Careers for History Majors

As a history major at Towson you will develop skills which will help prepare you for just about any career you can imagine. 

History is an excellent choice of major if you want to teach history or work in a museum. It’s also an excellent choice of major if you want a career that has nothing to do with history, or if you don’t know what you want to do after graduation.

History skills are prized in almost every field. Employers look for job candidates who can write well, research well and think critically — that is, people who can effectively analyze and evaluate what they’re reading. As a history major, you are sharpening all those skills.

Databases from the New Books Network and the American Historical Association list potential careers for history majors, including in fields like:

  • law
  • entrepreneurship
  • business leadership
  • journalism
  • marketing
  • digital strategy

Prepare for Your Career with Strategic Coursework

Many people end up in rewarding careers that they did not have in mind when they walked across the stage at graduation. It can help to think of your career as a journey, rather than expecting everything to fall into place quickly.   

Start to think about your career early so that you can:

  • Adjust your academic plan if needed. Add a minor, do an internship, take a foreign language or study abroad.
  • Sharpen your marketable skills. Highlight your training and experience in courses, extra curricular activities and jobs.
  • Plan ahead. Starting early will make the process less stressful. Plus, you can do things early like ask professors for letters of recommendation right after you've taken their course.
  • Choose courses to prepare you for your career. Take courses that will help you discover if you like career options like museum work or teaching. Consider taking courses such as Internship (HIST 493), Career Preparation for History Majors (HIST 234) or Designing Your Career Plan (EDUC 121). 

Begin the Job-Search Process

As you think about your career, it's important to keep an open mind. As you read the job and internship listings, think about which ones might be interesting. Majoring in history prepares you for any number of careers, and your ideal job might be one that you haven’t yet considered.

Participate in and Share Experiences

  • Spend about 35 minutes identifying your strengths by completing the free CliftonStrenghts assessment so that you can choose a career that caters to your talents. 
  • Build your general resume and model it off of the Career Center's History Major sample resume (PDF).
  • Sign up on LinkedIn or revise your profile. Read advice on creating a great profile and take a professional headshot at the Career Center if you don't already have one.
  • Check out the Career Center's page on job and career resources for history majors.
  • Volunteer at institutions, including national parks, museums and historical societies to see if you would enjoy a career in a certain field, all while strengthening your skills and networking for potential jobs.
  • Review the Career Center's advice for preparing for a job interview. 
  • Speak with your acadmeic advisor about your plans and interests.

Search Job and Internship Databases