What can you with a history degree? You’ve probably heard that question a million times since declaring your major. Like most liberal arts degrees, history programs teach you:
- critical thinking skills
- writing skills
- research skills
These can be parlayed into a variety of career opportunities. This list of 5 great career options for history majors shows how you can use those skills every day in a rewarding job.
Public Historian
These jobs are in high demand for history majors because they let you live and breathe your favorite subject all day. You’ll love your job, whether you work for:
- a museum
- national historic site
- interactive historical experience
As a public historian, you’ll give lectures and tours to the public. You’ll curate exhibits to help others learn about your site. This is a great career for history majors because it lets you share your passion to others. Most historians work for the federal government, where they:
- preserve important documents
- assist national parks
- manage archives.
Paralegal
Working in the legal field incorporates everything you love about history. You’ll spend your days researching clients and writing summaries of your findings to share with attorneys. When you’ve built experience, you can draft:
- legal arguments
- letters
- court filings
You might even find yourself in the courtroom supporting a lawyer during trial by taking notes, pointing out logical inconsistencies or hastily researching previous legal decisions. Applying your history degree to a career as a paralegal is one of the best ways to use your analytical and research skills in the workforce.
Speechwriter
If you love American history, a career in speechwriting is a great way to express your patriotism. Whether you’re writing for the President of the United States or a state senator, you can draw on the founding fathers to craft moving sentiments. You’ll need a keen grasp of spoken language and a good memory of quotes from historical Americans. With your experience writing long papers and research briefs, you’ve got a great head start.
Educator
It may be a cliché to use your history degree for a career in education, but there’s a reason so many of your fellow history buffs choose this path. By stepping into the classroom, you can share your love of history with the next generation. As a high school history or social studies teacher, you’ll get to relive the greatest hits from your education as you teach:
- world history
- American history
- civics classes
At the collegiate level, you’ll enjoy an active career researching and publishing in between lectures.
Author
If science professor Diana Gabaldon can make millions with her historical series Outlander, then the market is ripe for a history major to find career success as a fiction writer. You can self-publish or look for an agent. You may want to write historical fiction set in your favorite time period. You might use your keen writing skills to craft modern stories. A bachelor’s degree in history gives you the tools to succeed as an author.
Related Resource: 20 Best Deals on Small Colleges for History Buffs
Studying history helps you understand the shape of the world today. It can also help you get an exciting job earning a good salary and looking forward to going into the office every day. Not everyone has that opportunity, so take advantage of these 5 career paths for history majors who want to love their work.