Careers in History

Students who major in history have a wealth of career options, including more traditional professions, such as teaching at secondary and collegiate level, becoming a lawyer or working in museums.  Additional career options include working for state or federal governments, working as an archivist or as a public historian, or pursuing a career in the editing or publishing industry. 

Careers in international fields, such as diplomacy, are also options.  History majors interested in pursuing such a career path should plan to study a foreign language and plan to study abroad.

Several Doane students have chosen to pursue various graduate degrees, including those in law, in history, and in public history.  These students have attended the Creighton University, George Mason University, University of Nebraska College of Law, the University of Colorado, the University of Montana, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and the University of Oregon-Salem, and the University of South Dakota. 

The following selection is from the American Historical Association’s website about Jobs and Careers. 

What can you do with an undergraduate degree in history?

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. Here is a brief list of the career opportunities available to the undergraduate history major. This list is based on a very useful pamphlet, 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 in 1989… History BAs intending to pursue an advanced degree in history may profitably consult the excellent new guide, Careers for Students of History, by Constance Schulz, Page Putnam Miller, Aaron Marrs, and Kevin Allen (2002: 64 pages, $7 members, $9 nonmembers. ISBN 0-87229-128-6).

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.