What do employers want?
The skills you will acquire when you major in history.
Critical Thinking
Persuasive Writing
Research - Synthesis and Presentation
Excellent Oral Communication
International Knowledge and Experience
Most employers today are not looking for job candidates who have majored in one specific discipline; rather, they are looking for particular skills.
A
2013 national survey by the Association of American Colleges and Universities found that nearly all employers (93 percent) said that "a demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems is more important than [a candidate's] undergraduate major."
Penelope Abernathy is an alumna and the Knight Chair of Journalism and Digital Media Economics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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More than three-fourths of employers want universities to place more emphasis on critical thinking and written and oral communication skills.
The history major is designed to ensure that all students graduate with these kinds of skills. And indeed, the best information indicates that
those with History degrees perform very well in today's economy, earning competitive incomes in a wide variety of professions and careers.
Eighty-three percent of employers surveyed believe that doing a significant research project will help prepare students for success. The History Major provides precisely this preparation with its required research component in both HIS 391 and the capstone class HIS 511.
What will employers need in the future?
The skills students will develop by majoring in history.
For most American workers, the days of preparing for a single career are over. In the 21st century workplace, employees typically change jobs ten times in the two decades following college!
As Dean Kiss writes in
his message to students of the College of Arts and Sciences: "No matter where your career takes you, it will be important to remain flexible and confident of your ability to succeed throughout your working life. Employers are interested in people with flexible skills and a wide-ranging, multidisciplinary perspective."
We cannot predict all of the kinds of the jobs that will exist thirty years from now, let alone train for them.
But we can be quite certain that the skills you will acquire with a history degree will give you the flexibility to assume wide range of careers during your life.
Technical skills are certainly important but technical skills plus a major in the history are a winning combination. Whether you
become a physician or a
programmer, successful entrepreneurs and business leaders consistently say that it's those who have both who go to the top!
What do our communities need?
Engaged and informed citizens who were history majors.
The executive director of the American Historical Association James Grossman
recently argued in the LA Times that "usefulness" of History's critical thinking goes well beyond the job market to creating active and engaged citizens. He writes: "Everything has a history. To think historically is to recognize that all problems, all situations, all institutions exist in contexts that must be understood before informed decisions can be made. No entity — corporate, government, nonprofit — can afford not to have a historian at the table. We need more history majors, not fewer."
What can you do with a history major? Almost anything you want.
The list of careers you can pursue with a history degree is enormous.
Graduates from UNCG's history department have successfully pursued a wide range of careers including:
Film producer
Doctor
Lawyer
Mortgage Broker
University administrator
Community College Instructor
Archivist
Librarian
Business Vice President
Staff for a U.S. Senator
Insurance account manager
Teacher
Retail store manager
DJ
Radio producer
Public historian
Novelist
U.S. Army Sergeant
Teach for America Instructor
Financial Service Representative
Comic book author
Study Abroad consultant
National Park Service Park Ranger
Nurse
Professor
Marketing Specialist
Curator
Katie Heidsiek, MA 2011, is the curator for the Town of Windsor Museum in Colorado.
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The History Department will help you prepare for your career.
The History Department has an active alumni network, both online and in person.
If you are a current or former student in the department make sure to join our LinkedIn Spartan group for those affiliated with the department. Students sign up today and start networking with our alumni. Alumni, we are always looking for volunteers interested in mentoring our students in different career paths.
Make sure to check out our rotating
Alumni Spotlight interviews, including two recent profiles that have just been added.
Our faculty are happy to speak with you about your future plans. We will help you find the resources you need.
If you are interested in talking about career planning in general, please make an appointment with our Career Liaison,
Dr. Emily J. Levine.
If you are interested in law school, please make an appointment with our Pre-Law Advisor,
Dr. Thomas Jackson.
History majors pursuing careers in teaching receive special advising each semester.
Use the
Handbook for History Majors to plan a course of study that fits your career interests, including advice about choosing an appropriate minor, study abroad, and other opportunities for building on your strengths.
Careers that History Majors in the U.S. Have Successfully Pursued
Advertising: account executive, media buyer, media planner, copywriter, researcher, sales.
Management & Business: accountant, sales, sales manager, economist, corporate policy analyst, human resources manager, research & development manager, CEO.
Marketing: market research analyst.
Multimedia: business development, customer support, marketing, online copy editor, online researcher, production assistant, sales, scriptwriter, website designer, web editor, web producer.
Museums & Public History: curator, exhibits designer, historic preservation specialist, historic site manager, public history curator, special collections curator, appraiser of antiquities and art, museum technician.
Non-Profit Sector: clergy, consumer advocate, fundraiser/development, education administrator, foundation work (United Way, Red Cross), grant writer, Peace Corps/Vista volunteer, public relations, activist careers, advocacy/labor unions.
Publishing: author, book editor, columnist, corporate communications, copy editor, editorial writer, electronic publishing specialist, employee publications specialist, freelance writer, government publications specialists, journalist, newspaper/magazine writer, playwright, production assistant, public information officer, public relations, magazine designer, (see also Multimedia).
Real Estate: appraiser, commercial real estate agent, residential real estate agent.
Retail and Merchandising: buyer, retail manager, sales representative, entrepreneur, executive.