Careers using a History Degree?

Madmonk

My eldest son is graduating this summer with hopefully a 2:1 in History and he is now discovering that perhaps his degree choice wasn't such a good one? Anyone got any ideas for career pathways using a History degree Please!

MM:eek:

pinkfluffybabe

I'd suggest he goes along to his University careers service to ask for advice. They will know the destinations of previous graduates (by discipline) and will know the employers who take on people from his University.

Alternatively, there are websites such as prospects.ac.uk which have lots of help and tips. You need to think about the skills gained from his degree that aren't just applicable to history type careers and 'sell' those to potential employers.

Further study is an option with a 2:1 also, perhaps a Masters or PhD which might allow him to focus on a specific area of interest.

Person_one

Does he not have any idea what he wants to do?

There is nothing wrong with a history degree, just because it doesn't automatically lead into a specific job doesn't mean its of no value, it just means the student has to be aware of that and plan ahead!

A 2:1 in history should qualify him for plenty of graduate schemes in bigger companies.

Madmonk

To be honest he hasn't a clue - he's never really had any idea apart from the fact that he loves writing and researching subjects! If money was no object he would probably take two years off and write a book or a play or something similar but he's realistic enough to know he needs a job to start saving and paying off his student loan! Unfortunately We live in a town in Dorset and graduate jobs are not in abundance (same as most places I know!). I suspect he would do better if he stayed in Oxford but he's hates the place and can't wait to return home.

MM

Person_one

If he's into research, has he considered going down the academic route? Starting with a masters maybe? It can be expensive but you sound like a supportive dad and he can work part time while doing it. If he's at Oxford, he's in the right place to tap into the academic/research community.

Oldernotwiser

Madmonk wrote: »

To be honest he hasn't a clue - he's never really had any idea apart from the fact that he loves writing and researching subjects! If money was no object he would probably take two years off and write a book or a play or something similar but he's realistic enough to know he needs a job to start saving and paying off his student loan! Unfortunately We live in a town in Dorset and graduate jobs are not in abundance (same as most places I know!). I suspect he would do better if he stayed in Oxford but he's hates the place and can't wait to return home.

MM

There are many places in the country other than Oxford and Dorset!

Most people with humanities/arts degrees don't use the subject vocationally unless they go into teaching, you hope to find a career that recruits graduates.

I second the Careers Service/Prospects suggestion and hope that you encourage him to get a move on. He's really left it very late for this year and most graduate schemes will already have recruited.

Madmonk

Unfortunately he's been so immersed in his degree especially his dissertation that everything else was put on hold! He's only in the last few weeks realised that he needs to sort himself out and now he is panicking about what comes next!

MM

evespikey

if he likes writing and researching, he sounds very academic, so a masters seems like something he would enjoy. My flatmate loved history, took out a career development loan to fund his masters (as I did) and got offered a funded phd by the university the next year as they were happy with his research and wanted him to stay in the department.

There is also teaching in primary or secondary school, this (can- if going down PGCE route- on other routes you can start earning right away) requires taking out more student loans though and many places are already full. If he's interested in primary teaching there is a lot of interest+funding for men in primary right now.

Oldernotwiser

evespikey wrote: »

if he likes writing and researching, he sounds very academic,

One would hope that most university students like writing and researching!

There's no point doing a Master's (with all the associated costs) unless you've chosen a career route where this would be advantageous; merely doing it to put off the day you have to make real life choices is an expensive way to procrastinate!

Person_one

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

One would hope that most university students like writing and researching!

There's no point doing a Master's (with all the associated costs) unless you've chosen a career route where this would be advantageous; merely doing it to put off the day you have to make real life choices is an expensive way to procrastinate!

A Masters can be the start of a career path in academia, admittedly some people don't consider it a 'proper job' but he could go onto a PhD and then work within universities whether in research or teaching. There are three universities near me, all three are advertising research related jobs, the red brick one especially.

jim22

I have a history and politics 2.1 and a Masters in Political Theory. At the time work never entered my head and I saw no connection between my degrees and the work place. If anything university was to stay away from work. I just loved the subjects.

It used to be the case that history graduates would typically enter the civil service and perhaps teach. As I understand it history in schools has been relegated to a non-compulsory subject which for me is a mistake. How can you shape the future if you do not understand the past?

As to work I ended up in admnistrative based roles including working for the labour party (big mistake). As has been written there are conversion courses around for specific careers.

Would I study history if I had my time again? Probably not!