Career choices for History/Geography major

[bighornfan32]

I'm at UT right now and I still have at least two years left, after this semester, but I was wondering what I could get into with a History/Geography major. The Geography is more cultural than GIS stuff. I was planning on going to Grad school for History, but I'm not so sure yet. What kind of jobs are out there?

 

[bozo_casanova]

As a government major, I've had a good career in marketing.

 

[MadTrapper]

I don't have much to say about specific jobs, but It wouldn't hurt to take some GIS classes through the Geology department so that it strengthens your History/Geography degree even more. Namely the Geography side (not that your degree is weak or anything).

 

[bluto]

do indeed take GIS so you know at least a little bit in case you find yourself in a tight. from what i've seen, GIS folks seem to be in demand (or at least not overpopulated).

I just graduated with a Geography degree in May. I never took a GIS class and i was just general grg, pulled a quickie like that. Had I not gotten into the job I'm in now, that lack of GIS probably would have left me behind in the pack.

As an example, a buddy of mine was general grg major. he took ONE semester of the required GIS class. got a job at some oil co. in Houston due to it. I'm not saying it's the greatest job ever, or he enjoyed it, but a job is a job first few yrs out of college.

 

[gecko]

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[HornFan10]

my buddy just graduated from UT and is in China teaching English. he loves it.

 

[Dionysus]

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[HornsInTheHouse]

UT geography requires two "techniques" classes that can include GIS and remote sensing. I highly recommend taking GIS for that portion even if you're on the cultural geography tract. They can be a job backup because while you may not enjoy the work they are in high demand by a lot of industries especially oil and gas in Houston. It is a marketable skill that you can fall back on if you can't find anything else.

That said, don't feel like there's nothing for a cultural geographer and historian. Travel agents like people know about the world and have traveled it so they can pitch it to customers. You'd basically be recalling all your fun travel adventures to a customer, about as fun a sales job as there can be. Teaching English abroad is a popular post-graduation job to get an opportunity to travel a lot. Often the only requirement they have is being a native speaker with a college degree in anything. Most people only do it for a year. There's also the Peace Corps, US Geological Survey, and Foreign Service. And of course graduate school.

Best of luck!

 

[bighornfan32]

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Thanks HITH. I will definitely take the GIS class, because I know it is needed. Graduation isnt for a couple of years but it helps to know what the future holds.

 

[HornsInTheHouse]

If you're graduating in a few years you will probably also have more luck finding a job than this year's graduates...with the economy going into recession and all.

 

[brntorng]

If you like the idea of non-stop travel, consider one of the mapping companies like Navionics. Firms like this hire quite a few people to drive around to update their map databases.

 

[UTCHHSLonghorns]

I'm guessing that you are not interested in teaching?

 

[Eating Club]

j/k I was a government major at UT and I work for the government in DC.

 

[TTK]

Assuming that you want to work in the private sector after graduation, learn how to read and analyze a financial statement (an accounting class or something more informal) and devote one summer to a gig selling a product, any product, and you can use your degree in about any way that you want.

 

[theropods]

Absolutely take GIS. Don't even consider not taking it. It will multiply your job options by a ridiculous amount.

 

[iplaydrums]

I was a government major and now work in Search Engine Marketing...figures...

 

[Wesser]

Holy ****! There is another History/Geography major out there! I went into insurance for a few years, then to law school. I found that those discilplines actually prepare you pretty well for law school.

 

[DischFalk2008]

Go see your UT advisor and ask about career counseling. Given the questions you are asking, it sounds like you didn't think about the answers to those questions in high school or before you chose your major.

At least you are doing so now -- before your last semester when it's far too late.

Career counseling will likely involve some testing to determine in what careers you'd probably do well and what careers would also match your interests.

The results may surprise you and may help you decide if you want to stay on the same educational track.