Naturally, an interest in the New Deal policy will also be directly related to economics.

You will also learn about how the Second Great Depression was overcome and the correlation between policies and wars, including World War II, which occurred during that process. As you become interested in wars, you will expand your studies to wars that occurred in Eurasia, and your interests will continue to branch out. You will also hear about the name of the advisory group during the New Deal policy, Brain Trust, which is also the name of the advisory group for Disney Animation Company, Pixar. This way, a topic that started with one subject expands to many areas, including corporate or organizational culture.

Even if it starts with one topic, interests and studies will be endlessly connected. This is the starting point for EC activities related to Humanities and Social Science. As mentioned today, after selecting and skimming through a book, choose your topic of interest and expand from there. This concludes today’s post.

Today, we explained how to start EC activities in non-STEM fields. Find your interest in the basic field of history and participate in suitable activities.