Have you always been a history buff and want to make your hobby your job but don’t quite know which careers are open to you with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in History? Look no further, we’ll walk you through your options.
Flinders’ undergraduate History major equips you with both specialist knowledge and flexible skills that can be used in diverse career pathways. History graduates work in education, from primary to university, Government, and the GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums) sector. Many also have roles in policy and business. Our History major is complementary to other programs of study, including Law, Communications, Education and Media.
Top 5 job sectors in history
1) Government
The government – be it local or federal – is a prime employer of History graduates. At Flinders, we have history graduates who are employed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and other Departments, including but not limited to Immigration, Finance, and Prime Minister and Cabinet.
2) Teaching and education
History is a much sought-after discipline in schools, high schools and universities both in Australia and overseas. Studying a history major opens up a wide array of employment possibilities in the education sector, e.g. as a teacher, academic or curriculum developer.
3) Policy development and analysis
History graduates have amazing independent research skills that make them highly desirable for policy-oriented jobs such as analysts who direct government and private sector organisations’ programs and operations.
4) Museums, galleries and libraries
The cultural and heritage sectors offer many jobs for which history graduates are best suited to. This includes jobs such as museum curator, art historian, archivist or exhibition officer.
5) Media and communications
History graduates are not only good at research, but they also write well. These analytical, research and writing skills make them highly sought after in jobs with an emphasis on communication, be that in the media or in communication branches of private companies.
Transferable skills from a BA in History
When studying history, you will acquire specialist knowledge in historical methods, research and analysis that can be utilised in diverse employment pathways, alongside skills that are developed in all humanities and social sciences university graduates. The skills you will gain include:
– Historical contextualisation
– The location and critical evaluation of different kinds of evidence
– Constructing an argument using evidence
– Specialist knowledge of sources
– Specialist knowledge of historical periods
– Critical thinking and analysis
– Capacity to develop summaries and make recommendations
– Oral and written communication skills
A history major won’t leave you stuck in the past
The key takeaway is that the Bachelor of Arts’ History major provides you with the skills needed to be an agile and highly employable professional who can move across several sectors of the economy, such as government, private business or NGOs. Instead of being locked into a specific career path, a history major enables you to follow a passion while learning desired skills that you can take from one workplace to another.
Have another passion? Match your History major with one of over 30 other majors and minors like Medieval and Early Modern Studies, Modern Greek or Sociology to create a unique pathway to the job of your dreams.
What are you waiting for? Apply for the Bachelor of Arts today.