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CAREER PATHS
Students in the History Department Study:
- How to look up information
- How to decide what information is most useful
- How to organize this information
- How to present it to other in orally or in writing
This is a good background to a wide variety of
professional careers, such as:
- Law
- Journalism
- Management
- Government Service
- Teaching
- Graduate School
Careers for History Majors are amazingly diverse.
What one gains from the study of history is not preparation for any specific profession, but a
collection of skills and an understanding of how people and the world in general operate.
Generations of liberal arts graduates have found in the study of history a useful major and an
enjoyable experience.
The wide variety of potential careers open to history majors
illustrates why it is important for students to attend a college where faculty know the
students individually and are willing to give them the kind of attention and advice that will
be useful in preparing them for life after graduation. The Monmouth College history faculty is
on campus and available for student consultation for many hours each day, as well as attending
the college functions where students demonstrate their artistic and athletic talents.
The National Center for the Study of History (RR1. Box 679,
Cornish ME 04020-9726) publishes information on Careers for History majors in the public,
private, and non-profit sectors. It divides potential work into areas that emphasize the
skills learned at the undergraduate level: archives, records management, libraries, museums,
research, religious and philanthropic organizations, travel and tourism, and teaching.
What do our history majors do?
The largest group becomes teachers. The Monmouth College Teacher Education program has
earned a good reputation locally, so that Monmouth College graduates have been very successful
in finding employment. It might be noted that not all of them teach history! The department's
emphasis in having students acquire a well-rounded education results in many being prepared to
teach in a second field such as English or science.
The next largest group goes into management. These
students typically prepare themselves for employment by taking appropriate courses in the
Political
Economy and Commerce department.
A number of students go straight to graduate school
(law, history). Some have earned responsible positions in higher education.
Some join the military and become career officers. One
recent female graduate is with an F-14 squadron in the Navy, one male graduate has done
several tours in Antarctica.
Some become journalists or public relations directors.
One graduate went to medical school, another started a computer business. Three
manage museums or historic sites.
How many majors are studying history at Monmouth College
now? The Registrar's Fall 2001 report on declared majors listed 75 students who are now
freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors. Some of these are double majors. History is one of
the most popular majors on campus.
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