A major in History also provides students with excellent preparation for admission to professional schools and the pursuit of careers in any field where research experience, analytical skills, and good writing are important. The skills that history majors hone are sought after by a variety of employers. Many of our graduates pursue teacher certification programs for secondary education, or go on to pursue careers in research, communications, information management, law, social services, government, and business.
A list of occupations currently held by Penn State Behrend’s history alumni include:
Historians as Educators
- Professor of History, Penn State Greater Allegheny
- Admissions Counselor, Penn State Behrend
- Assistant Principal, Shenandoah County Public Schools
- Social Studies Teacher-Secondary Ed., Shaler Area School District
Historians in Public History
- Executive Director, DuPage County Historical Museum
- Museum Educator II, Drake Well Museum (PHMC)
- Interpretive Manager, Delaware State Parks
- Associate Prospect Analysis, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh
- Facilitator, Chicago Museum of Science and Industry
Historians as Information Managers
- Electronic Records Archivist, SC Dept. of Archives and History
- Director of Library & Research Services, Duane Morris, LLP
- Historians in the Military
- Intelligence Officer, U.S. Army
- Budget Analyst, Department of the Navy
Historians in Government
- Special Agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Field Representative, U.S. Sen. Robert P. Casey, Jr.
- Superintendent, National Park Service
- Accounts Payable Specialist, Internal Revenue Service
Historians as Advocates
- Attorney, Vanderpool, Frostick & Nishanian in Virginia
- Caseworker, Erie County
Historians in Business
- Director of Development, EmergyCare
- Commercial Underwriter III, Erie Insurance Group
- Owner, Patty's Place, Pittsburgh Antique Mall
- Owner, Lancaster Custom Construction, Inc.
- Owner, Katydid PGH
- Software Sales Leader in Healthcare, Life Sciences, and SLEd at IBM
- Designer and Project Coordinator in the Transmission Department at Penelec
Others go on to law school or graduate school, completing M.A. and Ph.D. programs in history, anthropology, political science, and museum management. Graduate and professional schools recently attended by Penn State Behrend’s history program alumni include the University of Delaware, University of Minnesota, University of Pennsylvania, University of Virginia, University of Wisconsin, Ohio State University, Marquette University, Michigan State University, Duquesne University, West Virginia University, SUNY Buffalo, University College London, and Scotland's University of Edinburgh.