What Can You Do With a History Degree?

Have you completed your BA History or MA History degree and are looking for career options? You will be glad to know that a History degree offers immense career opportunities in a wide range of fields. Be it Civil Services or Academic careers, there is no dearth of opportunities in various Branches of History. This blog brings you some of the best career options that you can choose from if you have a History degree. Take a look!

Career Opportunities

Here is the answer to the question “What can I do with a History Degree”. Find below a list of careers that you can pursue after a degree in history. Check them out!

Archaeologist

Archaeology is the study of the human past through its material remains. Archaeologists take part in excavations of prehistoric sites and analyze the findings to present a picture of how the ancient world looked and functioned. A History degree provides you with the knowledge and the chance to learn these skills by specialising in the field of archaeology during your degree.

Civil Servant

The Civil Service exams are conducted every year to select candidates for various government job positions. While you can appear for the exam with any graduate degree, getting a History degree is beneficial for the UPSC exams since you will already have a basic foundational knowledge in the areas of History and Politics, which would help you in your preparation.

History Questions for UPSC & SSC Exams

Professor or Lecturer

This is one of the best career options if you have a postgraduate history degree along with a good percentage of marks. A lecturer or professor in history teaches students at the college or university level. Apart from a master’s degree, you also need to qualify for the University Grants Commission’s National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) to be considered to be appointed as a lecturer. Alternatively, having a PhD degree in history can exempt you from requiring to clear the UGC NET exam and it is also the minimum required degree to be considered for appointment as a professor.

How to Become a Professor?

School Teacher

You can also opt to go into the teaching profession as a Primary or High School teacher of History. Dispersing knowledge of the field of education they belong to is a  Career Objective for Teachers. To be eligible as a teacher, you have to complete a teacher training course such as a B. Ed. or a D. El. Ed. degree. Some schools also appoint candidates without a teacher’s training degree as assistant teachers. 

Check out the list of Teacher Training Courses

Museum Curator

A Museum Curator is concerned with managing collections of arts and artefacts in a museum. Their work consists of acquiring new collections of art, ensuring their care and proper display and providing information related to them. A History degree is beneficial for this career since a museum curator needs extensive historical knowledge, research and analyzing skills and an eye for detail, all of which you can learn in your history degree.

Want to enter this field after completing your History degree?
To know more read our blog on Career in Museology!

Archivist

An Archivist is concerned with the collection, preservation, maintenance and organisation of records of value. These records may include files, documents, letters, recordings, diaries etc. A history degree is beneficial for this career since you would already have some experience of how archives work and would also understand the value of old documents.

Heritage Manager

A Heritage Manager is responsible for the conservation, maintenance and management of heritage sites which may include historical monuments, buildings, museums, landscapes etc. They have to take care of different tasks like restoration activities, developing heritage attractions, managing budgets, fundraising etc. Knowledge of History is beneficial in heritage management.

Lawyer

The lawyer advises and represents their clients in the courts of law. The main duties of a lawyer include providing legal advice and drawing up legal documents and contracts. Conducting legal research and gathering evidence etc. A history degree equips you with the fundamentals of research and analysis, both of which are much-needed skills for a lawyer. A history graduate has to complete a 3-year LLB course to start their career in Law.

Art Historian

Art History is a branch of History dealing with the study and analysis of the different visual art forms such as sculptures, paintings, architecture, drawings etc. The work of an Art Historian is concerned with unravelling the processes, evolution and meanings behind all these art forms in the context of their time of creation. Specialising in this branch during your postgraduate history degree can help you in establishing your career as an Art Historian.

History of Indian Art

Reporter or Journalist

Journalism is the work of gathering, editing and presenting or publishing information or news. The work of a journalist or a reporter involves researching and analyzing information to create reports or articles with a view of informing or influencing public opinion. A History graduate possesses the required research, analysis and summarizing skills that are essential for a Journalist, thus making it a very popular career path for graduates in this subject.

Anthropologist

Anthropology is the study of human society, its evolution and cultural practices. Anthropology is a great course for budding historians to explore as it is closely tied to archaeology and history. It studies the origin of humans, their evolution, and the evolution of cultural practices, traditions, and societies. Anthropologists acquire this information for further academic research. Anthropologists work in a number of sectors such as marketing, business management, business development, and human resource and help manage people and their aspirations.  

