Careers for History Majors
American Historical Association's "Why Study History?"
"Why study history? The answer is because we virtually must, to gain access to the laboratory of human experience. When we study it reasonably well, and so acquire some usable habits of mind, as well as some basic data about the forces that affect our own lives, we emerge with relevant skills and an enhanced capacity for informed citizenship, critical thinking, and simple awareness. The uses of history are varied. Studying history can help us develop some literally “salable” skills, but its study must not be pinned down to the narrowest utilitarianism. Some history—that confined to personal recollections about changes and continuities in the immediate environment—is essential to function beyond childhood. Some history depends on personal taste, where one finds beauty, the joy of discovery, or intellectual challenge. Between the inescapable minimum and the pleasure of deep commitment comes the history that, through cumulative skill in interpreting the unfolding human record, provides a real grasp of how the world works." —Peter Stearns, AHA
"Students of history learn to reach sound judgments by reading widely and weighing evidence with care. They construct persuasive arguments based on research rather than rumor or reflex." —Sarah Fenton, AHA
What Can You Do with That History Degree? History Major Testimonials