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You are here: Home / Life / Academics / You Have a History Degree, Now What?

You Have a History Degree, Now What?

March 3, 2020 //  by Kendall Russell

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“What do you major in?” “History” “Well, what can you do with that degree?” Everyone who has majored in any of the humanities has had this conversation at least once, if not more. People always tend to hype up more “practical” majors like business or engineering. While humanities majors usually have an open path, allowing you to create your own means of success, it gets challenging to find exactly what to do with your degree. Explore the many job options out there, then find the one that works for you.

Check out everything you can do and more with a humanities major.

What is a Humanities Major?

Humanities Major
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In order to become successful in humanities, you have to know what all it encompasses first. You learn how to effectively communicate, think critically and make connections across fields and topics. Classes in the humanities tend to take a multidisciplinary approach to education, meaning that if you major in English, you won’t only read books. You get to learn about the music, art, language, religion and philosophy of whatever class topic you chose. “As a history major, you get to train in ways that broadly prepare you with the research skills that the market demands,” said University of Kentucky professor Dr. Melanie Goan. This goes for all humanities majors; you won’t only learn through one style of education.

Some specializations that fall under the category of humanities: English, history, political science, digital media, anthropology, drama, journalism, linguistics and more. “I think some novice history buffs don’t understand the breadth of social studies, there’s a lot of wiggle room–sociology, psychology, anthropology, geography…There’s a lot out there you can major in that’s history adjacent if it’s something you love,” University of Kentucky graduate student Chloe Hebert said. Having such a wide array of major options should tell anyone of the huge amount of employment opportunities with these majors.

Why Aren’t More People Majoring in Humanities?

So, why do people stray away from majoring in the humanities? First, they think they won’t get a job after graduation and they worry that they will have wasted four or more years of their life in college. But they don’t know about the abundance of different opportunities open to every humanities major–like becoming a journalist or a social media coordinator or even a music therapist. Often, people assume those who major in the arts or English or media won’t make a lot of money, but as you can see, the humanities can live up to the business or economics salaries (starting salary for a business major: $50,000).

Another factor keeping students away from the humanities: peer pressure. “There’s a bit of peer pressure there when students are choosing a major, they’re thinking ‘what will my neighbors say, what will my dad’s boss say,’” Dr. Goan said. The fact that so many people do not know about how well-off graduates in the humanities makes the myth of humanity majors as unsuccessful become reality.  “[A]s cliché as it may sound, doing what you love is one of the most important things you can do in life! If you love history and are passionate about it, there are endless options for you that will lead to a happier life than doing something you’re less interested in,” University of Kentucky senior Autumn Paine said. Moral of the story: do what you love.

Jobs in the Humanities

1. English Major

humanities major
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Possible Jobs: Writer, library assistant, copywriter, journalist, communications director, technical writer, social media coordinator

Starting Salary: $43,600

Average Mid-Career Salary: $78,300

2. History Major

humanities major
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Possible Jobs: Middle school or high school teacher, lawyer, librarian, research analyst, historian, museum curator

Starting Salary: $44,000

Average Mid-Career Salary: $77,200

3. Anthropology

humanities major
giphy.com

Possible Jobs: College professor, historian, geologist, travel guide/agent, historian, physical anthropologist

Starting Salary: $50,000

Average Mid-Career Salary: $77,000

4. Drama

humanities major
giphy.com

Possible Jobs: Actor, film director, music therapist, drama therapist, community arts worker, dancer, broadcast presenter

Starting Salary: $44,000

Average Mid-Career Salary: $78,000

5. International Relations

humanities major
unsplash.com

Possible Jobs: International diplomat, international lawyer, CIA analyst, military officer, language translator, foreign service officer

Starting Salary: $51,000

Average Mid-Career Salary: $85,000

6. Liberal Arts

humanities major
giphy.com

Possible Jobs: Teacher, entrepreneur, entertainer, freelance writer, print/media journalist

Starting Salary: $41,900

Average Mid-Career Salary: $68,000

7. Linguistics

humanities major
giphy.com

Possible Jobs: Speech/language therapist, teacher, copyeditor/proofreader, English as a second language instructor, technical writer

Starting Salary: $47,900

Average Mid-Career Salary: $73,500

8. Film Studies

humanities major
unsplash.com

Possible Jobs: TV/film camera operator, film director, program researcher, film/video producer, location manager

Starting Salary: $41,300

Average Mid-Career Salary: $87,200

9. Philosophy

humanities major
giphy.com

Possible Jobs: Paralegal, copywriter, journalist, editorial assistant, public policy, social worker, lawyer, management consultant

Starting Salary: $48,200

Average Mid-Career Salary: $86,000

10. Digital Media

humanities major
unsplash.com

Possible Jobs: Media planner, multimedia specialist, social media manager, public relations officer, program researcher

Starting Salary: $42,300

Average Mid-Career Salary: $75,000

Can you see all the opportunities for humanities majors now? Endless.

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Filed Under: Academics Jobs & Internships

About Kendall Russell

Kendall is a senior at the University of Kentucky, studying English and gender and women's studies. She enjoys concerts, cats, and anything chocolate.

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