History Careers
Key information
Your future career
- Professional administration/management
- International/European organizations
- Archivist/Museum curator/Librarian
- Development and research in voluntary organizations/NGOs
- Public service, nationally or locally
- Research and teaching at third level
- Teacher (Professional Master of Education required)
- Accountancy and Finance (with further study)
- Journalism
Follow-on study
- MA History
- MA History of Family
- MA Local History
- MA Journalism
- MA in Public History & Cultural Heritage
- MA Irish and Global Conflict History
Student Profile
Morgan Leigh
After finishing school and working full-time for three years, I decided that I wanted to return to education. I took a QQI course in Liberal Arts which led me to the BA Arts programme at UL. I did not have a particular career goal in mind, so I chose the subjects I enjoyed studying the most including History.
I was drawn towards the style of writing used in the practice of history. It was in that criticality and engagement that I saw the potential to develop a really valuable skillset. You are not simply learning about history, but learning what good history is, and how to produce it. The modules are quite broad, they cover either a long time-period or a variety of topics. That allows you to really explore the subject and discover what you enjoy discussing and researching the most.
The faculty in the Department of History are second to none, which was what made my decision to study it in the end. Very early on I got the sense of how supportive both the lecturers and tutors are. They have always been approachable and provided excellent guidance.
If I can offer any advice, it would be to follow your interests. If you are unsure of what you will gain from the course in terms of career options, consider what skills it has to offer you and how you could put them to use. Studying history is an excellent way to develop your critical thinking and research skills which are valuable in many lines of work. It is important to study subjects you want to learn more about, doing so will only invite more opportunity.
