Careers in History 

Students graduating with BA degrees in history follow an amazing variety of paths.

Some students go directly into the work force, while others pursue advanced study in the professions. Some do both, working for a while before returning to graduate or professional school.

While some history graduates do go on to teach history or work in museums, archives and historical societies; many more go on to careers such as business, law, government, journalism, and advertising.

For students interested in pursuing graduate studies in history, see the online AHA pamphlet, Why Become a Historian, as well as the History Department's own So You Want to Go to Graduate School in History.

Whether you plan to go directly to work following graduation or pursue advanced studies at a university, you may find the following links helpful in thinking about your future.

“Careers in History,” from the web site of the American Historical Association at: http://www.historians.org/pubs/careers/

Career Center and Internet Resources (Portland State University) at: http://www.career.pdx.edu/majorhistory.htm

“Careers for Historians” (Stanford)

Career Information for History Majors (College of Staten Island) at:
http://scholar.library.csi.cuny.edu/dept/history/career.html

“Career Opportunities for History Majors (Allegheny College) at: http://webpub.allegheny.edu/dept/history/careers.html

Jobs for History Majors (Grinnell College)

For links to specific job opportunities, see the following:

Jobs at archives (Society of American Archivists) at: http://www.archivists.org/

Jobs in the federal government (Office of Personnel Management) at: http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/

Jobs at historical societies (American Association for State and Local History) at: http://www.aaslh.org/

Jobs for Living History Specialists (The Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums, at: http://www.alhfam.org/alhfam.jobs.html

Jobs at Museums (The American Association of Museums, Aviso Employment ads) at: http://www.aam-us.org/

Jobs in Public History:

National Council on Public History (NCPH) at: http://www.ncph.org/

Society for History in the Federal Government at: http://www.shfg.org/

"The Humanities at Work" (Wilson Foundation) at: http://www.woodrow.org/phd/

Yvonne Tu’s online Guide to Public History at: http://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/dept/history/tu/

Jobs in state and local government at: http://www.statejobs.com/

See also,
Great Jobs for History Majors, by Julie Degalan and Stephen E. Lambert (McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books, 2001).

Photo: President Theodore Roosevelt presiding over the ceremony that laid the cornerstone for the McKinley Building on campus, May 14, 1902
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