History Curriculum

Information compiled by the GradSchools.com team - last updated December 2010

Studying in the field

History is one of those fields that allows for a great deal of specialization depending on your particular interests. Obviously to study all of history is already impossible and we're only acquiring more of it every day. Study in history can be pursued at a Masters or doctoral level. It typically centers far more in research than classroom experiences although discussion and joint research can be important parts of the process.

Since history involves the study of human experience, it is actually applicable in a wide variety of circumstances and involves a wide range of topics. Typically historians are searching for more than just facts about the past. They are trying to establish meaning through explorations of causality and by identifying patterns that transcend a single time and space and recur throughout human experience.

Job opportunities in the field

Students who earn an advanced degree in history have many options available to them. Some of the more traditional career paths for those with history degrees include teaching, working in a museum, research and writing, editing, and managing historical agencies, archives, and organizations.

However, the research and analytical skills vital to the study of history also prepare students for a variety of other career paths including opportunities in journalism, marketing or advertising, public relations, law or law enforcement, government or intelligence jobs, and a variety of other careers.