A common misperception about majoring in History is that it isn’t a “practical” major in terms of getting a job after graduation.  In fact, History is a very practical major.  Most majors do not line up with a particular career field, and those that do limit a person to that field.  Majoring in History prepares you for ANY job that requires critical-thinking and communications skills–which is to say most jobs.  When you study History, you’re not just learning about the past; you’re learning how to ask original questions, conduct research, and communicate your ideas to others.

Here are some articles that explain why majoring in History (or any field in the humanities) is good career preparation, even where you might least expect it:

From the President of Johns Hopkins University: “Students, Please Take that “Impractical” Humanities Course

From The Atlantic: “Should I Major in the Humanities?”

From the Harvard Business Review: “Liberal Arts in the Data Age

From Forbes: “That ‘Useless’ Liberal Arts Degree Has Become Tech’s Hottest Ticket”

From the Wall Street Journal: “The ‘Soft Skills’ Employers are Looking For”

From Business Insider: “30 People with ‘Soft’ College Majors Who Became Extremely Successful”

From Onewire: “Not All Finance Workers are Finance Graduates”

From the New York Times: “Carlyle Co-Founder’s Formula for Success: Study the Humanities”

From the Los Angeles Times: “History Isn’t a ‘Useless’ Major”

From Business Insider: “Don’t Go to School for Finance–Liberal Arts Is the Future”

From Inside Higher Ed: “Shocker: Humanities Grads Gainfully Employed and Happy”

You can learn more about careers for History majors by checking out this brochure from our Career Center.  We also encourage you to sign up for a RaptorLink account with the Career Center, so that you can apply for job and internship postings in History.

If you scroll down, you can see some of the career fields, jobs, and graduate schools that History majors are well-prepared to excel in:

Occupations

Banker

Government Agency Administrator

Lawyer

Business Consultant

Historian

Lobbyist

Business Manager

Historic Preservation Specialist

Market Research Analyst

Community Relations Director

Historic Site Administrator

Media Industry Professional

Congressional Staffer

Historical Archivist

Museum Curator

Consumer Advocate

Historical Consultant

Nonprofit Administrator

Diplomat

Historical Researcher

Political Analyst

Documentary Filmmaker

Historical Society Staff Member

Political Consultant

Economic Development Analyst

Human Resources Manager

Politician

Editor

Insurance Agent

Public Administrator

FBI/CIA Agent

International Banker

Public Policy Analyst

Federal Investigator

International Relations Specialist

Public Relations Specialist

Financial Services Professional

International Trade Specialist

High School History Teacher

Foreign Service Officer

Journalist

Writer/Author

Types of Employers

Private & Non-profit Organizations

Advertising Agencies

Financial Services Firms

Newspapers

Banks

Historical Archives

Nonprofit Organizations

Book / Magazine Publishing Companies

Historic Sites / Historical Societies

Political Organizations

Civic Organizations

Insurance Companies 

Professional Associations

Community Organizations

Labor Unions

Public Interest Groups

Consulting Firms

Law Enforcement Agencies

Public Relations Firms

Cultural Organizations

Law Firms

Radio/TV Companies

Educational Institutions

Libraries

Research Firms

Foundations

Media Conglomerates

Television Studios

Film Industry

Museums

Think Tanks

Government Agencies

Department of Commerce

Federal/State Congressional Offices

Peace Corps/AmeriCorps

Department of Justice

General Accounting Office 

Smithsonian Institution

Department of State

National Archives & Records Admin.

U.S. Customs Service

Drug Enforcement Administration

National Endowment for the Humanities

U.S. Information Agency

FBI/CIA

National Park Service

 

Jobs Obtained by Rutgers-Camden History Graduates

ABC FAMILY, DISNEY – Sales Assistant

FOSTER WHEELER, INC. – Corporate Counsel

RAHWAY LUMBER CO. – President

AGC OF NEW JERSEY AND NJAPA – Executive Director

THE FRY GROUP – Executive Recruiter

RUTGERS BUSINESS SCHOOL – Ass’t. Dean of Graduate Admissions

ALPHARMA INC.- Commercial Counsel

GAB ROBINS NORTH AMERICA, INC. – Manager

RUTHERFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION – Superintendent

AMERICORPS NCCC – Corps Member

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY –  Sr. Dir., Foundation Relations

SAP AMERICA – Support Alliance Manager

BARRASSO CONSULTING – Paralegal

GILL ST. BERNARD’S SCHOOL – Director of College Guidance

SIMPSON THACHER & BARTLETT LLP – Associate

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF BC – CEO

HOGAN & HARTSON LLP – Attorney

STATE OF NEW JERSEY – Administrative Specialist

BOYS’ CLUB OF NEW YORK –  A.S.A. Director

HUNTINGTON LEARNING  – Managing Director

STATE OF NJ – UNION COUNTY PROBATION DEPARTMENT – Probation Officer

BUSH, GOTTLIEB, SINGER, LOPEZ – Partner

INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE – Supervisory Revenue Officer

STRAUB – Director, Network Development

CARTILE PATCHEN AND MURPHY LLP – Senior Associate

J P MORGAN CHASE  – Analyst

STREET SCHOOL OF AMERICA – Teacher

CENTER FOR NON-PROFIT CORPORATIONS – Technical Assistance Coordinator

KAILUA HIGH SCHOOL – Teacher

THE NEW SCHOOL – Assoc. Director of Admissions

CHARLES JONES LLC – Human Resources Generalist/Recruiter

LIBERTY MUTUAL  – Sales Representative

TRENTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT – Elementary Teacher of Bilingual/ESL

COMMERCE BANK – Project Manager

M. SHANKEN COMMUNICATIONS, INC. – Copy Chief

TRIDENT MEDIA GROUP – Literary Agent

CORNELL UNIV. COLLEGE OF HUMAN ECOLOGY – Associate Professor

MELLON CONSULTING – Associate Principal

ULRICHSEN ROSEN & FREED – Associate

CUNY SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM – Admissions/Outreach Counselor /2005

MINTAX, INC. – Senior Tax Analyst

UNION COUNTY – Attorney

DEP’T HOMELAND SECURITY, INS – Asylum/Refugee Officer

MULTISTATE TAX COMMISSION – Counsel

UNITED STATES ARMY – Special Agent

DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS, INC. – Vice President, Legal Affairs

NJ ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE – Deputy Attorney General

WASHINGTON POST – Reporter

DOWN SYNDROME, IRELAND – Fund Raiser

NOMURA SECURITIES INTERNATIONAL, INC. – VP/Manager of Employment

WEBMD, INC. – Legal Assistant

DUANE MORRIS LLP – Partner

OMNIFILE-HW WILSON CO. – Editor

WESTFIELD BOARD OF EDUCATION – Principal

EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION AND RESOURCE CENTER – Executive Director

PASSAIC COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE – Sr. Asst. Prosecutor

WOODBRIDGE BOARD OF EDUCATION, WOODBRIDGE – Principal

FASHION INST. OF TECH., STATE U. OF N. Y. – Professor of Marketing

PINNACLE MORTGAGE, INC. – Licensed Mortgage Banker

 

Graduate Schools Attended

History Graduate Programs

Rutgers University-Camden
New York University
University of Virginia
University of North Carolina
University of Maryland
Eastern Illinois University

Masters in Education

Rider University

Theology

Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Law School

Rutgers-Camden