Using your History degree

On this page:

History Graduates Skills developed by the study of History Careers for people with these skills Employers who recruit people with these skills FAQs

History Graduates

Tanja Bueltmann

PhD (2008)

Tanja moved to Victoria University to pursue her doctoral research on New Zealand’s Scottish immigrant community in 2006. Though based at the Stout Research Centre, Tanja had strong links with the History Programme through her co-supervisors and her involvement with the History Postgraduate Seminars. Funded by the New Zealand government’s International Doctoral Research Scholarships, Tanja completed her PhD in 2008. She is now Senior Research Assistant in History at Northumbria University and will take up Lectureship when her current role ends. http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/sd/academic/sass/about/humanities/staff/tbueltmann/

Jonathan Sarich

BA Hons (2003)
MA (2006)

Jonathan Sarich began study in 2000, completing Honours in 2003 and Masters in 2006. His thesis examined the production, content and distribution of the New Zealand Official Yearbook between 1893 and 1923 within the context of New Zealand state growth and international development of official statistics. Jonathan is now employed at the Waitangi Tribunal as a Research Analyst/Inquires Facilitator. His position involves conducting commissioned research examining historical claims as well as playing a facilitating role helping claimants through the Tribunal process.

Debbie Stowe

BA Hons (2004)
MA (2006)

Debbie Stowe graduated with a BCA and BA Honours (History) degree in 2004, then went on to complete her Masters in 2006.  Debbie's research focused on John Pascoe's photography of the New Zealand home front during the Second World War. She examined the use of photographs as historical sources and what they tell of history. During the final months of undertaking her Masters, Debbie began a job as an Advisor in Commemorations and Research at Veterans' Affairs New Zealand. Debbie is now employed at the Waitangi Tribunal as a Research Analyst/Inquires Facilitator.

Sarah Whitehead

BA Hons (2004)
MA (2006)

Sarah Whitehead completed her BA (psychology and history) in 2003, honours in history in 2004 and masters in history in 2006. Her masters thesis examined cartoons as historical sources, exploring the ways in which New Zealand cartoonists portrayed the national war effort during World War One. Sarah's previous work has focused on the history of New Zealand propaganda, sport and home front experiences during World War One. Her first article was published in the 2006 edition of the Melbourne Historical Journal, and investigated the impact of World War One on rugby in New Zealand . Sarah now works as Curator of Canterbury Social History at Canterbury Museum in Christchurch . As a curator she collects and cares for artefacts relating to Canterbury and New Zealand social history, gives talks and behind the scenes tours of the collections, writes research and develops exhibitions for the Museum. 

Page top

Skills developed by the study of History

History graduates are "intellectually trained" to work in almost any position which requires skills such as the ability to:

• construct a logical argument based on fact
• systematically analyses a complex situation
• understand the dynamics of conflict
• make connections between apparently unrelated events
• make a decision in the context of ambiguous information
• interpret events from various points of view
• be aware the of the long-term consequences of decisions
• concentrate and focus on a defined topic
• analyse past events for implications in the present
• discriminate between relevant and irrelevant information
• seek alternative explanations and maintain a questioning attitude
• appraise prevailing social, political and economic belief systems
• evaluate the quality of information provided for the public record

History graduates typically demonstrate:

• good written and oral communication skills
• skill in research methods
• attention to detail
• knowledge of referencing and information systems
• persistence and intellectual curiousity
• enthusiasm for their subject – employers tend to value applicants who are passionate and articulate about their interests.

Page top

Careers for people with these skills

• policy-making positions
• education enterprises
• administration and management
• jobs involving research and report-writing
• contract or freelance writing projects
• heritage and historical conservation projects
• library and information management enterprises

Page top

Employers of people with these skills

• schools, colleges and universities
• government departments, national and local
• banks and insurance companies
• regional museums
• libraries
• archives
• Te Papa, the National Museum of New Zealand
• The New Zealand Historic Places Trust
• The Waitangi Tribunal
• The Crown Forest Rental Trust
• The Ministry of Culture and Heritage and History Group
• The Department of Conservation

See also Career View - History for a discussion of the career opportunities opened up by a History degree.

