Research Schools

Associate's Degree in History

Associate Degree in History

If you are constantly fascinated by history, or would like to become an expert in a particular segment of history that you are passionate about, completing a history degree could not only be fun, but greatly beneficial for your professional pursuits. A history degree program not only strengthens you intellectually, but it gives you knowledge, skills, and expertise that allow you to enter a career that you believe in and genuinely enjoy.

History programs are for students who love to learn and continue educating themselves throughout their lives. These courses are for people who enjoy challenging their minds and feeding into their own curiosity and inquisitiveness. When studying history, there are so many areas open to examination that there are many exciting topics in which you could potentially become a leading expert.

While pursuing a history degree, students learn and practice skills that will follow them into their careers and sharpen their minds for the rest of their lives. History majors develop very strong writing skills and learn to effectively and concisely articulate and communicate their ideas to others. It is important when learning, compiling, and organizing vast amounts of historical information, to know how to share it in a way that will be meaningful and useful to others.

History majors also learn research and analysis skills that will aid them when discovering the knowledge. Strong research skills allow historians to latch on to a particular issue and trace it directly to its origin. In doing so, the historian is able to discover new information and uncover new facets and questions. Through critical analysis of an issue, the historians are able to create innovative and practical applications and solutions. History can work for our future if we study it accurately and apply our findings to current problems and issues.

There are many mays in which history graduates can apply their degree. They can devote their lives to teaching others and pursue a career in education. With a history degree, you can pass your knowledge to students in an elementary, secondary, or post secondary school, or you can work at a history site or museum as a curator or guide. History educators make history come alive and exciting for students.

After completing your history education, you can also pursue a career in research and development, law, library sciences, or politics. Many history graduates choose to impart their historic knowledge by becoming a writer, editor, journalist, or documentarian. History graduates learn strong communication skills and thrive in these occupations.

An education in history is perfect for the type of people who are constantly craving more knowledge. A history degree is certainly an enjoyable path for intellectuals to fine tune their research, writing and communication skills. This degree also provides a fantastic educational background if you are interested in moving on to other advanced degrees such as law or political science. It is important that we encourage the study of research and history, because it is by studying and understanding our past that we can shape and improve our future.


Career Opportunities with a History Degree


Your Associate’s Degree in History will open up many different career paths upon graduation. Many of the careers are at the city, state or federal level.


Museums Organizations – The nation is full of museums that employ 1000’s of employee both as guides, historians as well as administration. Museums often travel and need staff to not only move to different events but coordinate viewing at different venues. Museums also work with private collectors to secure their collections to be kept and preserved for historical reasons never to be sold to the public.


Historical Society – Almost every city has a historical society that was created to maintain the history of the city. You can be in-charge of not only maintaining the city’s history and historical documents but could also give tours of local landmarks.


Libraries – If you are a history buff and went to school for your history degree then no other place is as fascinating as the library. Our states have some of the largest libraries in the world holding rare books, newspapers and artifacts about the US.


Park Historians – Our US parks are packed full of tourists each year and the need for park ranges, guides and historians are at an all-time high. Learn more about what it will take to get employed at your local park as a historian.


Teacher – History teachers are found at the middle school, high school and college level. Depending on the type of school you’ll be employed at most will require you receive your teachers license which can be completed in another 2 years since you already earned your Associates degree.


History Associate’s Degree Curriculum


Your degree will focus on US and world history. Some of the courses that will make up your degree.
- Foreign History
- American History
- World Wars
- Human Rights History
- Political Science
- Geography
- World Civilizations

 

Job Outlook & Salary


Currently the US has over 5,000 historians and over half work for the state or government agencies. Often these jobs don’t have high turnover so finding a job in a less populated state will be your best bet. The median salary is for a historian is approx. $53,520. Currently the need for more teachers both in high school and college is a greater need and there are over 70,000 jobs in the US. The average history teacher’s salary is $52,385.

 

Resources
History Sites - http://besthistorysites.net/
Reddit History - https://www.reddit.com/r/history/
American historical Association - https://www.historians.org/