Career Paths for History Degree - CareerAlley

Career Paths for History Degree - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Many students choose to pursue a degree in history with little thought as to where they are going next. While certainly a rigorous course of study, the degree field offers little guidance as to where a student can go next. Fortunately, there are options out there they just take a bit more work to find. History degree holders often find employment in the fields of education, law, and in facilities with a strong historical foundation. Teaching It is not a stretch to say that most students who go into the field of history do so to teach on one level or another. The history degree is a requirement in many states for those who want to teach History or Social Studies courses, leading to students who pursue the degree either alongside an educational degree or as a prerequisite for a Masters of Education. Teaching is also at the university level, though this usually takes a commitment to a phD program to accomplish. Whether on the secondary level or in college, though, a History degree is a valid start to a career in education. The Law A less obvious, but surprisingly common, career for those with a history degree is one in the field of law. A history degree is one of the most commonly held degrees by law students, and for good reason. The history field prepares scholars not only for the lengthy hours of research required in the field of law, but also helps to acclimate students to the process of thinking about both sides of an issue. Coupled with the fact that most history classes give students the ability to read relatively dense and confusing text with some degree of ease, and it becomes easy to see why so many history students pursue law school. This is perhaps the most lucrative use of a history degree, though it does require further schooling. In addition to standard legal work, history students have a particular advantage when it comes to legal scholarship. Those who never wish to enter a courtroom can find employment researching legal history. Constitutional scholars are in especially high demand in some law schools, while many lawyers turn to specialists for help in determining the origins behind specific precedents. While not quite lawyers, these history scholars can make a solid living through their work. Historical Employment Other history degree holders make a living actually working with history. There are many individuals who work in various capacities in museums, for example, from tour guide to directors. Others might work a historical sites, helping with the maintenance of historical objects or providing research data to help others better understand the significance of a particular object or location. Still other history degree holders pursue careers in historical foundations or groups, helping to shape the state of modern historical discourse while pursuing their own passions in the field. These careers are perhaps the purest applications of a history education, though the careers are often hard to come by for those who do not have experience. If you choose a degree in History, it is generally wise to specialize in a particular era or type of history. This will allow you to better market your skills, as well as to focus your own studies. Getting a job with this sort of degree may not always seem easy, but getting yourself on the right path early on can make the process less difficult. In the end, finding a career with a degree in History is something that simply requires hard work and determination just as it does with any other type of degree. Author Bio Ryan Ayers is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to education. In this article, he describes careers paths with a history degree such as a Norwich University masters degree in history online. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Joey Trebif