Page top

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why Study History?
• Why study History at Victoria University?
• I love history but I'm majoring in another discipline. Is there a way of taking someHistory courses outside my major?
• What do I do with a History degree?
• What do employers look for in a graduate?

Why study History?

Because...

• without History we would not be who we are now. The world would not be the shape it is today.

• History takes us into the drama of different places, times and people's lives:

  • to a bread riot in Paris in 1789
  • to a slave ship sailing the Atlantic in the 18th century
  • to the Kingitanga movement in the Waikato in the 1850s and 1860s
  • to the mayhem of China's Cultural Revolution
  • to the horror and camaraderie of a trench in a WW1 battlefield
  • to Gandhi's non-violence movement against the powerful British empire;
  • to a circle of medical experimenters ridding a body of demons in 16thC Europe
  • to the centre of a crowd cheering or booing speeches of 20th century leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Lenin, J F Kennedy
  • to the texture of daily life/smells, sounds and struggle on an Australian bush farm
  
  
• History is about who we are as New Zealanders. We need to know our history to be able to play a part in shaping the future — whatever field we choose to specialise in.



• History is food for the imagination, a whole world of places to explore. As L. P. Hartley once said: "The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there."



• studying History develops skills in information-gathering, critical reading and thinking, interpretation, arguing a case and telling a story.



• History lets you travel in time



• studying History means you get to meet some good people - in the present and the past.

Page top

Why study History at Victoria University?

• Wide choice of courses
  
• Staff with international reputations for teaching and research
  
• Study History where history happens--in the political and cultural centre of New Zealand
  
  • Combine the present and the past: many students take History and Politics as double majors for a BA.
    
  • Take History along with Design, Architecture, Media Studies, Theatre and Film, Art History and many other combinations
  
  
• You will get to use the raw materials of history--photographs, manuscripts, letters, diaries, maps, oral history interviews in national collections in many undergraduate courses (for most students elsewhere this is only possible at postgraduate level and even then in smaller local collections)
  
• The major national collections and institutions are on the doorstep for you to visit and use--New Zealand Film Archive, Alexander Turnbull Library, NZ Historic Places Trust, Te Papa, National Archives, Waitangi Tribunal, National Library, Museum of Wellington: City and Sea
  
• Organisations like Te Papa, National Library, Film Archive are exciting places to visit while studying; they can also be places to find part time and casual work, and later, professional work for graduates. They are places to make contacts.

Page top

I love history but I'm majoring in another discipline. Is there a way of doing some history courses outside my major?

Yes.

All undergraduate History courses are one semester long. Anyone can take a 100-level History paper as part of a BA, BCA, BSc, LLB:

• Taking a course that interests you – a History course – means you're more likely to study successfully: pass and get a good grade, than you would if you study something you're not interested in, or you think you 'should' do.

• As well as enjoying doing your degree, a History paper will give you skills in research, information-seeking, writing and critical thinking. They will be of benefit to you in your other courses.

With two 100- level History courses, or CLAS 104 and 105 (Greek and Roman History) you can enrol in any 200-level History paper.

With two 200-level History papers (or ECON 204 and 205; CLAS 207 and 208), you can enrol in any 300-level History paper.

• Every subject has a History – History is relevant to everything you study

• History papers can form part of a major in Asian Studies, Pacific Studies, Women's Studies

• Take History as part of a double or combined major.

Page top

What do I do with a History degree?

Graduates in History find work in a huge variety of places doing all kinds of jobs.

