Career Options for a History Major

The board results are out and it’s time to make a career choice. While science finds the highest takers, humanities isn’t far behind. However, despite the interest in Humanities, history often falls back as a subject of choice. Very few think it as a viable career prospect. So here we are shedding some light about the study of history and the career prospects it harbors. History is no longer his story.

Skills Acquired By A History Major

History as an academic discipline deals with the study of societies and culture of a certain time-period or long periods of time. This enhances our understanding of the past.

A degree in history provides you with a set of transferable skills that are applicable to a wide range of careers such as

law
publishing
journalism and the media
museums, librarianship, and archive work
teaching
advertising
work in the development sector
global charity work

Specialisations in History

History can be divided into three major specializations — archaeology, museology, and archival studies. After having a degree in history, you can specialize in these fields. At the postgraduate level, most of these courses are offered nationwide.

Hence, a history degree, backed by a specialization at the Masters level, can pave the way for a number of careers.

8 Interesting Career Choices:

1. Archaeology

The work of an archaeologist can be research-based or field-related. It includes excavation, but that is only one aspect of archaeology. You are free to specialize in particular objects of study. For instance, you can be an expert on coins called numismatist, or an epigraphist who decipher inscriptions.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) employs archaeologists who are entrusted with the maintenance of 3,600 monuments, state departments of archaeology of different state governments, heritage bodies, museums and other research institutions.

2. Museology

Museologists or the specialists in museology are the ones who deal with the design, organization, and management of museums. Their work is filled with research, administration and public relations.

For instance, The National Museum Institute (New Delhi) offers Masters in Museology.

3. Museum Curators

Museum curators specialize in natural history, metals, terracotta, textiles, paintings, and other related things. The field requires an artistic and aesthetic bent of mind along with administrative skills.

It also includes maintenance of records of each item, for instance, from where it has been discovered or acquired, its estimated age, conservation treatment and such details.

4. Archivists

Archivists are experts in preservation, repairing parchment and paper manuscripts and microfilming documents. They get work in museums, libraries, the National Archives of India and in different state archives.

5. Historians

A historians job is to study and research history and communicate it through written or published works.

The prerequisite to becoming a historian is a Bachelors degree in history followed by a Masters in specific areas such as political history, military history etc.

6. History Experts

There is a tremendous demand for History experts in the movie houses as well who could undertake research work for costumes, jewelry, movie sets. These experts work closely with both the director and the cinematographer.

A history expert can go to a production house as a research analyst as well.

7. Teachers

For those who have an interest in teaching can share their knowledge by becoming a teacher either for primary schools or for universities. To be a teacher you need to have pursued history in your graduation and should have pursued Bed.

If you wish to teach at the university level, you will have to complete your Master’s degree and then clear the NET examination.

In addition, you can also be employed as a researcher in historical research organizations such as Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) and Indian Council of Social Sciences Research (ICSSR).

8. Civil Services

History has always been a favorite subject for the Civil Services exam, particularly the main exam.

Although vast, the syllabus offers many advantages like easy to understand and absorb, no dearth of study material and the fact that it covers a key segment of the General Studies paper.

Source: India Today

Related Post