Apprenticeship Experience & Methodology
History majors are encouraged to acquire practical experience as historians. They do this during the writing of their senior thesis. In addition, they may earn academic credit by engaging in history-related internships and apprenticeships. Most of these experiences are off-campus. History majors have previously earned internship credit by:
- Teaching history in homeschool co-ops and Christian schools
- Working at libraries and historical archives
- Assisting curators at museums
- Being employed at historical sites and national parks
- Participating in archaeological digs
- writing history curriculum for Christian schools
Post-Graduation Callings and Employment
What kind of job can you get with a history major? The experience of PHC’s history majors suggests that the answer is any kind of job to which God calls you. Here are some of the things that history majors have done after graduation:
- Attend seminary and now pastor a church
- Teach in junior high and high school
- Manage the electronic aspects of a water utility business
- Attend law school and now work as an attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice
- Full-time actress and singer
- Employed by Home School Legal Defense Association as a computer assistance manager
- Earn a Ph.D. in history and work as a college professor in mainland China
- Work as a paramedic
- Write novels and children's books as a freelance writer
- Earn an MBA and work as operations manager at an investment and financial services business
- Employed as Chief of Staff at James Madison's historic Montpelier House
- Work as a technical writer who supports Department of Defense projects
- Employed as executive assistant at a Christian non-profit organization
- Earn a Master's degree in Library Science and work as a librarian at Yale University
Why are history majors able to excel at so many various vocations? Because in addition to learning how Caesar Augustus turned the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire, they learn how to think. They learn how to solve problems by thinking outside the box. They learn how to understand other peoples’ perspectives. They learn how to evaluate competing options. In other words, they leave Patrick Henry College with many tools in their toolbox—tools that enable them to do what God has called them to.
