Online Bachelors Degree in History

Long before we published our own Facebook timelines, historians chronicled the journey of mankind, fact by fact, word picture by word picture, date by date. A college degree could be an important status update on your personal timeline, and bachelor's degrees in history are a valued pathway to diverse careers.

Bachelor's degrees in history cover a broad range of time periods, geographies and specializations. Studies explore the vast terrain of world civilizations as well as targeted seminars on subjects such as the American Revolution. Historians study a composite of cultures to investigate a sliver of human experience.

History majors are not always historians

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," wrote the philosopher George Santayana. History degrees might interest you if you were never condemned to repeat history class, if you enjoy answering questions, and if you believe that critical facts need to be told with accuracy.

Few who seek bachelor's degrees in history will ultimately become historians. Instead, they could become researchers, lawyers, judges, journalists or public officials -- but they will understand the meanings of Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence and the Great Depression. Other related careers include school teachers, archivists, curators and museum technicians, according to the Department of Labor.

Outlook for history-related careers

A bachelor's degree in history would qualify you for a position such as social science research assistant, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS reports that a master's degree is the typical entry-level qualification for historians. Most historians work either in state and local government in teaching roles, or in the federal government maintaining records and documents. Given the limited number of openings for historians, the BLS expects competition to be keen, although the rate of job growth should be faster than the U.S. average between 2010 and 2020.

In 2010, the yearly median salary for research assistants in social sciences was $37,230, the BLS reports, while historians earned $53,520. Salaries were highest for historians working within the federal government.

The DOL's O*NET website notes that professionals in this field must be familiar with computers and electronics because they need to organize, analyze and report on historical data. Online degree programs in history offer technological experience as well as academic achievement, with the added convenience of scheduling studies around work or personal obligations.

Long before we published our own Facebook timelines, historians chronicled the journey of mankind, fact by fact, word picture by word picture, date by date. A college degree could be an important status update on your personal timeline, and bachelor's degrees in history are a valued pathway to diverse careers.

Bachelor's degrees in history cover a broad range of time periods, geographies and specializations. Studies explore the vast terrain of world civilizations as well as targeted seminars on subjects such as the American Revolution. Historians study a composite of cultures to investigate a sliver of human experience.

History majors are not always historians

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," wrote the philosopher George Santayana. History degrees might interest you if you were never …