Associates Degree in History
If you like to know about ancient civilizations, their cultures and the way they lived, you can turn your interest into a career by earning a degree in history. Students completing their history major have a number of career paths to choose from. They can become a heritage conservationist, a bibliographer, history teacher or a historian. Historians research, interpret and inform about the past. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the demand for these professionals is expected to increase from 2010 to 2020. This is why earning a degree in history can be a smart career choice.
Featured Programs
Associates Degree in History
An associate in history prepares students for advance history and related bachelor programs. Students in this program get an insight into historical events and people that influenced civilizations. Students can also research and survey a number of subjects' such as African-American History, World Civilization, European and Middle Eastern Cultures. Students also acquire knowledge of important historical periods.
In addition to traditional schools, a number of online colleges also offer programs in history. Distance learning programs allow busy working professionals to fit this degree into their busy lives.
Admissions Requirements
Students who want to enroll in the Associate degree in History program must hold a high school diploma or GED. They may have to provide letters of recommendation and appear for interviews as well. Other admissions' factors may vary by school.
Continuing Education
The bachelor's and master's programs are available for students who want to become historians or history teachers. Bachelor's programs may take 4 years to complete while the master's degree can be earned in 1-2 years. Students can pursue full-time, part-time or online option. The exact duration of programs depends on the route that students decide to take.
The advanced degrees in history help students understand the development of human society and the economic and cultural issues that influence the contemporary world. Students can also opt for a specialty area such as world history or take up a specific comtinent. Students in the advanced degrees get to know about the historical and comparative study of contexts, texts and practices. The curriculum may include topics such as World Literature, American civilization, and Human Geography and Research Methods in History. PhD programs are also available that are designed for those who want to pursue positions in research.
Employment Opportunities
Students with degrees in history can work in the local government, federal government, state government and professional, scientific, and technical services. Opportunities are also available in colleges and universities. The ones with majors in history can become history teachers, archivists, archeologists or historians. They can also pursue careers as tour guides, heritage conservationists or bibliographers.
BLS reports that the mean annual wage for postsecondary history teachers was around $72,200 in 2012. Historians with practical skills or hands-on work experience should have the best job prospects in this regard.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|
| California | 1660 | 0.11 | 1.26 | 18.13 | 37720 |
| Florida | 1130 | 0.14 | 1.68 | 17.97 | 37370 |
| Illinois | 960 | 0.16 | 1.92 | 17.9 | 37240 |
| Texas | 760 | 0.07 | 0.78 | 16.62 | 34570 |
| New York | 650 | 0.07 | 0.85 | 20.12 | 41840 |
Source: bls.gov