History at Aquinas College

Accounting majors become accountants. Nursing majors become nurses. Computer Systems Information majors become computer technicians. History majors become...what? Anything they want! It's true that students graduating with a history major seldom go on to become professional historians, although an unusually high number of Aquinas graduates have done just that. Instead a history major gives graduates the content knowledge and skills to successfully interpret and analyze the world around them.

Common career paths for history graduates include work as educators, researchers, communicators (writers and editors), information managers, advocates (legal and political professions), and business owners (see American Historical Association Careers for History Majors website). A degree in history from Aquinas College ensures that graduates have attained a level of reading comprehension, facility in written and oral communication, research skills, and analytical thinking to succeed in any of these career paths and more. These transferable skills enable our graduates to find satisfying work in a wide variety of fields. Studying history also contributes to the resilience and adaptability needed to flourish in a rapidly changing economy.

Careers for History Majors Links

• American Historical Association "Careers for History Majors"
• Western Illinois University's "Career Opportunities for History Majors"
• Western Illinois University's Famous History Majors List
• Messiah College's "What Can You Do with a History Major"
• Dr. John Fea's "So What CAN You Do with a History Major" posts on his The Way of Improvement Leads Home blog
• Dr. Robert F. Pace's "I would like to major in history, but...what can I do when I graduate?"
• Hofstra University's "What Can I Do with a Major in ... History?"

Do History Majors Get Jobs? Check out the Facts for Yourself:

• Yoni Appelbaum on "Why America's Business Majors Are in Desperate Need of a Liberal-Arts Education," in The Atlantic (July 28, 2016)
• Mid-career history major salaries are on par with business major salaries, and that's not counting history majors who went on to grad or law school!  See James Grossman, “History isn't a 'useless' major. It teaches critical thinking, something America needs plenty more of,” Los Angeles Times (May 30, 2016)
• The AAC&U on "The Myth of the Unemployed Humanities Major" (November, 2015) - get the facts!
• According to Forbes Magazine, "That 'Useless' Liberal Arts Degree Has Become Tech's Hottest Ticket" (July, 2015)
• History New Network study on "What Kinds of Jobs do History Majors Land?"(August, 2014)
• Discussion of Hart Associates Research study of what skills executives want in hires (July, 2014) - study discoveries that "'liberal arts graduates are perfectly payable and employable' and also excel at 'meeting employers' desires and expectations.'"
• Inside Higher Ed, "Liberal Arts Grads Win Long-Term" (January, 2014)
• AAC&U study on "Liberal Arts Degrees and Their Value in the Market" (January 2014) - it's good news!

Where are they now? Recent and Current Positions Held by Aquinas History Graduates

• Museum work
• Gallery owner
• Media library and post production studio manager
• Business managers
• Lawyers
• Law clerk
• Reference and instruction librarian
• Officers in the military
• GIS analysts
• Staff member for Senator Debbie Stabenow
• Learning Center Coordinator for Michigan Supreme Court
• Pastoral associate (St. Pius X Church)
• Newspaper editor (Ionia Sentinel-Standard)
• Sports writer for MLive
• Editorial fellow for Pacific Historical Review
• Musician and producer
• Technical writer (Smiths Aerospace)
• Soccer coach (Embry Riddle Aeronautical University)
• Collections intern at Harvard’s Semitic Museum
• Museum specialist for Boston National Historical Park
• Museum specialist for Yellowstone National Park
• Membership Manager at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation in Albuquerque
• Tour guide for Know Your City Portland, Oregon
• Grad school (both masters and PhD programs)
• Law school
• History professors (including Loras College, University of Alabama, and Texas Tech University)
• High school teachers
• ESL teachers

For more information about career options see: https://whatcanidowiththismajor.com/major/history/

To make an appointment with Career Services to learn more see: https://aqcareertools.campuscareerinnovations.com/