What can you do with a degree in history?
A miniguide from the American Historical Asociation

Many, many things.

As a liberal arts major, of course, the world is your oyster and you can consider a multitude of careers.

Among the jobs you can consider are: advertising executive, analyst, archivist, broadcaster, campaign worker, consultant, congressional aide, editor, foreign service officer, foundation staffer, information specialist, intelligence agent, journalist, legal assistant, lobbyist, personnel manager, public relations staffer, researcher, teacher . . . the list can be almost endless.

More specifically, though, with your degree in history you can be an educator, researcher, communicator or editor, information manager, advocate, or even a businessperson.

The very useful guide, Careers for Students of History, written by Barbara J. Howe and jointly published by the American Historical Association and the National Council on Public History (available to members at $6 and $8 for nonmembers from the AHA's Publication Sales), discusses in its 94 pages the numerous career tracks open to the student of history.

Here is a brief list of the career opportunities available to the undegraduate history major. This list is based on the pamphlet (with appropriate paraphrases from its text), but reflects also the changes in the recent past.

Historians as Educators

Elementary Schools
Secondary Schools
Postsecondary Education
Historic Sites and Museums

Historians as Researchers

Museums and Historical Organizations
Cultural Resources Management and Historic Preservation
Think Tanks

Historians As Communicators

Writers and Editors
Journalists
Documentary Editors
Producers of Multimedia Material

Historians As Information Managers

Archivists
Records Managers:
Librarians
Information Managers

Historians As Advocates

Lawyers and Paralegals
Litigation Support
Legislative Staff Work
Foundations

Historians in Businesses and Associations

Historians in Corporations
Contract Historians
Historians and Nonprofit Associations

For more information on all these career opportunities as well as other possibilities, consult the pamphlet referred to above and, of course, the career guidance office at your college or university.

Advocates | Business | Communicators | Educators | Information Managers | Researchers

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