Historians

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Duties

The following is a typical list of what historians do:

• Research the past by looking at archives, books, and relics.
• Investigate the veracity and importance of historical records by conducting in-depth analyses and interpreting.
• Investigate a certain area's history and current trends.
• Education and presentations are a great way to connect with the general population.
• Material and relics can be preserved at museums, visitor centers, or historical locations.
• Advice and help on historic preservation and related concerns.
• Publish discoveries and hypotheses in papers, books, and reports.

Historians provide historical research and analysis for a wide range of clients, including governments, enterprises, people, non-profits, and historical societies. They draw on a wide range of materials for their research, including official records, newspapers, pictures, interviews, and videos, as well as previously unpublished writings like diaries and letters. It's also possible that they'll classify and archive these items as well.

Many historians present and interpret history to enlighten or enhance public awareness of the historical events that they are studying. In many cases, they establish a historical profile of a certain person, place, concept, organization, or event. Once the study is complete, the results are disseminated through a variety of media, including papers, books, reports, exhibits, websites, and instructional programs.

Historians in government are often tasked with compiling data on certain individuals or events. For example, many people write on the history of military operations or space missions that have taken place in the past. The persons and events of Operation Desert Storm, for example, may be studied by them.

There are a multitude of ways that historians and archivists work together in historical organizations, including preserving artifacts and explaining the history behind various themes like religious groups and battlegrounds. If you've got any knowledge of the past, you may work in one of these fields.

Many history majors go on to teach history at the secondary or tertiary level.

Education

Typically, a master's or Ph.D. is required to become a historian. A master's degree in history or in public history is common among historians, as is a doctorate. Those with a more interdisciplinary background can pursue degrees in museum studies, historical preservation, or archival management. Public history and related subjects sometimes require students to do an internship as part of their degree requirements.

A Ph.D. is often required for research employment in the federal government and academic institutions. Students pursuing a Ph.D. in history typically specialize in a single field of study. History can be specialized in a certain nation or location, a specific time, or a specific discipline.

For entry-level work in museums, historical associations, and other small organizations, candidates with a bachelor's degree in history may be eligible. While many historians earn a bachelor's degree, they tend to work in non-historian fields such as education or communications.

Other People's Stories

Internships are highly recommended for aspiring historians, according to several companies. Artifact handling and preservation, as well as show design, may be learned through internships. Additionally, they let students to put their academic knowledge to use in a real-world context.

Qualities that are critical to success

Critical thinking abilities. There are several sorts of historical resources that historians must investigate in order to derive logical inferences from their findings.

Skills in verbal and nonverbal communication. When conducting research, working with colleagues, and presenting findings to the public, historians need to be able to communicate well both orally and in writing.

Learning a second language. In some cases, historians may need to analyze primary source documents that are not written in English. Knowing the other language helps with research because of this.

The ability to solve problems. As a historian, you're interested in learning more about the past. A researcher may look into a previously undiscovered topic; decode historical material; or identify how the past has influenced the current situation.

Inquiry-based learning Researchers in the field of history need to be able to analyze and synthesize data from a wide range of historical objects and texts.

Pay

In May 2020, the average yearly salary for historians was $63,100. There are two extremes of earnings in each given occupation: those earning more than the median and those earning less. The lowest tenth made less than $29,540, while the top tenth made more than $116,340.

Job Projections

From 2020 to 2030, the number of historians employed is expected to rise by 5%, which is lower than the average for all occupations.