Human Resources Officer

Human resources officer is another job profile that history students can consider. It is an ideal position for students who possess people skills and have a talent for spotting the right candidates for a position. Human resource offers are primarily responsible for the hiring and management of employees. They assist in training, monitoring performance and managing employee demands. They are also responsible for ensuring that employee aspirations are aligned with the company’s future goals. 

Content Writer

Content writing is a vast and influential field for history students interested in entering the world of marketing. Content writers create content for companies to help them market their products and services in the digital space. Content writers have a talent for writing and research so that they can understand and market the product and service of a company. Students of history are well-versed in research methodology which makes this an ideal job for them. 

Other Career Options

Some other career options that you can opt for with a History degree include:

• Research Analyst
• Diplomat
• Editor
• Academic writer
• Researcher
• Librarian
• Lobbyist
• Campaign worker
• Communications Specialist

Related Read: Careers after Arts Stream

Importance of History Degree in Business

You gain many transferable skills from a history degree that can give you an edge in the workplace. After all, the study of people, particularly how they form communities and identities, is at the heart of history. Having a thorough understanding of people and what makes them tick is useful in any industry, even those that are not customer-focused.

A history degree also equips you with analytical and strong communication skills, which are necessary for tasks like conducting in-depth research. Additionally, those who study history often gain experience giving presentations, which is common in many workplaces. Your history degree will give you an advantage in many fields, and some of the soft skills you learn may even be similar to those needed by tech professionals.

Relevant Read: MA Archaeology

Higher Studies

Some history graduates continue their education by pursuing a master’s degree to specialise in a period of history or a group of cultures that particularly interests them.

However, many postgraduate programmes accept graduates from any discipline, allowing history majors to pursue a variety of careers, including:

• accountancy
• law
• librarianship
• museum studies

You gain practical training skills from these courses in specific occupational fields.

Courses for further study include certificates in corporate finance and human resources management, one-year teacher preparation programmes, Master’s programmes in information management, and museum studies.

Must Read: MPhil in History

Skills Developed after a History Degree

A history degree typically results in the following skills:

• Professional written and spoken communication
• Basic IT abilities
• Deep academic research abilities
• Being able to evaluate and assess the veracity of historical texts and sources
• Cross-referencing yourself and others with a variety of historical sources
• Understanding of important historical and political movements
• Self-management, which entails organising and meeting commitments
• Critical evaluation and analytical thinking
• Ability to contribute to discussions and put together a reasoned argument
• Awareness of various cultural and historical contexts
• Planning, research, and writing abilities for essays
• Understanding how historical events shaped the modern world

Relevant Read: Best World History Books

List of History Degree Programs & Universities

Below is a list of some popular courses in history offered by universities around the world:

University	Country	Courses Offered
The University of Sydney	Australia	Bachelor of Arts in Ancient History Bachelor of Arts in Art History Bachelor of Arts in History Bachelor of Science in History and Philosophy of Science
Trent University	Canada	Bachelor of Arts in History Master of Arts in History
La Trobe University	Australia	Bachelor of Arts in History
University of Limerick	Ireland	Bachelor of Arts in History Master of Arts in History Master of Arts in History of Family Master of Arts in Public History and Cultural Heritage
Dalhousie University	Canada	Bachelor of Arts (BA) – History Bachelor of Arts (BA) – History of Science and Technology Master of Arts (MA) in History
Michigan State University	USA	Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Visual Culture Bachelor of Arts in Global History Bachelor of Arts in History Bachelor of Arts in History Education Bachelor of Science in History, Philosophy and Sociology of Science Major
Southern New Hampshire University	USA	Bachelor of Arts in History Masters of Arts in History

FAQs

Hope this blog was successful in providing you with information about the different career options that you have after completing a History degree. In case you are still confused about your prospective career path, worry not. At Leverage Edu, we specialise in providing excellent career guidance to students from all domains with the help of our team of career experts. Be it pursuing higher education from abroad, or preparing the choicest SOP and LORs, connect with us through a free e-meeting to get things sorted right away!