Why you shouldn’t study history
Hard time finding work
While it is true that history graduates are notoriously amongst the most sought after graduates in general, it remains a fact that if you wish to work amongst other historians, you are unlikely to find work anytime soon.
History related jobs are more or less confined to academicians, archivists, museum officers and historic buildings conservation officers.
If your hopes are to work in the field of history, you are better off finding a placement or internship in a museum, research office, or TV show than studying a full history degree.
Otherwise. the degree itself offers graduates many transferable skills in problem-solving, independence to conduct research and analytical skills.
All very important skills to possess in the workplace.
The university is more important than the degree
Often, the university that a history student attends is more important than the degree itself.
This alludes to the fact that the contents of the history degree itself are less important, and are secondary to the prestige and networking possibilities that higher-ranking universities command.
As harsh as it sounds, If you choose to study history, it must be at a well-respected institution, otherwise, there is little point in doing it.
Russell group universities are likely candidates who offer all their graduates great working opportunities after completion.
Conversely, if you attend a lower ranking (non-Russell group) university, make sure that they at least provide some kind of placement year, internship opportunity, or guidance with finding employment.
Thousands of students graduate every year with history degrees so you must stand out somehow!
You are likely to never use your degree directly
History roles for new graduates are quite limited in this day and age.
Students often must use their transferable skills to find roles in different fields such as research and teaching, which can give the impression that the degree itself is useless.
In reality, most degrees face this same problem, and you are unlikely to find many degrees that directly lead to job positions straight after graduation in a relevant field.
You may not enjoy it!
There is no guarantee that your past experiences studying history will translate into having a passion for a history degree!
Many students complain of their negative experiences studying history at university, even though they enjoyed it at high school.
Elective modules can often be restrictive, especially when combined with compulsory modules that are less than interesting.
Do your research and choose a university with enjoyable modules and a flexible curriculum,m to ensure you avoid studying boring course content.
History is difficult!
As with most degrees, course content can be tricky!
History is no different, especially with the hours of lecture material, self-directed learning, and endless coursework.
Most students report having high levels of satisfaction after graduating from history degrees, however, this didn’t translate into high ratings for job prospect satisfaction!
History can be a very challenging degree, and most students feel that their hard work should be rewarded with good job prospects, but this isn’t the case, unfortunately.
This gives the impression that the hard work is wasted, however, the challenges faced in a history degree prepare you for the future.
Summary
While history can often get a bad reputation in terms of being boring, difficult, and having poor job prospects to some, it remains an opportunity to learn useful skills for others.
The transferable skills gained from studying history such as research ability, writing and speaking skills, superior reading comprehension, and the ability to critically analyse information in various contexts, makes the degree invaluable to many employers.
If you choose to study history, always remember that you can make the most of anything, despite other viewpoints.
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