How can I get a job with that? Career advice for humanities majors

Feeding the History major

The Chronicle of Higher Education featured a recent story about career training for students majoring in the humanities (English, history, philosophy, languages, etc.) written by a professor who had created a course to help students majoring in English find jobs (see "Feeding the English Major for the 21st Century"), Her advice also applies to students majoring in history, or indeed in any Arts & Sciences field. While students majoring in business, education, or journalism spend a lot of time talking about how their degree can lead to a job, students majoring in humanities fields are often left on their own to figure out what to do after graduation.

The good news is that the knowledge and skills developed through studying the humanities are finally back in the spotlight. The key is understanding what you know and being able to see how your knowledge and skills as marketable and valuable, adaptable to a wide variety of potential jobs/careers. It is also essential to develop digital skills and to be creative as you think about how to apply your knowledge and skills in different contexts. Start by talking with your faculty advisor and our Career Services office. Daemen's History & Political Science Department will also be introducing courses in the Digital Humanities next year to help students develop and apply digital skills.