<p>If a person decided to major in American history, what would be the usual career options for that?</p>
<p>According to Barrons, a history major can become a Historian, Archeologist, Anthropologist, Genealogist, Curator, Archivist, and a teacher. I have been told by a History Professor from one of the SUNY schools that the History student can also go into Law and Politics, among other occupations. </p>
<p>This is one of my D's fav subjects. As far as teaching, I was also told that there isn't as big of a market out there for them as say English.</p>
<p>History was the single most popular major at my (elite) college many years ago. Law school was a common choice for history majors, as was business / business school, journalism, and the foreign service and civil service. Relatively few history PhDs. A few best-selling novelists and successful politicians.</p>
<p>As a lawyer (and non-history-major), I think that the historian's tool set is a very close fit with law. Not so much accumulating an extensive data base of "history facts" as the method of historical research -- identifying evidence, both in obvious and in odd or surprising places, bringing interpretive skill and social science theory to bear on that evidence, shaping it into a coherent narrative, and presenting that narrative fairly but persuasively. I have always wanted to experiment by hiring history grad students to help with certain kinds of work -- securities prospectus writing, due diligence, documentary discovery in litigation.</p>
<p>I think history is one of those majors that doesn't necessarily lead to a career in history. At an alumni send-off last year for incoming freshmen, several alumni of my school shared their majors and their current careers, and several majors didn't necessitate a certain career field, like history and English. For example, a business major translates very easily to a career in business, but a history major could do almost anything--even in non-history related fields. The history major there worked as a consultant to a fortune 500 company. I think if you want to major in history but don't want to become a teacher, you should make sure to intern in your potential career field--public relations, business, whatever.</p>
<p>A very good friend of mine was a History major at Princeton - we graduated together. She eventually got her MBA and now is a VP of Marketing at a Fortune 500 company. History is one of those traditional liberal arts sort of degrees that becomes just a part of the history of your life and experience.</p>
<p>Following up on what JHS said, history majors learn to do substantive research, and to synthesize that information in skillfully-written form. They also gain historical context, within which to evaluate their own times. Those are valuable assets across a wide spectrum of professions.</p>
<p>I started off in law school after majoring in history and then went to grad school to become a history professor. I got my MA but the professor thing didn't work out. I spent 30 years in the Federal Government doing policy and investigative work in civil rights with some time in criminal justice coordination and victims' issues. I've retired from that and am now doing complaint investigations for UW-Madison.</p>
<p>History taught me to define a problem, research it, and then write it up. It's a great major for any career that requires critical thinking.</p>
<p>yeah,</p>
<p>While I chose history as my major because i waiting till the 11th hour and had to pick a major, I will say that after discussing it with several people, it seems to be a major that will really leave the doors open to you upon graduation. As tsdad said, you will be able to read and analyze texts (especially long boring texts), be able to research about a problem, and then be able to write about it proficiently. While what you actually learn may not be advantageous to your career choice, the tools you learn will be invaluable. Fortunately for history majors, there will never be a lack of need for someone who can write clearly and concisely.</p>