Future Job Market For History MA & PhD Grads?

[ConsideringClinicalPsych]

Hi All,

Does anyone have information related to the state of the discipline when it comes to jobs? I finished an MA in history in 2000 and a teaching B.Ed in 2015 but have not gotten work in this field. It has been a desire of mine to teach history for a living, but as we all know, there are virtually no jobs in this area. So I have no invested much energy into searching especially as I have kids and making a living is a priority. 

We have all heard that the Baby Boomers will leave vacancies in the colleges and universities. Can anyone share a perspective on whether this is materializing? What kinds of numbers are we looking at?

I am considering a PhD in history, but probably will not do it, because in mid-career 5 years out of the workforce makes no sense without high probability of a job in the field!

Note I'm considering a PhD in clinical psych as well because I double majored. 

Edited July 31, 2017 by ConsideringClinicalPsych

[TMP]

Don't count on it at all.  Universities are increasingly replacing those tenured positions with adjuncts to capitalize, I mean, exploit the labor force.  Little pay, no benefits.  Departments have to work hard to lobby for tenure-track positions and proposals are not always accepted (I've see a fair share of rejected hiring proposals).

[Concordia]

I first heard that retirement story back in the early 80s, from a college president who would have known how things were looking.  Then, I suppose, faculty members forgot to retire just as humanities departments began shrinking and the PhD output exploded.  

The good part of this for undergrads is that there will be some excellent professors finding work at otherwise forgettable colleges and universities.  If that starts to pop the prestige bubble that drives college admissions (and tension levels among high-schoolers and their parents), that will all be positive.  But it is not a great time to be looking for work unless you're well-connected or in possession of some useful handle on your CV.

[Sigaba]

On 7/31/2017 at 7:09 AM, ConsideringClinicalPsych said:

Hi All,

Does anyone have information related to the state of the discipline when it comes to jobs? I finished an MA in history in 2000 and a teaching B.Ed in 2015 but have not gotten work in this field. It has been a desire of mine to teach history for a living, but as we all know, there are virtually no jobs in this area. So I have no invested much energy into searching especially as I have kids and making a living is a priority. 

We have all heard that the Baby Boomers will leave vacancies in the colleges and universities. Can anyone share a perspective on whether this is materializing? What kinds of numbers are we looking at?

I am considering a PhD in history, but probably will not do it, because in mid-career 5 years out of the workforce makes no sense without high probability of a job in the field!

Note I'm considering a PhD in clinical psych as well because I double majored. 

Keep in mind that many history departments value publishing over teaching. If educating undergraduates is your primary objective, give some thought to keeping that under your hat. Don't deliberately deceive anyone but don't belabor the point either.

If you're committed to teaching history, an alternate path may center around additional degrees in education--being an effective teacher and being a knowledgeable historian are not the same thing. This route may not lead you to a college or university, but it could get you to a prep school or a high school with a great department.

[ltr317]

I agree with TMP's assessment of the current job market.  The overwhelming number of want ads I see are for history adjuncts.  So if your main purpose for a PhD is to teach and land a TT position, this might not be a good idea in the short term.  For me, my main purpose in getting a history PhD is to research and write academic monographs/articles.  I've had a career already and don't need to teach, so that's why I'm seriously considering applying to PhD programs.  

[JKL]

It's unlikely that the market will improve. It's cheaper for universities to hire adjuncts or get grad students to teach courses than it is to hire new professors. (Can you blame them? It's simple economics.) Remember that a PhD is a research degree. It's for that reason that the degree is highly specialized. You become a historian. However, if you just want to teach, an MA will suffice. Keep an eye on the AHA market reports though. You can get the numbers on their site.

[Tigla]

I would agree with everyone here by saying that positions in academia are rough all over the world. Here in Germany, a lot of professors are being asked to take on larger workloads and increasing asked to fund their own research. However, there is a plus with the current way in which PhDs are taught. Most PhD programs make students take a major field and then either one or two minor fields. In addition, you have to learn at least 1 foreign language; although most need 2 languages. With these skills and expertise in several areas, applying outside academia is starting to become a common trend, at least in Europe. Recent PhD graduates have been employed by NGOs, supranational organizations, government organizations, and even companies which need translators, as well as expertise in specific regions. My suggestion is to keep yourself open to a position in any field. Academia is shrinking, but the private and government sectors are slightly opening to historians who can sell themselves, their work and their skills.

[Neist]

I thought I'd just restate the consensus that jobs will be rough moving into the future. In fact, if I wasn't getting an MLIS with my MA, I seriously doubt I would have pursued a graduate degree, or at least pursued one that demanded a reasonable amount of student loan debt, as my will.

That said, if you can go to graduate school without any or very little debt, I say go for it!  I may be in the minority, but I think it's important to follow your passions, as long as it doesn't detriment your economic well-being (i.e., being able to eat and live somewhat comfortably).