Major
Careers
Related Skills
- Strong communication skills
- Good analytical skills
- Good decision making skills
- Able to explain ideas
- Strong research skills
- Able to write and present ideas clearly
- Develop patience, persistence, and drive in obtaining history related positions.
Contact
Career Industry Liaison
Megan Ruffin
(309) 438-2200
223 Bone Student Center
Internship Coordinator
Alan Lessoff
(309) 438-8083
327 Schroeder Hall
Being Successful in the Field
- An undergraduate degree in history is good preparation for graduate study in history as well as other areas such as psychology, law, or business.
- Research the prerequisites of the area of interest and tailor program of study to meet curricular and skill needs.
- Part-time, summer, internship, and volunteer experiences are critical.
- Become familiar with the government application process for opportunities in federal, state, or local government.
Related Fields
Education
- Teaching: High School, Higher Education
- Community Education
- Corporate Training
Employers
- Public and private schools
- Colleges and universities
- Museums
- Zoological parks, aquariums, wildlife refuges, and bird sanctuaries
- Arboretums, gardens, and conservatories
- Camps
- National and state parks
Government
Employers
- Federal agencies including: The Smithsonian Institute, National Archives and Records, Library of Congress, National Park Service, Intelligence services, Foreign service
- State and local agencies including: Archives and libraries, museums, parks, and historic sites, municipal archives, arts and humanities councils
Politics
Employers
- Elected or appointed public officials (i.e., legislators, governors, mayors, judges)
- National political party headquarters
- Public interest/advocacy groups
- Political campaigns
- Lobbying firms
Law
Employers
- Law firms
- Corporate legal departments
- Government agencies
- Public advocacy groups
Business
Employers
- Corporations: marketing, risk assessment, research, public relations
Nonprofit Organizations
Employers
- History museums and historic sites
- Historical associations and societies
- Cultural heritage organizations
- Historical projects
- Research and service institutions
Curatorial and Archival Management
Employers
- Museums
- Historical homes
- Art galleries
- Special collections
- Historical societies
- Libraries
- Universities and colleges
- National, state, and local government
- Corporations
- Non-profit organizations
- Research institutes
Journalism
Employers
- News departments of local, public, and commercial radio and TV stations
- Syndicated radio services
- Newspapers
- National, state, and regional radio networks
For more information about careers in the field of history, please visit Career Services and the American Historical Association.