History Major

Are you thinking about majoring in history, but aren’t sure what one can do with a degree in that field? The answer is, a lot!

Of course, the first thing a lot of people think of is teaching. If that’s what you want to do, then along with your Bachelor’s Degree in history, you will need to obtain a teaching certificate. This will enable you to teach in Texas public schools. If you want to teach in a community college, you’ll need a Master’s Degree. A university will usually require a Ph.D. The competition for history teaching jobs is keen, so along with your degree, you will need to obtain some great job hunting skills. Be able to show why you should get hired over lots of others who want the same job.

Where else do history majors work? Often times, they work as researchers and archivists. Others work outside their chosen field, but are valued for the skills that a history major develops. This web site has a list of transferable, and highly desirable skills that history majors tend to have. http://www1.davidson.edu/academic/history/historyweb/History%20Major.htm#Skills

Click on this Portland State University link to obtain information and numerous links that will provide prospective history majors with a wealth of information.
http://www.pdx.edu/careers/what-can-i-do-degree-history

This Pay Scale.com link has information about job opportunities for history majors, plus salary information. http://www.payscale.com/best-colleges/jobs-for-history-majors.asp. As always, be careful with salaries, as they can vary widely depending on the area in which you live.

If you’re thinking about obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in history, you’ll need to follow the core course list for an Associate of Arts degree, on page 77 of our catalog: http://www.lonestar.edu/3626. You’ll also need a transfer guide for the university to which you plan to transfer. If you’re thinking about teaching in the public schools, and want to know how to get to that point, you can contact either David Smith, at 281.765.7929, or Connie McMahan at 281.618.5481. These individuals are very knowledgeable, and can help you with your educational plan.

For general information regarding majoring in history, you can contact me or Jim Good, history professor, and chair of the social sciences department. His phone number is 281.618.5573.