Majors

**Andres** · 12-23-2010, 10:14

Originally Posted by Tellos Athenaios

@Andres: your confusion may be due to your more advanced age,

**Rhyfelwyr** · 12-23-2010, 12:21

Is history really that bad for earning potential? Isn't it more important just to have a degree of some sort (so long as it is something respected eg not media studies), just to get you into white-collar work?

I think history is still seen as a respectable degree, it is just not specialised.

**TinCow** · 12-23-2010, 14:36

Originally Posted by Rhyfelwyr

Is history really that bad for earning potential? Isn't it more important just to have a degree of some sort (so long as it is something respected eg not media studies), just to get you into white-collar work?

I think history is still seen as a respectable degree, it is just not specialised.

Sure it's respectable, but it doesn't really 'qualify' you for anything or give you skills which are useful in most jobs. There isn't a 'history' industry outside of academia, so the history aspect of the degree is pretty much irrelevant to the job application. Compare that with a degree in math or economics for a business-related job, a degree in biology for a job in the health care industry, etc. If you're applying for one of those kinds of jobs with a History degree, you'll be at a disadvantage to someone with a field-related degree as that person will be able to claim they have some pre-existing knowledge of that field, while the History major will not. That's why it's important to decide what you want to do in life before you pick your major. It's always possible to change your field later in life, but it gets more difficult as time goes on, so if you can get it right from the start you'll be better off.