2 answers
Emma
Student
Provo, Utah
2
Questions
Asked
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What professions/majors are good if you enjoyed history in high school but not necessarily government?
I'm trying to choose a major for college. #majors #history
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2 answers
Allison Reppe
Manager at PwC
19
Answers
Dallas, Texas
Updated
Allison’s Answer
Hey Emma,
As a fellow history lover, I struggled with the same question. By my freshmen year of high school I was set on majoring in history and living happily ever after, until my very pragmatic father asked me what I was going to do for a job after college. I still remember looking at him dumbfounded. He told me that with a history degree, I could probably write a book, teach, or possibly work at a museum. None of those options appealed to me and left me feeling a bit lost.
By my junior year of high school, I'd decided to major in business, but to minor in military history. I loved being able to go from my Management Accounting class to World War II in Europe. I was able to provide myself with a pragmatic degree, while satisfying my love of History. It was a choice I have never regretted. Ironically, I think having a History minor on my resume actually helped get me my current Management Consulting job. During the interview after reviewing my resume, the recruiter and I spent most of the interview discussing which world war was our favorite and why.
But to your question around which major, I think Business is a good go-to since it can be applied to a vast number of fields and industries. I might also just be a biased. You can also think about the kind of jobs you want and work backwards to a degree as well. Once you know where you want to go, you can usually determine the path to get there. Overall though, as long as you get good grades, present yourself well, and find a way to differentiate yourself from the crowd, you can't really go wrong with picking a degree. I have heard some crazy stories of people getting jobs that have nothing to do with their degree.
Good luck!
As a fellow history lover, I struggled with the same question. By my freshmen year of high school I was set on majoring in history and living happily ever after, until my very pragmatic father asked me what I was going to do for a job after college. I still remember looking at him dumbfounded. He told me that with a history degree, I could probably write a book, teach, or possibly work at a museum. None of those options appealed to me and left me feeling a bit lost.
By my junior year of high school, I'd decided to major in business, but to minor in military history. I loved being able to go from my Management Accounting class to World War II in Europe. I was able to provide myself with a pragmatic degree, while satisfying my love of History. It was a choice I have never regretted. Ironically, I think having a History minor on my resume actually helped get me my current Management Consulting job. During the interview after reviewing my resume, the recruiter and I spent most of the interview discussing which world war was our favorite and why.
But to your question around which major, I think Business is a good go-to since it can be applied to a vast number of fields and industries. I might also just be a biased. You can also think about the kind of jobs you want and work backwards to a degree as well. Once you know where you want to go, you can usually determine the path to get there. Overall though, as long as you get good grades, present yourself well, and find a way to differentiate yourself from the crowd, you can't really go wrong with picking a degree. I have heard some crazy stories of people getting jobs that have nothing to do with their degree.
Good luck!
Anthony Moat
SAP Global Services Sales
17
Answers
Newtown Square, Pennsylvania
Updated
Anthony’s Answer
Great question!
As for profession, unless you are interested in teaching history, I'm not sure there are many professions where a great knowledge of history is extremely beneficial. Philosophy is a logical next step as far as majors go, but again the professional prospects are not wide. Law would be a good avenue as that is inextricably linked to history and also provides a high earning potential after college. Since history is a personal passion of yours, i'd suggest you pursue that on your own time and not in an official capacity at college. Learn a practical skill, something that gives you value to an employer. You can always study history in your personal time, and history is one of those subjects where you find all kinds of applications and provides needed context for operating in today's world.
As for profession, unless you are interested in teaching history, I'm not sure there are many professions where a great knowledge of history is extremely beneficial. Philosophy is a logical next step as far as majors go, but again the professional prospects are not wide. Law would be a good avenue as that is inextricably linked to history and also provides a high earning potential after college. Since history is a personal passion of yours, i'd suggest you pursue that on your own time and not in an official capacity at college. Learn a practical skill, something that gives you value to an employer. You can always study history in your personal time, and history is one of those subjects where you find all kinds of applications and provides needed context for operating in today's world.