<p>Hi there, I currently plan on attending UCLA this fall as a History major. My thought was that it's a liberal arts degree, and will offer broad opportunities upon graduation. However, I am a little concerned about job prospects with such a degree (besides teaching). What kinds of jobs am I looking at, and what kinds of internships could I obtain while attending? Is an MBA still possible for me (can I get a business-related job after graduation)? What other graduate schools are ideal for this type of major? Any insight on this particular major and the liberal arts in general would be greatly appreciated. </p>
<p>I’m also a pre history major and to tell you the truth, besides teaching, politics, museums, thinktanks, and the Law, there’s pretty much no direct work for a History major. Well you could intern at those sectors - ex. Washington DC internships (CAPPP program of UCLA), other political internships in the LA area. As for the business related jobs, I think you could in a way get those if you’re really passionate about it - but that’s the dilemma here. If you really want to be a business guy, wouldn’t business econ or economics suit you better? Major in something you like that would help you in your career. Of coursa any major would be suitable to an extent to any job, but it would be better if you would have a major that directly applies to what you want to be.</p>
<p>btw, history is also one of the best majors for guys who wanna go to Law School - aside from the critical thinking and writing practice you get, the people who go into history are really passionate about it, so it would be easier to get a high GPA, hence a better chance at the top law schools.</p>
<p>Colleges offer 2 types of degrees under one roof. Some are vocational in nature such as accounting, engineering, nursing, etc. and on the other hand there are the liberal-arts majors. None of the liberal-arts majors lead directly to a career path (except perhaps as a professor in that subject) nor are they intended to. It may also be applicable to some career fields but that is not the main goal; if you want a degree that definitely prepares you for a job, pick a vocational major. But the truth is most people in management positions came up from liberal-arts majors.</p>
<p>History, poli-sci, archeology, you name it. People with these majors can get good jobs too, but it takes more than just the degree. Good grades and involvement in leadership activities is important, but the key that is needed for these majors are internships. They set you apart from the 1000’s of other kids with the same degree, give you experience in the field, and usually lead to offers from the companies where you had internships.</p>
<p>One issue when answering questions like the OP asked is that most HS students (and unfortunately many college students) can name only a dozen or so jobs, meaning they necessarily have no idea of how people enter career fields they don’t even know exist. This means kids talk about the same few jobs as if that’s all there is – lawyer, teacher, accountant, doctor, investment banker, etc. Almost any career field is open to the liberal-arts grad outside of the ones that require specific training and even for these you could go to grad school or take post-college classes if you really wanted.</p>
<p>The OP needs to take the broad approach; say to yourself “I’m going to graduate with a college degree, and this is a base requirement for many employers. But in addition to that, what steps do I need to take to identify a potential career and make myself an attractive hire to prospective employers in that field?” I would suggest the OP read the book “Major in Success”. It has many stories about how college students can discover their interests and prepare for jobs pursuing those interests while in college. I also suggest using the resources of the career center starting freshman year; they have workshops, interest surveys, counselors, job fairs, and can even put you together with alums who will talk to you about their career and how to get started.</p>