Are you a history buff looking to turn your passion into a profession? Contrary to popular belief, there are many career paths that you can take with a history degree. In fact, it is one of the most versatile degrees out there. From being an archivist to becoming a historian or even working as a teacher/professor, you can choose from a variety of options. In this blog post, we have compiled the top 10 jobs that you can get with a history degree. So whether you are considering enrolling in a history program or already have your degree in hand, read on to discover how you can turn your love for history into a fulfilling and rewarding career.
What Jobs Can You Get With a History Degree?
1. Historian
As a history graduate looking for career options beyond academia or further study, becoming a historian could be a good starting point. With analytical and research skills gained through your degree program and related work experience or internships in archives or libraries, you could pursue careers as an archivist or museum curator. However, competition for these positions can be high, and networking is essential. Other options include becoming a secondary school teacher or pursuing further studies such as a Ph.D. in History.
2. Archivist
Archivists are professionals who curate and preserve crucial historical records. With a history degree, graduates can explore a variety of career choices in this field without getting confined to academia. While work experience gained through internships or volunteering in organizations such as archives or libraries can provide great exposure to the career path of an archivist, having relevant qualifications can be advantageous for graduates looking forward to pursuing museum studies. Communication skills, along with organizational and analytical skills, are also essential for success in this field.
3. Museum Curator
As a Museum Curator, you will manage and preserve collections of artwork, historical artifacts, or scientific specimens. You will acquire new items for your museum and organize exhibits or programs to educate the public about your collections. To become a Museum Curator, you need to have a history degree with a focus on museum studies or art history. Work experience as an intern in museums or archives is beneficial.
4. Teacher/Professor
Pursuing careers with a history degree opens up opportunities beyond just the stereotypical historian job. For instance, you could consider teaching or becoming a college professor. To make yourself eligible for these jobs through relevant work experience and internships would be beneficial to become a secondary school teacher or even take on university-level positions in related roles like museum studies or archaeology. Strong critical reasoning, academic report skills, research skills, and excellent communication will help you stand out from other candidates throughout your academic career.
5. Writer/Author
If you have a history degree, you have several career choices available to you beyond becoming a historian or an archivist. Writing and authorship is a good starting point. You can work as a writer or author in publishing, academia, or higher education. To succeed in this field, you should possess strong analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, case study, good communication skills, and critical reasoning. Additionally, transferable skills such as organizational abilities acquired through internships and volunteering can be helpful when looking for related roles on LinkedIn or Facebook.
6. Archival Researcher
Archival researchers typically have a history degree or a related qualification. They can find a variety of career paths in their work experience as a history graduate. If you love history and have good communication skills and critical reasoning, archival research can be a good starting point for your career choices. You can also explore careers in related roles such as librarian, archivist, museum curator, historian, secondary school teacher or academic researcher.
7. Historic Preservationist
As a history graduate, you can follow various career paths that will allow you to utilize your passion for history. One such career choice is Historic Preservationist. This profession involves working toward conserving historical sites to keep them in good condition for future generations of historians and enthusiasts. It requires excellent communication, research, critical reasoning, problem solving, organizational skills, and the ability to work with local governments and other organizations.
8. Cultural Resource Manager
As a History graduate looking for career options outside academia or further study, you can consider becoming a Cultural Resource Manager. They offer a variety of careers related to your history major with good starting points in the UK. The role requires transferable skills such as critical reasoning and problem-solving for researching historical sites and developing exhibitions.
9. Policy Analyst
Becoming a policy analyst could be an excellent choice as a history graduate interested in a career beyond academia. Policy analysts examine policies related to public, social, and economic issues. They utilize their research and data analysis skills to identify problems and recommend policy changes that can improve outcomes for individuals and communities.
10. Genealogist
As a history graduate, there are many career choices available beyond academia. A good starting point could be pursuing a career in Genealogy. Genealogists research family history and trace ancestry using various records such as birth, marriage and death certificates, census records, wills and land deeds to create family trees for their clients. Those interested in this field would benefit from work experience as a librarian or archivist or interning at archives or publishing companies; these positions provide analytical skills that are transferable to the role of Genealogy. With many related roles available across public sector organizations and law firms alike, utilizing the problem-solving and organizational skills developed during a History degree while pursuing one’s passion for genealogy is possible.
Conclusion
A history degree opens up a range of career opportunities in various fields. The possibilities are endless, from becoming a historian, museum curator, or archivist to pursuing teaching, writing, and researching. The skills acquired through a history degree can be applied to different sectors, including government agencies, non-profit organizations, cultural institutions, and more. With the right kind of training and experience, you can have an exciting and fulfilling career with a history degree. To learn more about these career options and how to pursue them, read our comprehensive guide on top jobs you can get with a history degree.
