When people think of history class, they might picture dusty textbooks, memorized dates, or a recurring nightmare of a multiple-choice question about the date of the Great Molasses Flood. (1919, for what it’s worth.)
But here’s what that reputation misses: History is one of the most practical subjects you can study. The skills it builds—critical thinking, research, writing, argumentation—are exactly what some employers say they can’t find enough of. And at the graduate level, a history degree can invite opportunities that might surprise you.
History is important because it explains how our society arrived at our current moment. Every political system, social norm, economic structure, and cultural tension playing out today has roots somewhere in the past. Understanding those roots gives you scope, context, and a serious advantage over people who don’t. You’re better equipped to make sense of the present and think clearly about what comes next.
Historians and historically trained thinkers have shaped public policy, legal arguments, journalism, education, and leadership at every level. The ability to look at a complex situation, trace how it developed, and form a clear perspective is rare and valuable. It’s also exactly what a history education teaches you.
History degrees have launched some pretty varied careers (and we’re not afraid to name names):
Graduate-level history study goes much deeper than the survey courses most people remember from undergrad. Instead of covering centuries in a semester, you’ll spend careful, considered time on historic moments and topics of consequence.
One week you’ll be reading primary sources and wrestling with competing interpretations. The next, you’ll build your own arguments from the evidence. It’s less “here’s what happened” and more “here’s why it matters—and what we still don’t fully understand.”
At UTPB, the online MA in history covers topics including:
That kind of focused, rigorous study builds skills that transfer directly to a wide range of careers. And that’s the question most prospective students want answered—what can you do with a history degree?
History degree jobs span a wider range than most people expect. Sure, a classic role as a history professor probably springs to mind first, but a master’s in history can take graduates down many different paths.
That’s because the degree signals a key message to employers: This person can read carefully, write clearly, think critically, and make a coherent argument. Those abilities show up again and again on the lists of skills employers are struggling to find.
Some common career paths for history graduates include:
A master’s degree also carries a real earnings advantage. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers with master’s degrees had median weekly earnings of $1,840 in 2024, compared to $1,543 for bachelor’s degree holders. That’s a gap of about $300 a week, adding up to roughly $15,000 more per year.
If the careers, skills, and famous alumni above haven’t sold you yet, here’s the practical part: UTPB makes it genuinely easy to earn your graduate degree in history. The program is fully online and asynchronous, which means you complete coursework on your own schedule. No commuting, no rigid class times, and no choosing between your degree and your job.
A few things worth knowing about our online MA in history:
If you’ve already completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, you may be closer to earning your master’s than you think. Explore UTPB’s online MA in history to learn more about the program and how to apply.
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