Career Options for Holders of a Master’s Degree in History

Studying for a degree is pretty much obligatory for anyone who wants to get a good job in today’s marketplace, and the standard advice given to those considering which degrees to invest in is to opt for STEM degrees—degrees in science, technology, engineering and math related subjects. The other highly recommended degrees are usually business focused degrees of one type or another. But what do you do if your brain just isn’t wired for STEM subjects and the thought of taking a management degree leaves you cold? Can you study something that you’re passionate about and still land a good job?

A History Degree Teaches You More than Just History

In addition to the historical knowledge that you’ll gain from studying for your degree, you’ll become proficient in several other highly sought after skills.

Studying history, whether at a traditional campus or through a masters of history online, requires you to learn some serious research skills. As such, any organization, public or private, that has a need for researchers, can be a potential employer. For example, consulting firms and law firms regularly need to sift through colossal amounts of information, and they rely on their researchers to find the relevant data and make sense of it so they can offer the best guidance to their clients.

During the course of a history degree, you’ll have to write a lot and present your research in a coherent manner. Being able to write knowledgeably and with authority is a good skill to have and one that most employers value. Most business and public bodies need to produce reports on a daily basis, so someone with your skills should be able to fit into many interesting roles.

With a Masters in History You Can Teach Others

Once you have completed your online master of arts in history degree, you’ll be able to step into the world of teaching if you want to. You could teach at a private school where salaries are higher and more emphasis is placed on the humanities than in public schools. Teaching at the post-secondary level is also a good choice, although competition for job openings is usually very strong.

Non-Profits Can Be a Good Fit for History Majors

Take a look at job openings with non-profits that align with your interests and values. With your research and writing skills, you’ll be able to help develop their programs and prepare grant proposals.

There’s also the option of specializing in writing grant proposals and working as a consultant offering this service. It’s possible to gain valuable grant proposal writing experience by volunteering with smaller non-profits who need help.

Having a masters degree in history shows potential employers that you’re organized, motivated, focused, and that you pay attention to detail while keeping sight of the bigger picture, which are all qualities that will make you a valuable addition to any organization. Plus, there’s no reason at all why you can’t continue to pick up extra skills by studying one of the many free courses offered by leading universities.