• Journalism
  
• Politics and government
  
• Applied history
  
• Tourism and service industries
  
• Policy positions
  
• Information and creative activities

Employers value History students' skills in information seeking and sorting, in writing effectively, in thinking clearly and imaginatively and in working systematically. Most employers value people with these skills developed through a broad education, and many prefer to provide their own training for the particular job to be done.

• If you can't let go of History when you leave university there are jobs to keep you occupied--in museums, archives, and organisations such as the Historic Places Trust, Waitangi Tribunal, Iwi organisations, Office of Treaty Settlements, Ministry for Culture and Heritage, libraries, working independently/freelance as a historical writer or adviser (see PHANZA).

• 'Selling' New Zealand? You might find a job in an export industry, in tourism, in sport and event management, film or television writing or production--all these require a broad education and a knowledge of what makes New Zealand and other cultures distinct--above all this is their history

• If you like being in touch with history 'as it happens' you might think of journalism--for radio, TV, electronic sites or newspapers. Many of New Zealand's leading journalists have history degrees

• If you want to make History then there is a career in politics (Michael Cullen and Michael Laws, to name just two, have degrees in history)

• If you'd rather tell politicians and governments what's good for them, government departments and SOEs are always on the lookout for fresh graduates with the ability to take the longer view, to produce independent advice and research--policy analysts, consultants

• History graduates find jobs in the broad commercial sphere--in banks, insurance companies, financial and consulting companies. Recent graduates have gone into positions in banks and multi-national companies in New Zealand, and other parts of the world.

• Public relations, advertising and IT companies all look for people who can think and write creatively

• Interested in passing on your knowledge and enthusiasm for the past? Teaching – in secondary schools, whare wananga, training institutes, or as part of international travel is all possible with a History degree.

Page top

What do employers look for in a graduate?

VicNews, 14 August, 2000, p.11

Employers are looking for multi-skilled university graduates, not just top academic achievers, a new Victoria University survey has shown.

The survey, which aimed to find the 'top ten' skills New Zealand employers were looking for, found that strong verbal and interpersonal communication skills were rated ahead of problem-solving abilities and academic achievement.

Lower down the list came self-motivation, analytical skills, flexibility, being a team player, strong written communication skills, energy and creativity.

"The results show that the key to employment is 'employability'", said Liz Medford, Head of Victoria University's Career Development and Employment Service. "In addition to sound academic achievement, graduates must possess cross-functional skills."

Ms Medford said job-hunters should look at the top ten skills required collectively rather than individually. "Many employers are looking for a combination of certain skills and attributes. Those who succeed need to have several strengths to offer."

In order, the top ten skills or attributes listed by employers were:

1. strong verbal and interpersonal communication;

2. problem solving;

3. sound academic achievement;

4. self-motivated / self-management / self-starter;

5. analytical and conceptual;

6. flexible and adaptable 'can-do' attitude;

7. team player;

8. strong written communication;

9. energy and enthusiasm;

10. creative / innovative.

Other skills and attributes which were mentioned by employers but didn't make the top ten included: results orientated (meeting deadlines); all-rounder; taking ownership (extra effort); advanced computer literacy; passion / drive / ambition; real world experience using technical skills; confidence; and positive attitude.

"Students will find the survey results useful in identifying skill gaps and strategies to improve their employability, and when they are preparing evidence to present for interviews," Ms Medford said.

Employers also found the exercise useful, Ms Medford said. "Being asked to rank each of the skills made them think more seriously about which skills and attributes were considered the most important and why."

Victoria University is using the results of the survey to design a Professional Skills Development Programme which will give students formal recognition of additional skills they have acquired in addition to their academic programme.

The Employment Skills Survey was conducted by Victoria University's Career Development and Employment Service in March 2000. The survey sampled 200 employers who were actively recruiting or who had recently recruited university graduates. The response rate was 35 percent (70 employers).

To identify the top ten skills, an average rank was obtained for each skill / attribute and then re-ordered according to the average. To ensure this was representative, the medians were also examined and gave the same top ten order.

Page top