Most people do not remain in one job or one specialty through life. They change jobs or fields, particularly as they rise up the ladder to more responsible positions. To qualify for executive positions, they will have to demonstrate that they can think, that they know how to find information and how to use it when they get it, and that they can deal with different kinds of people in different situations. These are the very skills for which a history major prepares you.

History can open many career doors part way. You will have to assert yourself and use some imagination to push the door you choose all the way open. But you will have many choices, and those options will remain available to you throughout your lifetime.

A high proportion of corporate chief executive officers were liberal arts and particularly history majors. History is an excellent preparation for a career in business and management, banking, and insurance.

Almost 20 percent of our former majors are in business in the private sector. For general business careers, a business major often has an easier time finding a job, but the skills you learn as a history major are readily converted once a job is found. History provides superb training for a Master's of Business Administration degree. M.B.A. programs train people for top executive positions, jobs that require the communications skills and creativity that a history major fosters.

A history major is also excellent preparation for a career in government. It is one of the best means to achieve a career in print or broadcast journalism or in publishing, as a significant number of our majors have done.

History provides an excellent background for a legal career (about 6 percent of our past majors) or seminary.

And of course, it is superb preparation for a teaching career (about 7 percent of our alumni).

Internships
The history department offers three unpaid internships: at Fort Hill (HIST 200); a Prelaw internship (HIST 201); internships at other historical sites (HIST 202). All three internships are taken Pass/Fail and have 1-3 variable credits. The expectation is 45 hours of work over the course of a term for each hour of credit. Students must turn in a 10-12 page paper about their work experiences as well a an internship journal. May be repeated for a maximum of three credits.  For the Prelaw internship, contact Dr. Grisinger. For the other internships, contact Dr.Carney.

Volunteer at the Anderson County Museum.

Summer internship and job links:

Clemson's Michelin Career Center has information on internships at: Internships

(Links below open new windows.)

For a listing of internships at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, mostly unpaid, see Smithsonian Internship Opportunities.

The Johnson Space Center Oral History Project has paid summer internships each year for students who have completed at least their junior year (Houston, Tex.). Application information is at Oral History Project.There is also an internship at the NASA History Office in Washington DC.

Student Conservation Association for expense-paid internships (and some paid ones) at nonprofit organizations including National Parks. The emphasis on the web site is on environmental issues but there are a significant number of positions doing historical interpretation: go to the search page and try typing "history." There are also some positions doing archaeological research. In addition to a travel grant, free housing and $100-400 per two weeks for expenses, if you completeone of these summer internships you get an AmeriCorps award of about $1000 that you can use to pay your college tuition or education loans.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has offered in the past a six week summer internship program which includes weekly education sessions, as well as work on a specific preservation project. Information may be posted at NTHP Job Opportunities or you may have to call the phone number on that web page to inquire.

Summer Internships with South Carolina ETV

Summer jobs at Colonial Williamsburg (Virginia).

Naval Historical Center and Navy Museum summer internships (Washington DC).

Seasonal employment at Mount Vernon (Washington DC area).

Unpaid internships in archaeology at Historic Alexandria (Virginia).

Summer Internships in Museum Studies at Mystic Seaport (Connecticut).

Plimouth Plantation (Massachusetts) seasonal employment opportunities and internships.

Internships at the Margaret Sanger Papers (New York City).

Civil Rights related opportunities.

Student Internship Programs with the Federal Government

The Washington Center for Internships, Washington, DC

Environmental Jobs and Careers (includes summer jobs and internships, some of them cultural/historical)