Careers for History Majors

Despite common belief, becoming a history teacher is not the only thing that one can do with a degree in history- though teaching is a very good career. Some examples are:

1. Lawyer: It is very important for lawyers to learn about law that have been made in the past, as well as all about past cases.

2. Politician: It is important for politicians to learn about mistakes that past politicians have made. As they study the reactions of the people to proclamations made in the past, they can better judge how to influence others well.

3. Librarians and Archivists: They must have a good grasp on history in order to help their patrons. Archivists spend most of their time sifting through pieces of history, so a good understanding of the subject is essential.

4. Genealogists: Genealogists help others trace their family trees. They do this for a variety of reasons: for curiosity's sake, in order to discover if any diseases run in their family, or for another reason. It is helpful to know about history for this career to learn famous names, diseases, and places from the past.

5. Museum Curators: Museum Curators spend their days surrounded by history. They plan, display, and catalog collection items. It is very important that they understand what they are doing, because if a collection piece is mislabeled everyone who visits the museum will become misinformed.

6. Writers and Editors: Students of all ages learn about history in school, so many different textbooks are needed. Many people also enjoy reading books set in the past for their own personal enjoyment. Articles discussing new discovering by archeologists and anthropologists also crop up fairly regularly. A good grasp on history is necessary to write any of these types of texts. The editors of these manuscripts must also have an in-depth understanding of history, or they will not be able to catch mistakes.

7. Teacher/Professor: Because history is taught in every class level, many history teachers and professors are needed.

There have been many famous people who graduated with a career in history. Having a career in history never held these people back! There have been six U.S. Presidents with degrees in history, including Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. It may surprise you to learn that Conan O'Brien, the famous comedian and television host, was a history major, as was Martha Stewart.

In conclusion, there are boundless options for careers that history majors can make!