History: What is it good for?
History provides a springboard to a number of career options. There is, of course, a profession of history, composed largely, but not exclusively, of historians who teach and conduct research in colleges and universities. The normal way to enter that profession is to complete a Ph.D. in the History department of a major university, and several undergraduate History majors go on to do just that.Most History majors, however, do not become professional historians in the sense that this term is normally used. History as a major is often chosen by students who plan to enter a profession which will require training in a post-baccalaureate professional school, such as law, business administration, public policy, urban planning, journalism, education, librarianship, the ministry, public health, or social work. Most schools in these fields prefer students who have used their undergraduate years to acquire a strong liberal education and a broad perspective on human problems such as one gains by majoring in History, rather than students with narrowly specialized programs and skills.
History is also excellent preparation for certain specific careers which can be entered immediately upon graduation. The U. S. Foreign Service is one traditional avenue for History majors, especially those who have also acquired language skills. Teach for America and the Peace Corps also provide attractive interim career opportunities for History majors. Because History courses emphasize the analysis of social trends and the ability to write and think clearly, journalism and editorial work are also natural careers for History majors.
The History major's horizons include business careers as well. Most History majors, at Carnegie Mellon and elsewhere, take jobs in business, and research shows that History majors have better-than-average career success in management. Because they have been trained to analyze subtle and complex issues, because they develop breadth of understanding, because they are accustomed to digging out information and making sense of it, and because they have learned to present their findings effectively, History majors do extremely well in many different types of organizations, both public and private, throughout their careers. A major in History provides the general skills and sense of perspective which continue to be of value as one advances to positions of greater responsibility in an organization.
Carnegie Mellon History majors are encouraged to take full advantage of complementary areas of study in the college and the university that offer specific skills and perspectives that can be an important professional addition to a major in History. Some students combine History with work in another major such as International Relations, Business Administration, Professional Writing, Political Science, Information Systems, or Modern Languages, which may provide a very attractive career preparation.