A Passion for the Past: How to Use a History Degree

They say history repeats itself, and you know that as a History major! But you can do a lot more with a History degree than you may realize. Here are a few post-grad suggestions.

Living in the past doesn’t always have to be a bad thing—just ask people who’ve made history the focal point of their careers. It may seem like studying the past won’t guarantee you a specific future career, but a History degree can open plenty of doors for you to pursue your passion. If you’re considering studying History, here’s what you should know before declaring your major.

Why is studying History valuable?

A knowledge of history opens doors—and eyes. One of the primary reasons to study history is because it shifts humankind away from ignorance. Knowing history and learning from humanity’s past mistakes can help move us in the right direction for the future. We can solve age-old problems that arise with a fresh perspective because we’ve dealt with them before. As such, history gives us a framework for looking at the world. 

The knowledge you pick up while completing your History degree will serve you well post-grad too. Most History majors follow a liberal arts curriculum, which involves taking supplementary courses that’ll open your mind to a myriad of new ideas. You’ll learn to write well, analyze problems, and organize and assess facts. Liberal Arts majors have no trouble breaking down complex ideas and events to better understand them.

Finally, studying history is valuable because you care. The number of ways in which you can study history is virtually endless. Along with world events, you can explore the history of art, music, cuisine, sexuality, and so much more. If it matters to you, it carries importance—and makes history a worthy area of study for you.

Related: Colleges With Fine History Departments  

What can I do with a History degree? 

You might also want to know what you can do with a degree in History. First, let’s highlight the education level required for many jobs in the field. Most career paths will only require you to hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in History, although some might require you to pursue a master’s or doctorate in the field. 

The good news is there’s plenty of variety when it comes to career paths to consider. While most salaries start at $25,000–$30,000, you can build your history career to impressive and lucrative levels. Here are some jobs that may suit you post-grad.

Related: Pay for your History degree with scholarships!

Historian

This job is an obvious way for you to put your History degree to good use. A slew of organizations hire historians, including museums, nonprofits, and businesses. You’ll research and analyze information and artifacts. You may also have the opportunity to present and share your findings at seminars, conferences, and more. Historians also find work at colleges and universities, enlightening other history lovers through a career as a professor. 

Lawyer

You can’t become a lawyer with a History degree alone, of course—you’ll have to go on to study for your JD, among other steps. However, plenty of undergraduate historians go on to pursue law. Lawyers and historians must rely on facts from the past, analyze them, and present them to others. Therefore, your degree in History can be the perfect stepping-stone to becoming a successful lawyer. 

Related: What Do Law Schools Look for in Your Application?

Librarian

Some library jobs require staffers to have specialized knowledge of the subject matter shared through their institution. As such, a BA in History can bulk your résumé and prove you have what it takes to serve as a librarian. Of course, there are plenty of different types of libraries—you might find yourself working in a hospital, public school, or university. 

Archivist

Once you have a deep understanding of history, you can become a successful archivist too. Archivists analyze potentially meaningful documents to decide if they have historical value. They organize and store the pieces they choose and write descriptions of what the documents contain. These archives serve other historians and researchers who rely on these preserved papers. 

Teacher

History majors make great teachers. A classroom role would give you the chance to inspire future learners like a teacher in your past may have done for you. You will be able to spark students’ interest in history, expand their knowledge of the world, and even shape future historians.

Editor or writer

As a History major, you’ll need to write plenty of papers in which you must back up your claims with reputable research. Professional writers and editors use many of these same skills. That’s why so many History majors end up working in the media and communications fields—the skill set transfers seamlessly. As a writer or editor, however, you may even shape history instead of just studying it. 

Related: 3 Great Career Options for History Majors

As these examples demonstrate, a History degree doesn’t pigeonhole you into one career path. In fact, it develops skill sets across subject matters and broadens your knowledge base to prepare you for almost any career. When you study the past, you have a world of opportunities ahead of you.

So you know you want to major in History? Find schools with great programs using our College Search tool.

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Join Now

Tags:

About Alyssa Abel

Alyssa Abel

Alyssa Abel is an education writer who helps students and teachers pursue their passions. Read more of her work on Syllabusy

 

Join our community of
over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Join CollegeXpress
Kory Gilbertson

Kory Gilbertson

High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has helped me explore my views on college in that "why do I wanna go to a certain school" way. It’s helped me explore the best fits in all of these outstanding choices. All these college admission counselors can access my accolades showing them how I could help their college. This source of information helps me show these admission directors who I am and what I'm interested in. Thanks to this platform, my experience for education will be better than most, and I'm so grateful for all that it has provided for me.

Mataya Mann

Mataya Mann

High School Class of 2022

To say that CollegeXpress is a helpful tool would be an understatement as it is much more than that. Before finding CollegeXpress, all I knew was that I wanted to go to college, it was going to be insanely expensive, and I felt lost. CollegeXpress has given me access to resources such as helpful tips for applications and scholarship [opportunities], and helped guide me in a direction where I feel confident moving forward and pursuing a career. CollegeXpress has helped instill a spark in me that makes me want to continue and supports me in doing so.

Maya Ingraham

Maya Ingraham

October 2021 Mini Scholarship Winner, Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has given me more confidence in my college process. With easy-to-access resources and guidance such as the CX Weekly Roundup, I have been able to find the best colleges for me. Most importantly, there’s a surplus of scholarship opportunities for every student to support their education.

Hailey Riddile

Hailey Riddile

High School Class of 2021

CollegeXpress has helped me find scholarships to apply for and look into more colleges. While there are many websites similar to CollegeXpress, every website is different, and I've found a lot of good insight on this website. Receiving emails from CollegeXpress about scholarships is extremely useful, and getting insight about colleges near, far, and anywhere in between helps me narrow down my choices to what I want, which is also super helpful. The articles are always really good reads, and I can't stress enough how helpful this website has been to me. Anything related to college is beneficial to me as a senior, and I have learned lots of useful things to help me on my college journey this year.

Courtney Smith

Courtney Smith

High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has been a huge help! The website is very organized with finding the right scholarship for anyone and anything. With CollegeXpress, I've been able to find many scholarship opportunities to apply for. Not only that, I'm also able to search for the colleges I have interest in and see what’s required and what scholarships they offer. I've learned a lot from CollegeXpress. They've helped me in many ways to achieve my goals!

College Matches
X

Colleges You May Be Interested In

Lynn University

Boca Raton, FL

John Carroll University

University Heights, OH

Lewis University

Romeoville, IL

Coker University

Hartsville, SC