“A history degree doesn’t narrow your opportunities after college. Instead, the history major opens a world of possibilities for your future.”
- Paul B. Sturtevant, “What Can You Do with That History Degree?”
We have accurate information on the jobs and careers of 76% of our majors who graduated between 2012 and 2015. Of that number 100% are employed or in graduate school.
Studying History or American Studies can lead to a wide variety of careers because these majors cultivate the skills that employers value: the ability to think critically, communicate cogently, synthesize information coherently, and research effectively. See some of the careers our graduates have pursued on our Alumni page and how to prepare for those careers on our Careers page.
- Approximately 30% of history majors teach at the middle or high school level. Please see the Secondary Education page for more information about preparation for a teaching career.
- The second most popular field for our majors is law. Please see the pre-law page for more information about preparation for law school.
- We have history and American Studies graduates in politics/government, business, journalism, public relations/marketing, law enforcement, healthcare, military service, software, filmmaking, social work, and health care. See some of the careers our graduates have pursued on our alumni page and how to prepare for those careers on our careers page.
Want more information about what you can do with a History degree? The American Historical Association has a host of useful resources about career options for History majors. Many of these suggestions also apply to American Studies majors.
Double Major with Secondary Education
Approximately 30% of history majors pursue a career in teaching. Students interested in teaching history or social studies grades 5-12 can pursue a double major in History and Secondary Education. (The Secondary Education major cannot be earned alone; it must be paired with a major in a content area such as History. The American Studies major is not one of the majors that can be paired with Secondary Education.) Students have an advisor in each department and spend the second semester of their senior year student teaching in a local middle or high school. Students graduate with a B.A. and teacher certification in social studies or ESOL through the state of New Hampshire. For more information about the Education double-major, please contact the chair of the Education Department.
The history and education departments have had success placing history graduates in programs such as the Alliance for Catholic Education program at University of Notre Dame or the Providence Alliance for Catholic Teachers program at Providence College. In these programs, History and American Studies majors who did not double major in Education can earn a very low cost teacher certification and an M.Ed. after graduation while teaching in an under resourced Catholic middle or high school. History and American Studies majors can also go on to teach in private schools, which does not require certification.
History and American Studies majors who are interested in education but are not sure if they want to teach can take education courses without pursuing the Secondary Education double-major. They can also minor in Education. These students may want to explore an internship in museum education as an alternative to classroom teaching.
Pre-Law Information
History and American Studies are considered to be excellent majors in preparing students for law school. They teach the academic skills that the American Bar Association identifies as a solid foundation for a legal education: problem solving, critical reading, writing and editing, oral communication, and research. It is no surprise, then, that the legal profession is the second most common career (after teaching) among History majors who have graduated from Saint Anselm College. Our graduates have pursued law degrees at Suffolk Law School (Boston), University of New Hampshire Law, Quinnipiac University Law (CT), and New England School of Law (Boston).
For more information about law school, please look at the Pre-Law and Law School page which is housed in the Academic Advisement Office’s section of the College’s website. The Law School Admission Council also has a site that you should consult if you are interested in law school. Finally, the American Bar Association has a website with important information about preparing for law school.
If you would like assistance in preparing for law school, please contact Stephanie Fernandez, the Assistant Dean of Freshmen and Academic Advisement, who serves as the pre-law advisor on campus. Please also contact Liana Pennington in the Criminal Justice Department for guidance in applying to law school.
Spotlight on Alumni
Our alumni work all over the country in education, law, politics/government, business, journalism, public relations/marketing, law enforcement, healthcare, military service, software, filmmaking, social work, and health care. Meet a few:
I have gained lots of insights into how to make a complicated world smaller and simpler-because I had to. Every job seeker gets rejected sometimes no matter what their major. But my networking skills got me my current position which has been great and rewarding. Also Saint A's students don't know how much of a leg up they have in their ability to write well.
Alumni Spotlight
Casey Breslin was drawn to a history major he says because he spent much of his childhood listening to the Sharpe series on long commutes with his dad and going to Civil War battlefields.
For the last 3 years, Casey has been an educational programs specialist at the Association for Financial Professionals in Bethesda, MD (just north of Washington, DC). He works with banks, consultants, and corporate training vendors to provide educational programs for financial professionals. Each professional needs a certain number of "professional development hours" to maintain their certification and Casey ensures that the programs are "interesting, relevant, and high-quality."